56 Tiers of Magic (1/2)

Rainer sat in a chair as he fed Tiamat [Draconic Essence]. The dragonling's eyes grew heavy with every movement of her eyelids. Slowly her serpentine eyes closed, leaving only a small black scaled creature purring in his arms.

Nearby on the bed, both Kara and Luna who had been using him as a pillow, instead moved closer to one another. Finished feeding the little dragon, Rainer set out his hand as she climbed back into his overcoat. Walking over to the bed, he glanced down at the pair.

Maybe I should go back to bed…

He thought while smiling at the two who now wrapped around one another. Luna's smaller height, compared to Kara, left an enjoyable sight for Rainer as the Fairy rested her head against the Wolfkin's chest.

Brushing Luna's hair with his hand, he found a strange but pleasant scent resembling magic enter his nose. He immediately recalled the scene of last night. Holding Luna in her adult form gave him a far different feeling than her of the past, even if in truth, she looked no different than before.

She let out a pleased mumble as she pushed herself into Kara's embrace a bit further.

Moving the blanket to cover the two of he walked over and glanced at the corner of the room. With Laneth's help, he received the rest of the poisoned wine.

Using [Arcane Sight], he once more viewed the magical poison within the wine. Whether it was [Arcane Awakening], [Arcane Invigoration], or [Arcane Sight], he sought a more permanent version. To always use [Arcane Sight] without fail in every situation that required it, seemed like a far-fetched goal to Rainer.

A single mistake could end it all.

Some sort of body modification?

He thought. In the end, he didn't think there was anything to do outside of [Sleep Learning] on this matter.

But most of all, the premise of the poison being magical had intrigued him greatly. For the possibility that magic related to poisons may exist.

All the time he had been learning new spells, his first thoughts were on a title for learning all the schools of magic. He was all but certain such a title existed and yet he received no such thing. And with the power of the Arcane, he brought his thoughts over schools of magic that may not be so well known.

Learning a spell like [Combustion] was practically suicide for anyone without a talent for Fire. Even then, it presented a large difficulty. For rare affinities, ones that don't touch upon any of the schools of magic he knew, Rainer guessed they were simply too rare for any real progress to occur in them.

Perhaps a single mage in the past progressed these possibly existing rare schools. But for a guild? Rainer ventured he'd never meet a gathering of poison mages, if such a thing even existed, in his life.

Rainer had already warned the rest of his party on the poison within these jugs but decided they needed a better indication of such a thing. Reaching for more alcohol from his Spatial Ring on a drunken night, gave him a particular foreboding on needing a proper label. He called for Gunthar who soon entered the room.

”Sorcerer…” Gunthar said as he saw the two sleeping women in Rainer's life before quickly looking away. Even covered by a blanket, it wasn't hard to guess their state that lacked clothes.

”Gunthar, come here for a second, and take off your mask and hood,” Rainer said with a pallet of paints he borrowed from Laneth to his side.

Gunthar mumbled outside of Rainer's hearing, ”Those who hold out their hands in prayer, cannot choose the miracle that comes to them,”

”Did you say something?” Rainer asked as he sat next to a jug of the poisoned wine.

”No, Sorcerer…”

”In any case. Just stand there, I'll tell you when I'm done,” Rainer said, and it took Gunthar only a moment to understand what he was doing. Gunthar did not mind, he had always been comfortable in his undead form, and found the prospect of a portrait quite entertaining.

Rainer drew a couple of random pictures on the jugs just in his mind with his finger before gaining what he sought.

[Skill Gained: General Art Mastery lvl 1/10]

Taking some paint in his hand, he drew a few pictures in an attempt to put down the likeness of his favorite Fairy. After a few laughs at his failed productions, he managed several more skills which improved his ability considerably.

Given that most skills at level 1 represented months of training, he ventured such an improvement was par for the course.

[Skill Gained: General Painting lvl 1/10]

[Skill Gained: Finger Painting lvl 1/10]

[Skill Gained: Color Theory lvl 1/10]

Now, looking toward Gunthar, Rainer drew a quite universal depiction of danger, a skull and cross bones.

After several minutes, he turned the jug around for Gunthar to see.

”So-cer-er…” Gunthar growled out.

”What?” Rainer asked stuffing down his laughter as his shoulders slightly shook.

”Why is there pink?”

