Chapter 35: Miracle Worker
You think you are ready. At least Eagle has been an incredible help to you all. His knowledge of the theory behind restorative spells has been invaluable to your efforts though it has been an odd experience.
It became clear early on that he was convinced you had learnt your spells from one of his colleagues despite your claims to the contrary. As such he has attempted to reveal the 'truth' behind your magical theory for the better part of the last two days. For your part, you have attempted to get him to reveal as much information as possible about Heron spells.
Neither of you really got what you wanted.
He has found no evidence that your knowledge has Heron origins while you have not been able to steal any substantial knowledge from him. What you have achieved together, however, is a stable and, reasonably safe Greater Heal spell. You should be able to cast it without worrying too much about dying and Eagle even offered to help. An offer you immediately accepted, anything to make this process safer really.
You are not worried about the ritual, it is everything else that worries you. You want everything about this day to run perfectly so it is with great trepidation that you, Thaïs, Lyssa and Eagle await the tools you will need to complete the ritual.
"Where are they," Lyssa paces the courtyard, her usual worn clothes and the straw in her hair reinforce the impression that she is something feral from beyond the end of civilization. A savage danger from the darkest mountains, in truth she is simply bored and annoyed though you suspect she enjoys spooking the servants with her wild looks.
"Don't know," you mumble in response as you fan yourself with your hat, your leather armour chafes slightly in the heat, "They are half an hour late."
"We simply have to trust Sir Argus, he has not failed us before," Thaïs reminds you both. In contrast to the two of you she stands perfectly still, of course her armour is quite a bit lighter and easier to bear in this heat.
She is right though you will just have to be patient but it is difficult to do so with everything waiting on your supply of mandrake roots. Without them you may have to call this whole thing off and it is scheduled to start in mere hours.
You tap your foot in quiet annoyance until you hear a truly wonderful sound. The wheels of wagons and the boots of soldiers.
"Do you hear that?" Caoilainn whispers in your mind.
"Yes," you and your friend answer in unison.
As a pair of carts push into the courtyard you can not help but smile. They are overflowing with mandrake roots. It is quite possible that every mandrake root in the entire kingdom has been gathered for this occasion.
The carts are escorted by what must be one hundred soldiers. Not House Albrecht guards either, these are Royal Army soldiers as this is a formal function of the state. Their armour gleams in the sun, each moves in perfect step with their neighbours. These are dwarves of war and they have practiced their art to perfection. Their uniforms are different than those you have seen around the city, the deep purple of their surcoats bear the royal arms of the King, a golden, two headed falcon. At their head is Argus also dressed in the royal colours. These men are the king's very own guard.
Eagle frowns, begins mumbling and shoots the dwarves a number of hostile glances.
"Well, Albrecht certainly came through for us," you whistle as two whole wagons of mandrake roots roll up next to you. You are truly impressed.
"There must be hundreds of them," adds Thaïs with not a little disbelief.
"I have never seen so many," Lyssa stops in awe on the other side of you, "I wonder what this cost?"
"Less than you would think," Argus calls with a laugh from across the courtyard. He has just finished dismissing the soldiers that served as escort for these roots, "We merely had to promise that the names of every vendor to help with this ritual would be published throughout the kingdom. Most offered what they could for the publicity alone, the rest were still willing to negotiate rather steep discounts. Everyone wants to help the heroes that saved our kingdom rescue a poor child from a fate almost worse than death!" the champion grins at the three of you.
Finally he notices Eagle's expression, "And what is wrong with you, eh? Eat something that disagreed with you? Drink something a bit too strong perhaps?"
"Those colours," the Guard answers.
"Yeah, what about them?" Argus presses on as the mirth drains from his tone.
"Your king has no right to use them," the Guard states with complete conviction, "Those colours belong to the Emperor himself!"
Argus merely laughs, "Really now? I did not realize a man could own a colour."
Eagle glares at the dwarf, "As per the treaty sign with Emperor A-"
Argus waves him off, "To hell with your emperors!"
