Chapter 795: Curses (1/2)
Ilea let the duo have their small reunion, instead teleporting through the ancient city until she reached the Sphere. Before addressing Aki, she reset her gate location and checked on Felicia.
“Need a lift out?” she asked, finding the woman still with Evan and Niivalyr.
Felicia gave the elf a last look and nodded. “I would appreciate it.”
“I’ll see you later,” she said, opening a gate to Riverwatch.
Felicia smiled, a hand brushing past her arm before she stepped through.
Ilea took in a deep breath before she closed the gate and opened one close to the sphere.
Spreading her wings, she addressed the new Guardian of Iz. “The Guardians attack anyone that doesn’t have a key?”
“Not exactly,” Aki sent back. “They do not attack anyone that has the respective keys corresponding to their metal.”
She floated about fifty meters away from the sphere. “So why did they attack me then? Do you have some form of control?”
“I believe so, yes. They are quite intricate compared to even an Executioner… or perhaps more accurately, they are different. The One without Form was the lifetime achievement of the Makers. The Sphere Guardians on the other hand, were the achievement mostly of the Builders. To form and channel the spells they can wield… I’m honestly impressed, even with the perception and understanding I now have. But I don’t have to tell you, you fought them before.
“I cannot give them commands or control them the same way I do the other machines. But I believe there is a way for me to communicate with them, to tell them that you for example are an enemy. It has to happen continuously or they will return to make decisions on their own. If you were to attack the sphere directly, they would attack. At least those whose keys you are not carrying with you.”
“The keys are in my domain now. Can they track them?” she asked.
“I cannot, but then I’m not directly connected to the keys. I do believe they know you have them,” Aki said.
“Freaky. So even the space domain can’t hide them,” she said.
“They are two parts of the same whole. I believe even another realm would not stand between them. It is the same reason you can travel to other realms once an anchor is present,” Aki explained.
Ilea nodded. “How do you know about that?”
“I’m talking to the Meadow. Learning,” Aki said. “I intend to protect the Accords. From threats in this realm and beyond. Understanding the fabric is a key aspect of this goal.”
“So I just have to distribute the keys and then I can train with the sphere guardians whose keys I don’t have on me,” Ilea surmised.
“The issue is that I don’t know if they understand training,” Aki said. “But knowing you…”
Ilea grinned. “Perfect.”
“They will aim to destroy that which they see as a threat,” Aki said.
She looked at the large silver machine, purple eyes looking at her. She could feel the void magic from the massive sphere guardian. “Were the Executioners inspired by the silver guardian of the sphere?”
“Perhaps. Based on the limited information I have on this, I believe the choice for mass production was made due to the availability of metals and the complexity of core enchantments. The golden guardian of the sphere for example had seventeen iterations before one didn’t combust on activation,” Aki said. “There is a quote here from the then head of the Guild of Builders. I want swords. More swords. Flying swords. A sea of golden light. I believe she might’ve been… a little troubled.”
“Hey, she just liked swords. And they managed it in the end,” Ilea said, looking at the golden machine. “Think the Taleen could produce more four mark machines?”
“A lot of their knowledge was lost, no matter what Ormont claims. And even then, the problem is not necessarily the production, but powering such machines. The difference between an Executioner and a Sphere Guardian is extensive. The Source is the only reason these Guardians can be powered. They were not made with the goal of mana preservation. They were made to defend the Sphere, with as much power as could be put into them,” Aki said.
“They can’t roam outside of Iz?” Ilea asked.
“In theory, they can. But cut off from close proximity of the Source, they will deactivate quickly. And with the power they wield, a few spells would already be enough,” Aki said.
“So they’re like wired. Can’t unplug them,” she said.
“Wired… a direct connection. Perhaps, yes. The other variants may roam, though in the Plains, even Praetorians drain their resources quickly. Centurions too have to return periodically to offset the lack of ambient mana,” Aki said. “Before you start your unhinged resistance training, Trian and Kyrian have arrived.”
“Yeah, I can see their marks,” Ilea sent and looked towards a large downright brutalist stone slab in the distance. “New gates?”
“Near the settlements of the Accords, yes,” Aki replied.
She waited a few seconds for the duo to exit and fly towards the sphere.
“Is it safe so close to those machines?” Kyrian asked.
“Yeah. They don’t attack if they or Aki don’t perceive us as a threat to the Sphere,” she said.
“It is good that you came. I appreciate your time,” Aki said. “To get to the point. There are thousands of gates in the Taleen teleportation network. Some purposefully deactivated. Out of those thousands, about half lead into either production facilities set up by the One without Form, or ruins left behind by the Taleen themselves. I am interested in both.
“Some of these places have been taken by monster populations or single beings that even my Executioners cannot deal with,” Aki said.
“Oh fuck yeah,” Ilea said.
“That is the part I knew Ilea to be interested in. However it’s not all. Many of these ruins have dungeons and monster populations in their vicinity, currently left alone by the Guardians. The One without Form had no use for them and neither do I. That however is not true for the Accords. Trian. I suggest a collaboration with the Medic Sentinel Corps. I have access to hundreds of dungeons with a staggering monster variety both in magical schools and power. Optimizing the danger levels will be key, but I believe with the data and options we have available, we could significantly increase the efficiency at which the Sentinels can be trained,” Aki explained.
“We’re doing that in the southern mountains already, but most of the dungeons are close to cleared already,” Trian said. “I’ll prepare the details and gather the Sentinels I can in the Soul Forge. You’re present in the domain of the Meadow?”
“Always,” Aki sent. “There are considerations for resource acquisition in these dungeons. It may be a risk to use Guardians but if the Sentinels train there anyway, they could expand on that, or at least scout out potential sources of metals and other materials.”
“We’ll discuss it,” Trian said.
“Good,” Aki sent before addressing Ilea. “As to the two of you. If you are interested, I have made a priority list of potential destinations. Though the higher priorities might not be the most beneficial to you.”
“I don’t care. If I can fight something the Executioners had trouble with. Not easy to find varied and dangerous monsters anyway,” Ilea answered.
“I’ll help, if we can clear out facilities for you or the Accords to use,” Kyrian said.
“Then I will prepare a gate for you to travel,” Aki sent, an Executioner arriving nearby. “I will lead you to the destination,” it spoke.
Ilea and Kyrian followed, soon arriving in a rather spacious hall, green light shining on from above with a few Hunter Praetorians standing guard around the central teleportation platform. The thing lit up with magical power when Ilea stepped on it. “I’ll let you know when we’re done.”
“Try not to die,” the Executioner said before leaving.
The gate activated, the fabric shifting before the two humans arrived. Ilea immediately knew they were somewhere in the north, far below the arcane storms that ravaged the landscape. A taleen facility, according to what she saw in her dominion. The flat stone floor and walls. The magical lights were present too, though destroyed beyond repair.
‘ding’ ‘You have entered the Izvarun dungeon’
“Feel anything?” she asked, glancing over at Kyrian.