– Era of the Wastes, Cycle 219, Season of the Setting Sun, Day 84 –

Terry walked through a small dimensional gate to reach a narrow street in Arcana City's merchant district. He glanced back before it could close behind him.

"Impressive," muttered Terry honestly. The dimensional gate in front of his mana sight looked like a stable piece of art, which was immensely impressive given how little time it had taken Antelias to anchor the space magic. The Council mage had assistance from a powerful artifact, but still.

Would have been nice to have such an ability on our side against Anand…

Terry suppressed the bitterness rising up inside of him. He walked through the narrow street and took a deep breath. His patience was growing thin.

It was one thing for some cultists to tarnish his long anticipated return to Arcana with a strange kidnapping plot, but did they have to be so annoying about it?

For the past few hours, Terry had been led around different locations in Arcana. From abandoned core-processing plants in the B-Zone to some caves near Arcana City and eventually to various districts in the capital.

At each location, Terry was met with a contract sheet that was keyed to his signature and revealed little of interest while being very heavy with insults for Terry.

What's the idea? I would understand open planes and empty areas. Don't they want to check that I came alone? Although that would just cover sight. It would ignore all magic concealment, which would be willful ignorance since they pissed off a Council mage.

Still, if I had come alone, this wild goose chase would have taken me weeks instead of hours. Don't they know that I can't teleport?

To make it worse, the mana touch impressions from the bustling capital of magic gave Terry an overwhelming headache.

Is that intentional? It would be impressive if they dare set this up right in Arcana City. Wastes, I hope they don't expect me to run back to the F-Zone or some shit.

If it's really going to happen here, then how could they be certain that none of the surrounding people are working with me?

The longer the stupid scavenger hunt continued, the more Terry was convinced of one thing. Either there was some highly skilled magic scrying involved or the kidnappers were absolute idiots.

Or both.

So strange…

Terry received a very incongruent impression from the ordeal so far.

On the one hand, the kidnappers were skilled enough to snatch a Council mage's daughter right in the capital and they completely evaded the following investigation.

On the other hand, none of this scavenger hunt appeared to make any sense aside from repeatedly stressing to Terry how awful they thought he was. Each location could be construed as a way to check for something they didn't want Terry to have or bring, but what was the point?

Each of these checks could be bypassed in some way. The only way for them to be safe was with scrying and if they could scry the present and future, then what was the point of the remaining theater?

They hadn't even given him any detailed instructions besides coming alone, which was odd. Terry had made it a point to wear his weapons since they hadn't mentioned anything about coming unarmed. So far, none of the magic notes had complained in any way.

Odd.

Terry stopped in front of his next destination. A large warehouse that appeared abandoned, which was yet another kind of odd.

Rent here must be insane. What kind of merchant just leaves a building like this empty?

Terry sensed magic inside but nothing he would consider a credible threat, so he entered. There was nothing inside, but a trapdoor to a descending staircase laid open.

Terry used a communication talisman to send a message and then descended down the stairs. After following a long corridor, he arrived in a room with a magic projection.

Dwarf? Difficult to tell with the mask.

"Enter." A female voice hissed.

Terry suppressed the desire to roll his eyes. He transfixed the pressure plate he could feel with mana touch and stepped onto it. He grinned smugly while the eyes of the dwarf narrowed.

The dwarf hissed something unintelligible to another person and Terry could feel something moving in the ceiling.

Terry transfixed the thick metal plates before they could fall and block his exit. He did not bother to hide his unimpressed expression. "Where is the woman you kidnapped? And what the damned Wastes is your problem?"

"Silence!" snapped the dwarf in the projection. "Don't you dare speak! You've ruined everything! But I'll prove to everyone what you are!"

"Impatient is what I am," barked Terry. "Where's Clarity? I'm here, am I not?"

"She's hidden," sneered the dwarven woman. "Together with another demonstration. Three lives. A privileged mage. A manaless child. And you, the unworthy murderer. Only two will leave."

Terry's expression darkened. "I'm not going to—"

"I know you have your teleportation rings and communication talismans," interrupted the dwarf. "But if you use them, that's a choice. They will die and you will have proven my point. You're nothing but a despicable cockroach. It is pure blasphemy that you're now hailed as a hero, even if it's by barbarians."