"How dare you!" the Guard tenses, "If not for Emperor Alric you dwarves would not have your kingdom today! He was the Emperor that defeated Balor! He was the Emperor that killed the Watcher! He was the -"
The Champion interrupts him, "Well now that is quite impressive but are you sure you have the right man? Is that the same emperor that abandons his friends on the word of a pair of vipers? The same emperor that spends all his time locked up in his capital? That emperor? Well I will tell you what I think of that emperor, he is a fu-"
"So! How many roots did you manage to get?" you shout over Argus in an attempt to redirect the conversation.
Thaïs comes to your aid immediately, approaching the nearest cart, examining its contents, "Good, very good, it looks like a few hundred at least. We will need every one of these to cast the rituals. When do we begin?"
"As soon as Brenna and her father arrive, everything is ready in the throne room for us to begin," you answer with only a hint of reluctance as you remember the exact conditions you will be required to perform under.
Albrecht was willing to help. He immediately set to work securing everything you could need, of course he also had a number of conditions he wanted met. Most were reasonable but some of them...
One of Albrecht's conditions was that the rituals be performed in front of the whole court. He wants everyone to see what a kind and decent leader he is, no doubt. He also argued that it would be good for the 'Heroes of the Kingdom' to demonstrate their magical prowess. You tried to get out of it, you warned him that if something went wrong an audience would be the last thing you would need.
You fought tooth and nail but he is the King, in the final accounting of things his word is law. You just have to ensure that everything goes according to plan.
"We should go get changed," Lyssa mutters clearly no more excited than you are.
Right, another of Albrecht's 'conditions', you have to look respectable while doing this. Albrecht even had a proper dress picked out for Lyssa, a beautifully deep chocolate with metallic gold trim.
As a small concession you managed to get him to add a matching mask. You claimed that Lyssa gets a little shy around large crowds and with Thaïs' help the King readily believed you.
The last thing you need is for someone to recognize her.
You sigh, nothing like casting a demanding ritual in a corset to start the day, "Well, let's just get this over with then."
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The King sits upon his throne, draped in the symbols of state. The only change in his attire is the colour of his robes, now an impossibly deep purple you have not seen before. You catch Eagle glaring at him occasionally. He either does not notice or does not care, part of you suspects that he has made this change specifically for Eagle's 'benefit'. Perhaps he has at that.
Next to him sits his Queen and in front of them four dwarven princes, each perched on a smaller, lower throne. You notice a few empty thrones, the sixth throne in particular catches your attention, Jori's throne. It will remain forever empty.
Around you on all sides are the remaining nobility of the Dwarven Kingdom. They easily fit into the throne room with room to spare. Lords and ladies crowd up against the living wall formed by the royal guards stationed to defend you.
You are dressed in you finest. The gorgeous green dress you have worn only once before to the Barings' dinner. It looks magnificent but you would rather be doing this in something a bit more practical. At least the jewels you have woven into your hair serve an actual purpose besides looking pretty, most of them have been enchanted to increase your mental clarity and quicken your response time. A few seconds could mean the difference between success and permanent damage to your health.
You look over your much reduced casting circle.
Thaïs stands, radiant, to your right in her red gown. She appears to be the most at ease of your group but you know her well enough not to fall for her act, she is every bit as nervous as you and Lyssa.
Lyssa occupies the spot to your left and has so far drawn most of the attention. Suitably teased and tortured by Albrecht's army of servants she has transformed for a backwood witch to a fine lady at court. When it was all said and done she even admitted that it was sort of fun even if a 'complete waste of time'. Her mask is firmly secured in place by not one but three ribbons woven into her hair, you are certain it will not come loose while you cast.
You notice some of the nobles pointing at her. Ah, a little mystery and they forget all about their 'heroes'. Well, if everything goes according to plan that will change quite quickly.
Finally you lock eyes with Eagle. He has donned his parade uniform. Lacquered plates polished till they shine in the torch light of the hall. Great banners bearing the Emperor's own coat of arms hang from his back. On each hip rests the thin, deadly blade of the Heron Guard. The jewels set into the hilts suggest that these are merely ceremonial blades but from what you know of the Guards they do not believe in form without function. You are certain those blades would prove lethal in a fight.
