Published at 21st of February 2026 8:39 pm

Chapter 226 New Seas to Sail

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Mirian arrived in Alkazaria and gathered the high priests. This time, the High Priest of Carkavakom accepted her claim as easily as the others. He didnt smile so much. It was like he was a different person.

Her best guess was an Elder creature was involved. Some of them had been assigned by the Gods to guard the Elder Gates. They could visit different paths in the fields of time, meaning they must be present in some paths, but not others. In the cycles where she never visited the conduit rooms, they would never appearwhy would they need to? Perhaps Carkavakom had such an agent.

If so, she could only hope it was as restrained as Conductor and Eyeball. If it was interfering, why? And why now?

Naturally, even Eyeball refused to tell her anything about it.

When she arrived at the council chambers, she took a different tactic.

Dawns Peace is in a stronger position than you realize. They even have infiltrators here in Alkazaria, she told First Councilor Izrif. However, theres an Elder artifact buried beneath the city that can be used as a powerful weapon. Turning to one of the council secretaries she now knew was working for the Deeps, she said, Much like the one in Torrviol, only, I know how to use it.

Like rallying Torrviol against the Akanan invasion, it was much easier to rally Alkazarias elites against Persama than for saving Enteria. Stick with the world they know, she thought, leaning on her fathers advice.

Later, in a personal conversation with Izrif, she said, I think credit for the Elder artifacts discovery should be given to whomever is most responsible for it being uncovered. Imagine what the history books will say about the man who changed the fate of Baracuel.

Like with Archmage Luspire, she could play to his ambition.

It rankled, but it worked much better. There were still stupid political games, but they didnt impede her digging so much. This time, she also had to deal with the Praetorians before they left, though shed already briefed her father about them and how to avoid their intelligence network.

Fates a funny thing, Voran said, when he realized just who this new Prophet was.

Mirian wanted to rip off his head, but she restrained herself.

***

It took four more cycles, before at last, leyline data narrowed down the location and a geomancer team successfully found the spherical hollow beneath all the andesite and obsidian bedrock. It was much deeper than shed thought it would be, and it was directly under one of the spires in the south part of Central Hill, just north of Oldtown, near the Temple of Eintocarst.

Conductor greeted her when she found the conduit room.

I CANT ACTIVATE IT UNTIL YOU REPLACE THE CONDUIT CRYSTALS, the Elder creature told her in that annoyed tone it always had.

Cant you use an intact set of crystals from another conduit room? she asked.

NO. YOU KNOW THE RULES.

Mirian had already fabricated a full set of the crystals, guessing that the fiery blasts that had destroyed the ancient Viaterrian city had done the same damage here that shed seen in Palendurio.

Connecting the Alkazaria Gate to the Palendurio Gate so late in the cycle only extended the loop by three days. She announced her success to the other Prophets via zephyr falcon the next loop. With the location known, she could now connect the Torrviol and Mahatan Gates on the first day of the loop, then connect Palendurio and Alkazaria five days later. She began measuring the effects on the leylines immediately.

In the meantime, she waited for word from the others.

The news from them was less inspiring.

Gabriel was now trying the overland route to Zhighua, having a ship drop him off on the coast and then staying along that to avoid the worst of the jungle. However, he was again changing tactics, because the myrvites in the Jiandzhi seemed more aggressive than usual, and hed gotten killed twice in the attempt. Then, because he hated dying, hed taken a break to go back to studying Labyrinth routes to see if he could find any more Vaults.

Mirian was annoyed. There was a known overland safe route south of Alatishad that was pouring refugees into the city. Surely, he could just use it, even if it would take weeks. However, she knew berating him wouldnt do anything.

Jherica was continuing their research and personal training. They hadnt accomplished much either, but they also had a great deal of catching up to do. As far as Mirian could tell, Liuan wasnt interfering. The wizard had checked up on Celen, but there was no change in his situation.

Ibrahim sent no communication. Hed seized Rambalda as usual each cycle, but that was all she knew. All her zephyr falcons went unanswered.

Finally, there was Liuan.

Her message was brief. She gave no updates on the political situation, nor any apology for the RID agents shed had follow Mirian after the last Council of Prophets. All she had to say was:

Mirian,

Problems with both leviathans and Tlaxhuacan warships. No progress made. Invasion may be necessary to progress.

-Liuan Var

Mirian stared at the letter with disgust when she received it. Five loops. Ten months! Thats it? Is there a new Akanan tax on words? Did they run out of ink over there? Gods above.

She burned the letter with a burst of raw fire and sat in her tower room in Alkazaria for several moments, looking out across the city. Then, she took the Gate to Palendurio, burrowed up through the rock, and was on the train north to Torrviol within the hour. She could have changed the destinations of the gates to go straight from Alkazaria to Torrviol, but decided to take the first set of full measurements of leyline data from the new arrangement.