'Blasphemy'? One point for the cultist theory…

Terry felt something shift further along the corridor where walls of mana-osmotic material moved away to reveal the mana signatures of several channelers.

And there we have the confirmation.

Some of the Bright Lady. Two of the Vigilant and the Virtuous. A few others that I sensed in Syn and Libra City…

Wait…

"Huh?" Terry narrowed his eyes when another mana-osmotic wall moved in the basement.

Odd.

Either they're really idiots, or something is going on that I don't understand yet.

Terry decided to buy some time to observe first.

"So what's the plan?" asked Terry. "Do you expect me to just lay down and die? Because that's not going to happen. You're not the first one to try and use hostages to get at me. Whatever you do is on your conscience, not mine."

"Of course you would value your own life above all others," hissed the magic projection. "Just like in the Libra Outpost."

"Okay, so you're a channeler and want revenge for the witch, but—?"

"Don't call me that!" snapped the dwarven woman. "I'm not following her holiness to borrow her power!"

"Uhh…" Terry was stumped. He had wanted to buy time, but things were just getting weird. Not just the conversation, but also what he could sense with mana touch. Unless he was mistaken, the two hostages were currently being escorted right to him. He was sorely tempted to just send a message to Antelias and be done with it.

Even if there was some cloaking above, if they're running around like this, the others should be able to sense them. What are these cultists thinking?

Terry cleared his throat while his brain was repeating the conversation for him to jump back in. He remembered Cadence had once mentioned to him that some faithful take offense at being called channelers. "My bad. You're not a channeler, but a manaless cultist, then." He ignored the glares among the channelers that had entered the room.

"Okay, so I had a hand in helping to bring Witch Willow to justice," said Terry. "May she rot in the Wastes for what she has done."

"You dare insult a Bright?!" barked a channeler.

"I'm just calling out an unworthy pest beetle that once held that rank," said Terry. "Unworthy. That's a word you like, don't you? I'm friends with two Brights, so I can say with confidence that Willow the Witch was unworthy of that title in the Bright Lady's Circle."

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"Shut your cursed mouth!" snapped the dwarven woman in the magic projection. "I don't know how you beguiled two of our circle, but I will not stand for this. Bright Willow was a saint! I will not let you tarnish her name! She was the one who made me see my own potential! I was supposed to become the first manaless Bright! A shining symbol that us manaless are just as worthy! And you?! You've ruined everything!"

Seriously, what are they up to? Clarity is wearing mana-suppressing hand-cuffs, but what are these going to do when Antelias barges in here? Did they maybe poison the two and plan to threaten us by withholding the antidote?

So strange…

Terry forced his focus back to the conversation. "So the witch whispered into your willing ear and told you exactly what you wanted to hear. Such a talented pest beetle."

"You—"

"No you!" roared Terry. "You claim to be faithful, and yet you stand against two Brights! You claim the moral high ground, and yet you're kidnapping innocent people and defending the witch that has plotted to murder my aunt, plotted with a mass murderer, and plotted to destroy Arcana's barrier!"

Terry laughed derisively. "Ruined everything? Seems to me that your cults have ruined everything for themselves when they attacked Arcana. Congratulations, because that's the path that 'Bright' Willow has paved for all of you."

"You are correct," interjected a new voice from another entrance. A pair of elves with white hair and the signature of the Divining Eye.

"What are you doing?!" screeched the dwarven woman. "You're not supposed to be here!"

"Following the only path that lets us survive," said one of the elves. She gestured. "You're free to go." From behind her two figures emerged. A human woman with curly blond hair and a little manaless girl. The second elf had already unlocked Clarity's mana-suppressing handcuffs.

Uhh… what?

"Oh no, you don't!" A bunch of channelers were moving to obstruct the hostages, but were intercepted by others. The channelers were confronting each other.

I don't think there is any poison. No time to waste then!

In the blink of an eye, Terry had transmitted his signals, transfixed the weapons of those in the dwarf's faction, and his allies had stormed the room.

