60 Animas (1/2)

Nikolai slumped back onto the throne, lifeless eyes locked on the focus radiating immense power. He could feel it deep in his mind, the connection he'd believed broken after Galicia binding him tighter than ever. The hall was gone, melted in the cascade of Magic Kazimierz had created.

The cascade Nikolai had powered.

The broken throne and a few flagstones around Nikolai were the only reminders that a building had even stood here.

A building where Nikolai had become a Master Mage.

A throne from which Nikolai led a desperate defence.

A hall where Nikolai destroyed an army.

He raised his fist, ready to throw the focus into the vortex of smoke spiralling around him, but its song stayed his hand. It crooned in delight. Like a child having found its parents after being lost for a very long time. Sighing, Nikolai let his arm fall, eyes coming alight with Sight to observe the aftermath of the spell. The Anima was nowhere to be seen, several streams of glittering rainbow smoke the only signs of his presence. Nikolai grunted as he delved deeper into the smoke with his Sight, wading through the dense fog with great effort only to realise there was no clue to explain what happened. He grimaced at the churning smoke which passed through his body and lungs. The thought of breathing in a mass of souls was unpleasant even if they had lost their humanity under the power of the Soul Rend. The power of the ancient Azokarri focus stripped souls from their bodies and then sentience from the souls.

It was why he never finished the spell. He couldn't bring himself to destroy them. Unfortunately his hesitation had trapped them in Galicia and an Anima formed from the mass. Nikolai rolled the focus across his palm, reminding himself there was no way to have known the consequences. Even now it was impossible to tell what broke the links of the dead to the afterlife.

Ancient runes suddenly rose from the ground, and Nikolai blinked quickly to rid himself of his Sight, almost blinded by the influx of power that filled the room. The rainbow smoke was drawn to a rapidly forming spell structure, splitting into a dozen streams that formed vortices of power which drew in the remnant souls at an alarming rate. Nikolai gasped as the vortices slowly resolved into human forms.

It didn't take long before Kazimierz stood before him once more. The Anima was no longer a smoky soul form; he appeared human once again. Rugged, tanned skin like a fisherman; silver streaks in his black hair, Kazimierz looked like a citizen pulled from any of the coastal cities on the continent. Perfectly built and undeterred by the lack of clothes, but human nonetheless. Only the terrifying flashes of light deep in his eyes made him out to be more than a person. Kazimierz stared at his hands in astonishment, pinching his skin and running fingers through his hair in disbelief. Seemingly satisfied, he burst into a deep booming laughter even as a dozen humans appeared around him.

”It worked!” A woman with crimson hair chortled in delight and rushed to grab Kazimierz' hand and shake it.

”Was it worth it?” Nikolai's cold voice cut through their mirth and Kazimierz smiled softly, unperturbed by the question.

”Of course it was.” The woman who had to be Zebreski declared. She grasped Kazimierz' arm tightly, bare skin glistening under the sunlight peeking through the dispersing fog.

”How many?” Nikolai was barely whispering, the realisation of what had happened sinking deep into his bones.

”It's impossible to tell. You would have the best idea due to your… authority.”

”Why bother explaining anything to him. Imperials never care about us humans.” A huge bear of a man thumped his chest to emphasise his words, grinning in delight at the sound even as his eyes promised violence.

”Master Mages are different Lucas. Even Imperial ones.” Kazimierz inclined his head, hand over heart. One of the ancient Mage forms of courtesy, essentially a way to apologise for an offense without saying anything.

”I don't see it.” Lucas trudged over to aid one of the reformed humans having trouble staying upright.

”I have no right to say anything after all…”

”You don't.” Zebreski cut Nikolai off, the sorrow in her eyes far too painful to look at.