As soon as she arrived, she sought out her old acquaintance.

Xipuatl, she said, barging into his apartment. Shed known he was there because shed seen him with detect life behind the wall. I need to know as much as you can teach me about Tlaxhuaco. Current politics. Basic history. Religion. You might as well start teaching me the basics of the language, too, she said.

This late in a cycle, with Torrviol Academy directed to do her research and the Gate open, rumors that she was a Prophet tended to spread. Xipuatl gaped at her. The natural glow of her silver eyes tended to do that to people now, and she knew she carried herself with a presence that was hard to ignore. Finally, he said, Wait, you know me?

Yes. You taught me some basic soul magic. We used to meet for study sessions with Nicolus. We worked together for two years, and Ive been making progress on your universal theory. When he didnt respond, Mirian said, I didnt become like this overnight. Youre part of the Yanez family, which means you can get us safe passage to the island. I dont know any other Tlaxhuacans yet. It wont happen this cycle, but we can start making preparations now.

Xipuatl took a step back. Wait Im right?

About soul magic and arcane magic being part of a universal system, yesbut were not getting into that right now. Mirian looked over to his meditation room where his focuswhat he and the Tlaxhuacans called an elder reliquarywas hidden behind a permanent illusion in the wall. Ive been meaning to take a closer look at this, she murmured as she casually used raw force magic to pull it to her. The jade-like substance had similar properties to the silver-gray focus shed bound to herself. Both reflected light in a strange way.

You cantthats my familys sacred

Mirian lowered the focus, put a hand on his shoulder and met his eyes. Xipuatl. The world ends soon. What happens to anything will not be permanent. The only thing that will matter is the final cycle, but that wont happen unless I learn more about the strange deficit of leyline energy in Tlaxhuaco. Do you need tie to wrap your head around that, or can we talk seriously?

Xipuatl took a moment. Mirian had these memories of him being so confident and unshakable. It was strange to compare that to the young man who stood before her now.

I get it, he said. Its just a lot.

Good. Theres a dangerous pattern emerging. A lot of the other Prophets

Other Prophets!?

Let me finish. A lot of the other Prophets think the best way to resolve the various problems causing the apocalypse involve their chosen faction conquering the others. That was Ibrahim and Liuan, it seemed, though Gabriel was also sympathetic to that plan even if he wasnt going to do it himself. My plan is to prevent war altogether, and that is what Im offering Tlaxhuaco: peace. Is that an acceptable payment for your services?

Despite what hed said, she could tell Xipuatl was still wrapping his head around everything. You mean, like the thing you offer when this is all done? Theres no are we really in a time loop?

Mirian wanted to sigh loud enough that her soul would leave her body. Instead she said, Yes.

How but Im going to forget everything, then. I cant hold you to your word.

Correct, she said.

Xipuatl blinked, then sat in one of his chairs. You could have spent this could be the hundredth time we had this conversation. How do I know you havent spent it figuring out how to manipulate me?

The fact that youre asking that. If Id spent a hundred cycles doing this, I promise, you wouldnt even be considering the possibility. And to be honest, youre not that important. Archmage Luspire is the one I had to spend several cycles to manipulate. What does Tlaxhuaco want? What do you want? Before, you said your universal theory of magic, but that was when this was about stopping an Akanan army here and giving me lessons. Now, the stakes are the fate of nations. When the sixth year student didnt immediately answer, she said, Ill synthesize more than just your answer in this loop. We might find something in Tlaxhuaco next cycle that changes things. There could be another Prophet down there. There might not be. As far as I can tell, Baracuel only has me, so theres no guarantee they have anyone.

Spirits, Xipuatl swore. After a long pause, he finally said, They want their way of life protected. The history is complicated. The hardliners want to keep all contact with the continents cut. They think its safer that way. But theres all this magical technology being uncoveredwed be fools to ignore it. Right now, though, the hardliners are in the dominant position. Took a lot of pull to get me to Torrviol, and I only ever was approved because of the Yanezs strange dual nobility status. And the fact that Id be here, away from the political center of things.

Can your status in the Yanez family get me into the country without a fight?

Probably. If I could convince my parents. I dont have standing yet. Not until Ive graduated Torrviol Academy. And Im not exactly the favorite son, since I came here instead of training as a nagual. And the Yanez family isnt well regarded. Not on the island. I mean, theres obviously benefits, but its complicated.

Mirian summoned her spellbook and cast an illusionary disguise so that her features looked more Tlaxhuacan. Would this help?

I assure you, they check for illusions, he said.