You take a deep breath, this is not the first ritual you have cast though of course it is your first time casting this ritual. It is also your first time doing so in front of an audience. Honestly it makes you a bit nervous but you are the lead mage here, they will all be looking to you for direction and this is your ritual, your creation. You will pull this off without any complications.
You trust yourself.
You trust your aids.
You trust your spell.
You are certain you will succeed you simply have to want it badly enough.
One look at the child in front of you gives you all the motivation you will ever need.
The four of you stand at each corner of the massive slab of white marble the King has had cut just for this occasion. It is draped in thick red cloth and the child is supported by a small red pillow. She looks up at you, eyes filled with trepidation.
You give her a smile, "It will be alright kid. We will have you fixed up in no time," you wink at her. She smiles weakly, trying her best to ignore the crowd. You curse Albrecht under your breath for involving them.
It has been decided. Brenna will go first, Anleifr, her father, insisted. He wants her fixed while you are all fresh and the chance of something going wrong is lowest. There is wisdom in his demand, she will be easier to repair than he will be and it would be good practice.
Calmly, carefully, you begin.
A number of species can regenerate lost limbs or organs. You are not quite sure what strange elemental spirits allow them to do so, you are after all not a doctor. However you do know that it is possible, you have seen lizards do as much with missing tails and legs. If they can do it then why can't you?
You carefully strip the girl and give her the once over, noting every scar, every missing piece, every stump, every growth, and every imperfection while you are at it.
You cast out your mind and reach for those of your colleagues. You find them quickly enough and they lend their strength to yours.
Eagle, positioned across from you will be your 'adversary', he will act to steady you and to limit you.
His primary task will be to restrain your mind and soul should you push too deeply. He will provide a limiting factor throughout the ritual. According the Eagle this is a common role in a great many of the Guards' spells. The life of each Guard belongs to the Emperor and the Emperor alone. They are not to endanger themselves needlessly and without his orders, so everything must be done carefully. He has informed you time and again that the greatest threat posed by restorative magics is the threat the caster poses to him or herself. The more powerful the healing magic the more tempting it is to push yourself beyond your limitations. To try and help as much as you can, to save every life even at the cost of your own. Learning to let go, to stay within the circle of one's own abilities, is one of the first and most difficult lessons a Guard must learn and he is convinced that it is a test you too must pass to successfully use this ritual.
Thaïs and Lyssa will take on more traditional roles, each according to their natural inclinations. Each will support one of you in your tasks. Thaïs will support you in casting the spells necessary to help your patients while Lyssa will support Eagle in protecting you all.
As you close your eyes and picture Brenna's abstracted form you let out a deep and calming breath.
Eagle's second piece of advice was to control your breathing. You must control yourself if you intend to control the spell. If you let it do whatever it wants it will take too much from you. It will strive toward the aim you set for it and will burn you up to nothing along the way.
It is odd to think in this way. So much of what you know of magic stresses pushing yourself to your utmost but Eagle's theory revolves around limiting yourself. Weakening your impulses and achieving complete control through their negation.
It seems to be working too.
You begin by taking hold of the spirits of the body, you will need their aid for what is to come. You begin with her pneuma, that elemental air, she is young and all things considered healthy so it take little effort to coax it forth. You harness it and increase the production of natural spirits.
As you do so servants bring forward four mandrake roots and break one at each of your feet. The energy swirls upward, twisting green strands dance around you as you cast. A few of the nobles gasp and gossip, you suspect you look every part the hero they dream you are. Even as the ribbons of energy rise from your feet the servants are retrieving more from two great piles to either side of your casting circle. They will need to keep up a steady stream of roots to prevent the exhaustion of any of your group. If you begin to weaken the spell may fail and that would prove disastrous to you all.
You marshal the natural spirits, driving them towards her wounds. They should stimulate growth, all they need is a will to guide them.
Brenna screams, the process has begun.
