Chapter 16-410: A Warlock’s Road is Ruthless (1/2)

-You are saying my road may take me there, regardless of my wishes...- Shvaughn /murmured to me.

-You and I are not of a high enough spiritual state to say what is going on, and you will be the great Warlock here, not I. As you grow stronger, you will learn things, become aware of things, and discern the truth of the matter, as only a Warlock Grandmaster of great power can.

-I do not know, I am merely calculating... but I am VERY smart.-

She /eyed me, and could only agree with that. I was totally inhumanly bonkers smart, it was true. My main restriction was on Ranks of knowledge, not getting modifiers. I was stacking more modifiers every day. Heck, I was getting Calligraphy Mastery Tiers foisted off on me now, just so I could draw Runes better and faster, or something.

I could remember having fairly atrocious handwriting, so even my printing looking like artwork was actually sort of fun...

-You are not opposed to this Grand Warlock plan, why?- she /asked.

-You just intimated that you are going to be sneaking out from under the Shroud. To do what?- I /asked by way of reply.

Mental knuckles cracked. -Oh, you know. Blood, vengeance, raiding, looting, and creating bad times for the things hunting me?-

-Meh.- She /frowned at that. -You’re going to be doing Favors.-

Mental lips /pursed. -Because I’m a Warlock...-

-Sworn to two opposing forces... Law and Chaos, and defying the third with them while drawing on its power. Heaven will not employ you if you are using Evil means... but if you use Chaotic and Lawful methods, well, why would it care?-

Using evil means to fight Evil just helped Evil. Helping Evil turn on itself, however, was actually a Good thing. Manipulating Law and Chaos to do the job was, well, Good being Clever.

It was often said that the great Primal War between demons and devils had started because the Heavens had manipulated their forces into coming into contact with one another, and the War that resulted basically drained the majority of their energy, leaving Heaven alone and mostly unscathed. Law/Evil and Chaos/Evil went at one another full bore, all the time.

Law/Good and Chaos/Good had wrestling and drinking contests instead. Divine Olympics were celebrations AND negotiations.

Who said Heaven was stupid? It didn’t mean they weren’t unaffected, as there was always fallout, but they didn’t need to be a primary participant, all the time... which meant when they did get involved, they could swing well above their weight.

-Interesting. So, I need some experience at playing the Greatest Game.-

-A Warlock Grandmaster’s ability to juggle obligations and measure profound forces is the highest of all the Classes. You are literally in defiance of three Alignments, wielding them all against one another. Only the Elemental Pacts you have are non-defied, although you stole them rather than Swore them... but the Elements appreciate a thief who can steal even a Pact.

-I think you are going to be the boogey-man style Warlock who pops up, does a lot of Favors for powerful things, and then sneaks away to be forgotten until she pops up again. It is perfectly possible to get even Heaven owing you Favors this way.-

I could see her mind was working full bore now. That was indeed the Greatest Game; not mere mortal Empires, but Divine influences and Profound Forces. It was high-risk, high rewards, demanding of cleverness, guile, and ruthless morals.

Everyone, even Heaven, had use for an agent like her.

-And you think that at the end of a road like that wait the Mazakeem.-

-I believe so. When you get there, gimme a /tell and let me know!- I /smiled back.

-Last question. Is there a way to go back and forth between Eternal and Mortal Status?-

I tilted a mental eyebrow. -Yesssss,- I /finally answered. -It is Item Dependent, however.-

-What Item?- she /demanded instantly.

-A Hat of Difference. You have to take the Class it gives you to Eternal Status. Take it off, go back to being mortal.-

She was floored for a moment, thinking about that. -That... is how the Angels and the Genie gained Class Levels!- she /realized abruptly.

-Yes. They were still earning Karma, they were just Suppressed by the Shroud so they could not gain Levels.-

-What good will that do me?- she had to /ask. -I already have a Primary Class!-

-The Hat of Difference suppresses all other Class Levels while it is worn.-

She was shocked to silence again, and thought about that. -What Class, then? I am not aware of any I am eligible for...-

-Gaining a Dragonheart explicitly allows you to take Sorcerer Levels with a Bloodline.- As she mentally froze, I /went on, -I believe that among your recent acquisitions are a Nymph and a Sylph, which means Druidic magic and Wizardry, which means Elemental and Arcane Theurgy, and high starting points in both Secondary Classes. You should have no difficulty making Archmage and Archdruid, and becoming Eternal in Sorceress while you wear that Hat.-

-And Warlock is not a true Class!- she had to /blurt out.

-Why, no, it isn’t. Which means Eldritch Theurgy is also on the table,- I /agreed.