”What do you mean, I just drew how I imagined you on top of your current likeness,” Rainer said no longer holding in his laughter as he joined Gunthar's side and looked at his creation.

A well-done skull and crossbones, looking quite deadly in its creation. With the single exception of two pink marks on the cheekbones.

Gunthar just stood there frozen, not even looking at Rainer who now stood by his side.

He grumbled in resignation.

”Unfortunately, Sorcerer,” Gunthar said breathing out a long sigh, something Rainer still didn't understand as a noise undead could produce, ”It seems to be accurate…”

”Now let me hold Tiamat,” The undead man said, not denying the picture's accuracy.

Rainer gently took the sleeping dragon and placed her in Gunthar's arms. Despite his undead figure, she happily nuzzled into him as she continued her slumber. He left back out into the hall, and even with his current enamoring with the Dragonling performed his guard duties with [Soul Detection].

Rainer looked in the direction Gunthar had left and shook his head still with a smile on his face; how easily Gunthar had accepted the teasing if it meant more time with the little dragon.

Letting out a long breath, he moved back to the table and took out numerous pages Luna had created for him.

Sitting down, he stared at the empty paper before suddenly coming up with an idea. Writing a few sentences, which at his new attributes outpaced likely any sort of Earthen world records, Rainer left the room and headed out in search for Elru.

He passed by Gunthar and found Elru in the courtyard sparring with Theodore. Her summoned spear and his cladded blade did not produce too loud of a sound as they clashed. Covered in either Aura or Magic making the otherwise deadly weapons blunt.

”Elru, I need your help with something!” He called out. Theodore stopped in his tracks, brushing aside the spear that was now much slower.

Elru nodded toward Theodore before heading over to Rainer. Before she could ask what Rainer needed help with, he handed a sheet of paper to her.

”Do you recognize this language?”

”No…” Elru said with surprise, ”But I can read it with the Fae Skill, in any case. It seems based on an alphabet, so not too unusual, but still…” Elru then glanced at Rainer as she realized with recent knowledge that this was likely a language of Rainer's world.

Rainer sighed, wishing he had bothered to use sleep learning to learn a character based language. The complexity of their writing systems always baffled him as for why anyone would choose to torture their populace in such a manner. It would be a perfect way to present the Tier 6 [Inferno], however.

”Theodore and Elru sitting in a tree….hmm….K…I…S…” Elru was about to read the rest before she finally understood what the interrupted and widely spaced letters were spelling out.

”Very amusing, Rainer,” Elru said a slight blush on her face, ”I Imagine you plan on presenting your gifts to the Circle and Conclave in this language. As an added little mystery?” She whispered to avoid any other ears. Though, per Yaf's order, any Glamoured Fae stayed clear of them.

”You think it's a good idea?”

”I would say it is.”

Rainer headed back to his room having found just what language he would write in. He glanced again at the sleeping pair but shook away thoughts of joining them.

There was much work to be done.

Standing outside the wooden Mansion was the entirety of Rainer's party. Luna already hid within Rainer's pocket as they waited a few minutes before heading over. Being leaders of the Autumn Court, both Laneth and Yaf had already headed over, for much discussion would precede the official audience with the [Archon].

Different from before, there would not be only a small amount of higher ranked members gathered, but everyone who held at least the title of Lord would be present.

Elru, who held the title of Maiden, was just under the cutoff for joining the Court. But in fame, few compared to the well-known [Justicar]. She was a subject often discussed by members of the court due to not only her own fame but her strange relationship with the [Archon].

Rainer looked out toward the massive tower that housed the many floors related to Court affairs.

I wonder what it would look like covered in ice…

Rather thought for a moment of simply freezing his problems away and locking them in that tower. The ice created by [Frozen Sun] had a natural resistance against magic, and while it certainly wouldn't hold so many 2nd tier Fae for a while, it would slow them down.

And from there he could simply raid their libraries with [Void-walking]. If the World Tree couldn't block his Void-walk, he imagined there wasn't a known spell in the world that could.

But he shook the thought away. Mostly, his friendship with Elru and possibly Laneth prevented him from taking such an action. But as he took flight with his party, he couldn't help but have such fantasy of ignoring the Court entirely.

Elsewhere, the Court had long begun its meeting. A loud voice from the Prince of the summer court currently commanded the room.