Mirian dismissed the illusion and instead formed several soul bindings to change her appearance to look much the same, rapidly cycling her soul at the surface so that the change happened quickly. This, then. When Xipuatl looked confused, she handed him his focus and said, Take a look. Its not an illusion.

Oh. Oh shit. Where didhow did you learn this?

From Professor Marva and the Cult of Zomalator, but the Deeps and RID also know how to do it, and deploy it often. One of the reasons they dont like anyone else knowing soul magic. Everything youve told me ties into everything else.

Okay. Wow. Okay. Spirits, this isthis isbig. Gods. Yeah. Okay. What do you need to know?

Mirian smiled. Lets start with the political situation and some language basics. Ill have food provided to us. I want as much of your time as you can manage, though I have a few experiments Im running Ill need to take results on. You mentioned before you dont exactly have a story that would help identify me as a friend to you in future loops, so Ill use what information you teach me to help guide things in the next cycle.

Okay, Xipuatl said, nodding slowly. When should we begin?

Now, Mirian said.

***

The next loop, Mirian established Torrviols link to Mahatan and Alkazarias link to Palendurio. It took several days, but the end result was a cycle that now ended on the 6th of Merisheth, so it still gave her a full extra month of time on the balance.

Shed already sent Liuan two letters, one asking for more details and another telling her not to try to invade Tlaxhuaco. Mirian knew how these things went. When you iterated on getting something out of a loop, you started with what worked, then made small adjustments. If starting a war with Tlaxhuaco got Liuan to the island, then shed keep doing it, and eventually, that would just become the way she got there. It wouldnt be ideal, but it would work. Gabriel had the people he swindled and bankrupt whenever he wanted to live in a palace. Ibrahim had his army he raised. Mirian had done the same thing in Torrviol to fight Akanas invasion, never thinking of all the other things she could have done with that time. It was too easy to get fixated on the wrong path.

She met Xipuatl in Palendurio, then they took a cutter across the Rift Sea and headed south along the Akanan coast. This version of Xipuatl was only slightly less confused than the version shed taken lessons from the last cycle.

This other Prophet said there were leviathans? Between Tlaxhauco and Akana? he asked one afternoon as they stood on the deck, wind whipping past them.

Yes, Mirian said, her gaze fixed on the waters.

But she must be taking the archipelago route. The water is too shallow for the really big myrvites. Its the entire reason ships stick to the coast!

Yes, well, the leyline anomalies and arcane eruptions cause a lot of erratic myrvite behavior. What defenses against leviathans do the Tlaxhuacan warships have? Artillery? Depth charges?

No. If it reeks of a spell engine, they dont have it. Its Ive gotten into a lot of arguments about it with my fellow countrymen. Its stupid. I dont like spell engines either, but not even using fossilized myrvite charges for guns? Its like if you banned archmages from joining the military. Its just stupid.

Mirian looked out. The Akanan coast was like one big village smeared across every beach. A lot you can do if you dont have any myrvites left alive to worry about, she thought. Along the coastal tracks, a train trundled along. They must have some defenses if Liuan has to worry about them.

Xipuatl hesitated, then finally said, If shes sailing over there in a wood-bottom boat, shes a fool. I guess I can tell you that. Its not the best kept secret; the Akanan military already knows that.

Something a bit more potent than shape wood?

Yeah, you could say that.

Mirian looked at their own cutters wooden hull. It was the material that made the most sense. Shape iron was a lot more mana intensive to use, and steel was even more expensive to produce in quantity without an arcanist, even if they were using a spell engine. The newest generation of battleships had steel hulls, but smaller warships were better off with shield spell engines backed by sorcerer teams. A spell engine was cheaper and weighed less. A steelclad ship would also add even more weight from all the fossilized myrvite it needed to give the spell engines extra power. Battleships made sense for operations in the Rift Saeither against another country, or against sea serpentsbut they seemed like a foolish waste of resources to Mirian in any other context.

But eschewing artillery?

Thats just the problem, though. Anyone who gives up spell engines cedes so much military power theyre doomed on the battlefield.

The problem remained intractable. And yet, Tlaxhuaco apparently didnt use spell engines, or if they did, they kept the use to a minimum. How does Tlaxhuaco deal with myrvites without spellward barriers?

Nagual. And clever whats the word in Friian for living construction?

There isnt one. Mirian furrowed her brow. Viridian would die of happiness if he visited, wouldnt he?

Xipuatl laughed. Probably.

As they continued south, Mirian continued with her Tlaxa lessons. When she grew fatigued of learning the language, they talked about Tlaxhuacos history. It took Xipuatl a while, but he seemed to grasp what was at stake.

The next morning, they reached the archipelago, and Mirian saw the first leviathan surface.

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