"I order you to stand down!" shouted Bright Akemi and unleashed the mana of her holy Lady. Faced with a bright in the flesh, even the most hostile channeler of her circle hesitated.

Clarity had pushed the manaless girl behind her and summoned a barrier. Her expression showed confusion, fear, but also a determination to protect the little girl.

A loud sonic boom reverberated through the building and the wall cracked.

Antelias waved his hand and the stone parted where the crack was located.

"No!" The masked dwarf roared and jumped through the crack, only to collapse with a scream from the pain in her teeth.

"I couldn't stand to listen to that one anymore," said Rosheen.

"I didn't have to do anything," complained Siyu.

Yeah, because this was odd. Very odd.

"Thanks for coming, anyway," said Terry sincerely.

Siyu looked at the Guardian in silence before mustering her reply. "Thanks for asking." She meant it. In the Lich Kingdoms, she had been ordered around as the Spirited Duchess. After her desertion, most people still met her with fear and suspicion. However, her sister and her sister's friends had truly made an effort to welcome her. It felt good to have someone ask for her help and to be able to freely give it.

"We're sorry," said a white-haired elf. "We didn't want to take part in this, but it was the only path to mercy we could see. After the barrier broke, we depended on her to keep us hidden with the help of the caravans and then she forced us to help her with this."

Internal sabotage and half-assed help then. No wonder it all seemed odd.

"Hidden?" growled an Arcanian soldier. "Were you involved in the plot against the barrier?"

The white-haired elf sighed. "Not all of us. We agree to submit to a full mental scan to prove who is innocent."

"Why didn't you send a message?" demanded Antelias.

"Because this was the only path the Divining Eye revealed to save our faith," admitted the elf. "We only survive with them here to plead on our behalf." He gestured at Terry and Akemi. "We don't expect a pardon for those involved. We can feel our numbers diminishing and we only hope that a few of our faith can be spared from further persecution."

Better chance with me as an intermediary to Antelias? Not sure how much 'pleading' I'm willing to do, but if some of them really weren't involved and helped ensure that this all ends well, then…

"We can discuss this later, I'm sure," said Terry. He looked at Antelias. "You should tell Clarity why she was involved in this mess. I don't know about Council politics, but I know about families, and this is bullshit. I don't care about your reasons. Either you tell her or I will."

Clarity looked aghast. She remembered the first time she had met the 'flunkie' from Arcana Academy in the streets. She also remembered when she had assisted Instructor Pelliana with stabilizing the condition of a dwarven woman that had been touched by a reaper.

Clarity would never forget that day. She had always considered herself diligent, but somehow this man, who was only a year her senior, carried a mana signature that dwarfed her own by a ridiculous amount. That day had shocked her so much that she had restarted all her earlier mana foundational practice, even though it competed with her spellwork training for time.

Now this very man was talking down to a Council mage in front of Clarity's eyes, which was simply a whole other level of ridiculous.

"You're… right," said Antelias with a sigh. He turned to his daughter to explain everything.

"I'll take this one for now." Terry lifted the unconscious masked dwarf. He glanced at the Arcanian soldiers. "Can you make sure the poor manaless girl gets home safely, too?"

"Of course…"

***

Outside the building, Terry put down the dwarven kidnapper and removed her mask.

"What the—?!" Jorg's eyes nearly popped out of his eye sockets.

"But that's Alrik's ma!" exclaimed Lori in shock.

"Is it?" Terry looked at the fanatic faithful.

A manaless faithful would have no trouble hiding in Arcana. No channeling anchor to detect after all.

That would also explain the caravan and merchant connections. Alrik's father is a merchant if I remember right…

Terry turned to his siblings. "Didn't you say she disappeared after the barrier broke?"

"Yeah, and Alrik took it really hard," said Jorg. "Complete breakdown."

"Took it really hard…" Terry muttered while subconsciously glancing at Siyu and Siling. He vaguely remembered his return to Arcana after the barrier had broken. They had told him about Alrik's situation.

'He can get around fine, but seems nearly incoherent. He can't even hold a real conversation at the moment.'

"Wait…" Terry turned to the entrance where the channelers were escorted out by soldiers and guards. Channelers of whom some might be capable of mind magic.