”This Order's goal, is it not in direct contention with all the Mage Guilds of the land?” He asked getting nods and looks in approval, ”So how mighty can they possibly be if these Guilds still exist? It would be like the dominant religion of the Southern Empire allowing other religions to hold dominion. Lunacy.”

However, before this train of thought could be fully discussed the meeting was interrupted by many unexpected guests.

Elders and other nobles poured in from both the Enchanter's Conclave and Seeker's Circle having finished their private discussions after Rainer's last night offers. No one expected these older Fae that looked to be in their 60s and 70s by human standards to bother with a Court meeting.

And yet as Elder Taramath spoke, joined by Elder Laria, a new vote far different than before was brought to attention.

The original goal of the Courts, despite the Autumn Court's minor resistance, was to offer the Archon no more than any other Fae citizen received. Access to public lectures on Body Enchantment, Tier 1 and 2 spells of a lesser danger, a public library available to all, but instantly this was changed.

Both the Enchanter's Conclave and Seeker's Circle pushed for a larger permission to trade with the Archon and the Arcane Order. And after several amends, the vote was passed.

Even though the Courts still held the majority, going against the two military powerhouses of their nation wasn't on any of their minds. They could only accept the judgment after several clauses were added in for the Conclave and Circle to follow.

Looking up at the same massive tower that housed the first Court meeting, Rainer drew into his thoughts. His party members stood a way back.

This was a meeting for him alone. And while his guards certainly wouldn't be denied, it would be more than improper. Archaic laws on how Necromancers were to keep their undead with them did not apply to what was coming.

Instead of heading to the top floor, his destination involved the large first floor of the tower. Meetings which involved the entirety of the Fae kingdom found their place here.

Just before heading inside, sans companions, a long sigh escaped Rainer. This wasn't how he wished to spend his time, dealing with politics. He was first and foremost a Mage. Even regarding classes, he had made such a choice when deciding to level [Chronomancer] to focus in the direction of Magic.

His goal for the Fae was to come when his strength could not be denied. Where allowing him to trade with their magical branches was a means of placating any possible action from him rather than a thing that needed to be negotiated.

While his Earthen knowledge gave some advantage against career politicians, it could hardly grant him anywhere near the ability of an experienced courtier.

Thinking about the future, he understood that in the long term he alone couldn't manage his academy and the issues that would follow. And his current party members lacked such a specialty.

Even Furtak, a ruler in his own right, governed by the nature that he was undisputed in power rather than in any sort of leadership ability. Goblins were not exactly a talented sort. Following Furtak's death, centuries may pass before another even approaching his strength emerged.

Rainer would need help. Help he could trust.

Steeling himself and shoving down his complaints, Rainer entered the wide-open Court. Nearly a hundred Fae sat in a tiered seating as he approached the podium. Without a ruler presiding, the Court would decide based on a vote.

What exactly they were voting on could be suggested by anyone holding the rank of Prince, Princess, or Elder. The three highest titles a Fae could hold below King or Queen. Princes and Princesses were either the leaders of a Court, or their direct descendants, as Rainer understood it.

To hold the title of Elder was through merit, however. Whether it be an accomplishment such as reigning as a King or Queen, or pioneering a new accomplishment of Body Enchantment or Magic, both held merit.

Through his [Acting] skill Rainer showed not even a trace of nervousness. In truth, he worried little about the upcoming voting. He imagined his offered gifts would pave the way even if the Court was otherwise reluctant to cooperate with him.

”Adept Rainer Nvos,” Elder Taramath spoke, having been chosen to deliver the verdict, ”We have agreed to allow you to hold the title of Ambassador for the Arcane Order in the Fae Realm. To trade with the Enchanter's Conclave and Seeker's Circle sans most restrictions. Restrictions that shall be brought up when relevant. As well Full Access to the Fae library attributed to only Court members. In exchange, a Tier 6 spell and a demonstration of enchanting an Aura Rune shall be provided. Do you accept?”

”The Arcane Order is pleased to join hands with the Fae,” Rainer said struggling to keep his face as passive as possible. He did not even need to make his case. He ventured his gifts had a larger effect than intended.

Rather it seemed certain individuals paved the way more than others; he thought as he detected a massive and dense Aura far surpassing even Theodore's. He used [Arcane Sight] and [Appraisal] in concert.