Chapter 138: Resurrection (1/2)

Emir’s private study occupied the entire domed top floor of the cloud palaces tallest and most central tower. One of the restricted areas of the palace, the only access without the power of flight was an elevating platform from lower floors. It would not activate for anyone but Constance and Emir, requiring Constance to escort Jason and Clive up. Emir had the dome set to almost full transparency, subtly dimming the bright sunlight while keeping the room fresh and cool.

At a glance, the room seemed mostly empty, aside from the people in it and a few small circles of water in the floor from which plants were growing. The only furniture was the seats the existing occupants were sitting in, but two more rose up from the floor to accommodate Jason and Clive. Constance departed, riding the platform back down, only for a new platform to manifest in its place.

“Thank you for coming,” Emir said to them as they sat. Already in the room were Gary and Russell, both looking better for regular meals, showers and a couple of good night’s sleep. They exchanged greetings, Jason noting that Clive and Russell seemed to know each other well. Clive had expounded more than once of the state of Magic Society personnel, but it seemed Russell was amongst the few Clive considered genuinely capable.

“You were lucky to catch us,” Jason said. “We’re about to take Wexler out for another monster run.”

“Are you going to be working on group tactics?” Emir asked.

“Humphrey’s gotten excited about devising tactics based around our team setup,” Jason said. “Finally putting all that training his family gave him to use. We’re still short a healer but we can at least get a start on things.”

“I’m surprised you’re leaving it to Humphrey instead of doing it yourself,” Gary said.

“I may be a little self-impressed...”

“A little?” Clive interjected, getting a chuckle from Gary.

“Yes,” Jason said, panning a pointed look from one to the other. “A little. I know better than to think I know more than someone with training or experience.”

“You do?” Gary asked.

“Yes,” Jason said. “I do.”

His shoulders slumped. “Farrah hammered that into me. She wouldn’t put up with it.”

The room fell silent for a moment as all eyes fell to the floor, except for Russell who was smart enough to stay quiet.

“We found something,” Gary said, breaking the reverie.

“We’re pretty sure this is how they made all those constructs,” Russell added, taking a small object wrapped in cloth from a pocket in his robes. “Gary said you have an ability to identify objects and thought we should show you, to confirm.”

He went to pass Jason the item, but Jason stopped him with a raised hand. Jason then added Emir, Gary and Russell to the party that already contained him and Clive.

“This ability has so much potential,” Emir said. “How many people can you include at a time?”

“Myself plus nine more,” Jason said.

Russell opened the cloth and took out the object inside. It was the size and shape of a monster core but made up of intricate, clockwork mechanisms.

“Touch it,” Jason said.

Item: [Clockwork Core] (iron rank, rare)

The core of an artificial monster. (crafting material, magic core).

Effect: When used as the core of a construct creature, the materials and processes used are significantly simplified.

“That is useful,” Russell said. “Can you do this for any item?”

“It doesn't work on very high-rank items,” Jason said.

“Still, possibilities abound. You should come work for the Magic Society.”

Jason groaned.

“I’ve told him, believe me,” Clive said.

Russell wrapped the core back up, returning it to his pocket.

“Thank you for that, Jason,” Emir said. “It’s nice to confirm what we’re dealing with.”

“So, these things are how they were able to build their construct army,” Jason said. “Did the Builder supply them?”

“Not directly,” Russell said. “Clockwork cores are produced by a creature called a clockwork king.”

“Some kind of monster?” Clive asked.

“No,” Russell said. “I managed to find some records on clockwork cores in the temple of knowledge’s library, including their source, these clockwork kings.”

“What manner of creature are they?” Jason asked.

“In our world, creatures like dragons are highly magical, but they are actual creatures that are born, live and die. They aren’t monsters. Clockwork kings are the same, but they aren’t native to our world. They’re native to the world the Builder has created.”

“You think they’ve come here, somehow?” Jason asked.

“Yes,” Russell said. “The bad news is, they're gold-rank entities. The good news is that I don't think there is one in this area. The constructs the expedition encountered were simple affairs. Basically, blocks of wood, stone and metal slapped together around one of these cores. Clockwork kings use the cores they create to craft more intricate and elaborate constructs. We haven’t seen anything like what the records I found describe.”

“If they’re crafting things, does that mean they’re intelligent?” Jason asked.

“Oh, yes,” Russell said. “They are likely to occupy key leadership positions.”

“Are they artificial creatures themselves, or living things?” Jason asked.

“From my understanding of the Builder’s world,” Clive contributed, “that isn’t a strict delineation.”

“That comports with what I found as well,” Russell agreed.

“Is there any chance there is a clockwork king here and the best constructs are being held back to hide that fact?” Jason asked. “Lull us into a false sense of security?”

“It’s possible,” Emir said. “I think they would have used them to try and hold the astral space from us, though.”

“It’s unlikely,” Clive said. “Travel between worlds is not easy to arrange, even for a great astral being like the Builder. They can't facilitate it directly because they’re inimical to physical reality. An attempt to directly interact with a physical reality would be too destructive. As far as I'm aware, travelling between realities is the domain of diamond rankers, which means the Builder would have to rely on how many diamond-rankers he can spare from whatever other interests he has going on throughout the cosmos.”

“You said destructive,” Jason said. “I wouldn’t have thought the Builder would care about that.”

“It doesn’t,” Clive said. “The World-Phoenix does, however, and the great astral beings are careful about encroaching upon one another’s interests. It’s why they don’t just resurrect any of their key minions who get killed as outworlders.”