Someone jostles you slightly. Likely a servant restraining the poor girl. You ignore it and push on.
You can feel the spirits building at every scar, every stub, every sore and wound and you work with a speed and dexterity you did not know you possessed. You pour everything you are given into the spell, you pour in all you have and it works. You can feel her body regenerating, restoring itself but you can go further than that. You can do more, always more! You could improve her eyesight, strengthen her bones, give her skin as smooth a marble, you can- No, you will do what is needed. You will restore her, you will give her back her body but you will stop at that. You will stop at what her body instinctively knows and you will go no further. Those are the limits you set for yourself and you will remain within them.
You finish restoring her form and seize upon the vital spirits of her heart next. You ease them through her new appendages, slowly and careful. First you gave them form and now you breath into them motion.
She lets out a few muffled cries, the poor dear. But it is almost over.
As her vital spirits begin to make the circuit through her restored form you sneak a peak at your work. She lies before you, perfect. The child is as good as new, or at least her body is.
She sobs to herself, not out of pain but out of joy. As you wind down your spells and still the magical energies swirling around you, you are filled with indescribable joy.
Somewhere deep within you, you are certain that this is the single finest thing you have ever done.
She looks up at you, tears in her eyes, unable to speak she merely mouths two words, "Thank you."
The crowd cheers as the child is bundled up and carried to her father. They share a quiet moment together while the crowd applauds, first your collective actions and then the King's unrivalled charity and foresight. Someone shouts for a speech but thankfully Albrecht waves the idea away. You have work to do and the hardest part is still ahead of you.
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It takes almost five straight hours but then Anleifr is in much worse shape than his daughter. To reconstruct all of his limbs and most of his face and throat is a serious task and as you finish the last piece of the final incantation you breathe a tremendous sigh of relief.
You are momentarily spent but it is over, you have restored Trakk's family to perfect physical health.
The assembled nobles of the kingdom look on a mixture of approval and boredom on their faces.
Then a scream of rage fills the chamber, followed by a second, a third, a fourth and a fifth. Five dwarves, dressed as servants, charge into the room with lit cocktails in hand. You are not certain how they managed to smuggle weapons into the throne room but you can do little to stop them and if they succeed in throwing those cocktails there will be precious little of any of you left to worry about it.
As soon as they see the weapons the nobles rush in a mass toward the doors. They claw and trample each other in an effort to escape. Barely ten of them move to defend the king and not one pays you any mind.
Three of the assassins make for the king as the royal guards all move to intercept. Most are splattered by a volley of cocktails. They simply do not have the weapons necessary to resist the assassins like this. Given a few minutes they could route the attackers but it is time they do not have.
The remaining two head straight for you and your allies.
You are spent and have no weapons, even Eagle's swords will do little good here.
Thankfully you are not alone.
The first of your attackers raises a cocktail above his head and screams at you, "Death to the traitor king! Death to his pet witches! Death to eeeahhh-" a very large potted fern launches itself at the dwarf. As it falls toward him it extends an arm and snatches the cocktail from him. Deftly it hurls the cocktail across the room and into the pack of dwarves assaulting the king. They disappear in a thick red mist and a light rain of body parts.
The assassin stands, mouth agape, in complete shock as the fern produces a spoon and drives it forcibly into his eye socket. He howls as a chipped plate connects with his throat. A series of punches and a suplex finish him off. He lands on his neck with a sickening crunch.
The remaining assassin eyes the fern warily.
With but a single cocktail between him and the murderous plant he hesitates. It proves to be his undoing as an arrow and a knife catch him in the back. Biliku and Uttu wave at you from behind a pair of statues before disappearing again as the potted fern orders them back into hiding.
As the girls disappear so too does the fern, slipping into the shadows of the chamber and disappearing around a column.
In the chaos of the attack it seems that no one witnessed the heroic acts of the plant. When they do finally realize that the attackers are dead they naturally assume you are responsible. A great cheer goes up from all those assembled. You are heroes, for the third time this evening.