He vaguely recalled a conversation with Sigille and Matteo about signs of mind influence. Terry had never properly practiced detecting mind influence in others. He had always been preoccupied with the troubles of his own mind.

However, the combination of everything made him believe that 'nearly incoherent' might actually hide what his aunt had called parrot speech – a sign of significant magic interference with a person's mind.

'Parrot speech is when someone demonstrates no attempt to actually grasp what you are saying or what you are asking. Instead, they only latch onto keywords to repeat phrases or statements that are familiar to them.'

If she really messed with Alrik's mind, then…?

No wonder he turned into a pest beetle.

What kind of mother would sacrifice their child like this? Just because Willow has whispered into her ear? Just to advance her rank in an otherrealm cult?

Terry exhaled sharply. "Guess Antelias isn't the shittiest parent around." He spat on the floor next to the unconscious cultist.

Svipa. What an abhorrent excuse for a mother.

I'm so lucky to have found my family. My whanau.

Just when he wanted to pull a soldier aside to share his suspicion, Antelias was exiting the building.

"Terry, I am grateful for your assistance," said Antelias. "I know that I've not been what you deserve, but if there is anything I can do, then please—"

"Two things," interrupted Terry quickly. "There is a dwarf called Alrik in this capital. Son of a merchant and the woman that instigated this." He pointed at the unconscious dwarf. "If you could have him checked out for damage from mind magic and help him recover, then that's one."

"That's my duty and doesn't even count as a favor," said Antelias. "Consider it done. What's the second thing?"

Terry could already feel the disapproving gazes of his parents and aunt, but he had already resolved himself to face their disapproval. "We could use some resources to outfit an expedition into another realm with a lingering mana curse…"

Terry explained their planned pioneering trip through the portal in the dungeon. He emphasized the involvement of the Guardians like Khaled and Verecund and name-dropped the Guildheads that might accompany them. However, he didn't feel like mentioning how they had discovered the portal location or whatever was going on with his soul.

While Terry was outlining the details of the mission, his mind was jumping back over all that had happened today. From the manaless dwarf conspiring with otherrealm cults to sabotage Arcana's barrier, over to remembering what had happened in the Libra Outpost when they had fought against Willow's faction and Anand, all the way to his feeling of bitterness at seeing the capable dimensional mage from the Council that could have been a big help against the monster.

Before Terry was finished with answering Antelias's questions about the mission, another idea had formed in his head. He couldn't say if the idea was a child of his vindictive side and his tendency for wishful thinking, but it seemed like it was actually based on a plausible theory.

"One more thing," said Terry while furrowing his brow. "The plot against the barrier involved a skilled dimensional mage." Back when they had been entering Arcana with Jee's help, Chadwick's squad had told them as much. "I think you should know something about Bright Willow, one of the main instigators and also the one who had recruited the dwarven woman behind the kidnapping. Willow was known to associate with a very skilled dimensional mage by the name of Anand, who turned out to be a prince of the Lich Kingdoms…"

Arcana might have a policy of isolationism, but I'm sure they will follow up on the attack on the barrier, eventually. A single Council mage might not be enough to sway the Arcanian Empire to change policy, but a few more reasons to hunt Anand surely couldn't hurt…

Terry wasn't sure if his guess was correct, but given everything he knew, it seemed plausible at least that Anand was the dimensional mage who had assisted in the plot against Arcana's barrier.

Terry didn't care to guess Anand's reasoning for destroying the barrier. He was sure the monster had his self-serving justification.

Terry simply revelled in the hope that his words could invite some more suffering to the monster's future. Whatever impeded the monster would allow Terry more time to catch up until he could finally erase its existence.

When everything was said and done, Terry was both eager and hesitant to return to the Lands of the Four Towers.

Terry wished he could just take a few days to catch up with Derek and Rosheen over some bottles of mana-imbued cold tea, but he knew if he didn't push for the match against his parents and his aunt's constructs, then he might get second thoughts and that was something he didn't dare to allow himself.

Terry didn't really want to fight his parents over this, but he felt like he had to.

He simply couldn't stop while the monster continued drawing breath.

***

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