You smile at one another as Thaïs extends an arm and you gratefully take it. The four of you make your way past the crowd of grateful dwarves and towards a very thankful royal family. Along the way Trakk's family wave to you, you can not resist waving back.
Eagle leans forward between the two of you, confusion writ clearly on his face, "What. I mean. A fern?"
Lyssa giggles under her mask and even Caoilainn chuckles in your mind.
Laughing, you respond in unison with but two words, the two words that explain everything, "Berty Levy."
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In the days that follow Trakk's family return to the safe house they are being sheltered at. If assassins are after supporters of Albrecht then they may not be safe until everything settles down. Neither you nor the King are willing to risk losing them now.
The possibility that assassins now stalk your every step fills you with a degree of apprehension but you must see to your business, you can not remain locked up in the palace at all times. Albrecht assures you that the Pathfinders remain on the case. You have even heard from Argus that Bari himself has volunteered to lead the hunt for the remaining House Eberhardt loyalists behind the attack on you, you do not like your enemies' odds.
You sit at your desk across from Thaïs as the two of you sort through your files. You have received a report from Mayer detailing the results of your initial round of bidding. You have also received a number of requests for meetings from former clients of the Eberhardts concerning your willingness to discuss the terms under which you will continue to provide them secure lodging and protection along your assigned trade route. Finally you have received a letter from a Mr. 'Jawbone' acting head of Blackrock Securities
You have two primary concerns to deal with over the coming weeks and a number of more general policy decisions to make.
1. What would you like to focus on first? Albrecht understands your desire to get out but is still unwilling to grant you two separate escorts. Unless you wish to sneak out without an escort you will be limited to dealing with one issue at a time.
A) Blackrock Securities - the sooner you can get them organized and making money as opposed to draining assets the better. You will meet with this Mr. Jawbone and run through your options.
B) The Caravan Contracts - you will meet with the Eberhardts' former clients and see how many you can keep under your banner. Without clients you will not be able to make money of the trade route after all.
C) Ditch the escort and split up - You will slip out without your escort and each of you will deal with one of your problems. If you vote for this option then stipulate who will go to each meeting.
D) You will pretend to play along - Thaïs will take your escort to go talk to the merchants. You will then try to sneak out of the palace with the rest of your group to go check up on Blackrock. The King won't like it but if the plan works he never needs to know.
E) freeform
2. Mayer has sent you his report on his efforts to secure property for you. He has spent 200 WPs worth of the funds you gave him and has secured properties that should bring in an estimated 45 WPs monthly while only annoying a couple of competitors. Would you like him to change his strategy?
A) Yes, be more aggressive. Bend the rules if necessary.
B) No, stay the course.
C) Yes, be less aggressive. No sense making enemies.
Now for the questions proposed in the discussion:
3. It might be possible to develop new tactical possibilities by training Caoilainn into an actual mage. However, Derryth does not believe she has the skills to be a truly capable mage and it will likely take effort and time on your part to do so. Do you make the attempt?
A) Yes, she might be useful.
B) No, it is time better spent on improving your own skills or working on something else.
C) You will attempt to teach her the theory behind a single attack spell (Firebolt) in case she needs it some day, beyond that you will not bother.
D) freeform
4. It may be possible to use Caoilainn's split mind as a meeting place to instantly communicate in battlefield situations. It might also be possible to use the quicker passage of time within the mind for further research and development at an accelerated pace. A couple conditions must be met first however. Caoilainn needs to trust both Derryth and Thaïs (and they need to trust her) and a modified Infiltration spell must be developed that has a quick casting time and fewer components. The risks involved include those that are always present when entering another's mind, the chance of mental collapse and fusion. While the first condition can not be rushed the mages could begin to research a way to alter the Infiltration spell should you so desire. Is this a worthwhile path to pursue?
A) Yes, begin research immediately though this will divert attention and resources away from other activities.
B) Not right now, this may be an interesting path to follow but do so at a later date. Preferably when you are back in Muirthemne with your full Circle and assets.
C) No, Derryth will not pursue such a dangerous path of research.