The Power of Ten

Chapter 10-305 - A Guarantee to Ten

I waited just long enough for it to become undead, its soul to be shackled and bound to the Shroud, its total faith in the Mantra completely subverted... and, it being a Twenty, it instantly started a war for control of the Dead March here with the already-invested Dark Bishop, who had unprecedented solidarity of purpose with its Ministers in their goal to subjugate and enslave this Dark Arhat.

That was when I started killing everything, because now it was ALL undead. The Dome had collapsed long ago, the place was filled with negative energy, and now all my undead-destroying magic was pretty much online and ready to rumble.

Rumble it did.

There were over a million undead. They didnt last ten minutes.

Twinned Arcane Fusions sent off volleys of Chained Bursting Repeating Shards, ripping through the masses of swarming undead, while the secondary blasts harvested back the ki necessary to continue empowering it all. Azaia picked off Congregant survivors with Legion empowering her Shards, while two Mighty Grits boomed and undead skulls exploded constantly.

---

When Azaia and Legion had gone into their first Shroudzone, I had waited nearby, working on a Ring of Sustenance for Azaia. I handed it over when she was done, mine apprentice nearly dropping from fatigue as the morning arrived.

She sighed and made sure to let her old Levels go as she took Sorcerer to Four immediately, and confirmed it as her Primary Class. Naturally, she had taken Sustained Effort before the sun rose.

The Feat she took afterwards was Wand as Staff, which immediately turned the one Shard per charge of the Wands she was using into three... with all the Kickers riding on them, of course.

There were more Feats after that, more Levels, raising her Spell Power, but those lower Levels could accumulate rapidly, and establishing a true Foundation was not going to be quick. There were Classes she could do without, of course, and others that she was really going to need.

Her ideal end goal was Master Archtheurge of the Seven Traditions. To do that she needed to reach a Ten-equivalent in all Seven primary Traditions. Since there was no active Soul Magic here, that also meant Ten in Arcane Fist.

It would make her virtually unassailable in terms of spell power, and she should be able to surpass me if she got the Title.

A big fight like this was simply a Karmic surge to her, guaranteeing that she could reach Ten, and then shed simply have to reinforce it to make sure she could get everything.

There were at least eight other cities around, several of them much larger than Lucknow, including Delhi and Karachi among others. Getting her the Karma wasnt going to be a problem, and she was getting the experience in wielding magic and rep counts needed to make her truly good at this.

I had told her about the Ghost-Eating Ki trick, and my belief that it wouldnt work once the influence of the Shroud wasnt there, so it wasnt a good thing to rely on. She agreed, which meant she was going to have to rely on a lot of Wands for the endless firepower, and building up her Ki stores to support her spellcasting.

I had programmed Ki Mastery and Death Ward into her Ring, along with SacredProtection, tying it to her Oath so she could empower it on the run every day, just like she was building up her Staff Nimbus. There was no chance at all she would not get to Ten and do her Double Helix.

Getting more Shard Wands wasnt an issue, either. I could charge one up in less than a minute, one charge per Shard I Cast. She could then use Wand as Staff to turn each Shard into three, four, or more as her Shardcasting power increased.

When her own Caster Level was high enough, shed be able to do much the same, but that was going to take some time, as she had a lot of Levels to earn, Feats and Masteries to take, and Karma to acquire.

I was helping with the Karma and the guidance.

------

The Dark Arhat was the last to die, because I wanted it to see all its power evaporate twice. Sure, it was independently powerful as an undead, unlike the Dark Clergy that had lit off... and which Azaia had lifted a crystalline Nimbus out of when the ex-Dark Bishop blew to the skies and cleared off the Shroud above entirely, revealing the stars above looking down on the miserable Arhat.

Both of Master Freds Grits were crystalline now, too, and Idiot had a vein of laen running through it. Multiple Dark Clergy lighting off is a nice opportunity for free Empowerments of your Gear, after all.

The Dark Arhats jovial smile was now a rather horrid grimace as it looked at us there. It was blasted and ravaged by vivic energy, unable to heal itself or purify away the Curse magic of the Blooding. It couldnt fly, it couldnt dimension-skip, and there were no remaining undead for it to command.

Legion got off Sleipner, popped their wings and horns, and went in to finish them Dark Angel-style.

It was Azaias first time seeing that, and she glanced at me in astonishment as Legion went to work on beating down the damned thing with overwhelming physical power. The Greyfield that should have protected it from more of our magic didnt help it at all against them.

Erinyes boosts. Theyre sitting on a Strength of 60 and a Might of nearly 70. We watched them rip off the Dark Arhats right leg, shove it down its throat to distract it a bit, and then literally carve into it, looking for the bullet that emanated the Greyfield. They hauled out a twenty-pound chunk of meat and inhuman guts, tossed it away, and the Arhats eyes went dead black in the light of Idiot igniting with some non-Heavenly Purity backing it hard.

The explosion of vivisized Qi as Legion cut the bastard into whole bunches of burning bits blew past us, and was offered up to the sky in further homage as I discreetly put the proper Circle into place around it. The Haze drew back further as the Shroudzone vanished entirely, opening up the night sky for a short period of time... although the bloody-red lightning was already bubbling at the edges of it.

Took care of the Qi in the area, too, which did wonders for by dose. Mithar, I dot sig od smellid da shid.

Azaia flipped open the Wand Chamber in Nimbus and withdrew the Wand; it crumbled to dust in her fingers after it exited the Staff. She calmly shoved in another length of charged-up, lightning-struck oak, and clicked the Wand Chamber shut.

Could you have killed it? Azaia asked quietly, as Legion was walking back with a crystalline skull, too broad and flat to be human, clutched in a red-nailed hand.

Well, I wouldnt have shot a Greyfielded bullet into it if I had intended to, but yes, theres ways to wrap magic around a spell, make it Heavy, and blow the crap out of stuff inside Greyfields.

I have to learn that! she exclaimed instantly.

Most definitely, I agreed. Legion offered the Skull to me, and I accepted it. I had already replaced my Law and Cultivator Baneskulls with a Dual Baneskull from another Arhat... these things were damn useful. Legion had one hanging at their Belt, so Id make one up for Azaia for her to finish empowering in her down time. It would free-Empower to one of the Banes, shed just have to add the other.

Benefits of taking the heads of creatures that were a natural Twenty.

Hopefully these twats would Summon more of the things. The Ajani were self-Empowering too, but not dual-use... the heads of those who had died had joined those of the Dark Clergy in Sleipners side car.

Take your free Gear where you can get them. Building up a Baneskull array was like one of the responsibilities of a good Powered...

Azaia watched Legion reach up and snap off their horns with a twitch of their wrists. There was a spark and spurt of multi-colored fire, and their red-tinged skin, horns, and great ravens wings eroded away into nothingness in a few seconds.

Oh! Azaia blinked. That is... a strange way to get rid of a transformation...

We didnt get rid of it, Legion replied calmly, taking their place on Sleipner. We just temporarily disrupted it.

Azaia pursed her lips, considered that, and looked at me.

Its a cheap way not to get shot, I said, and she could only giggle after a moment.

Are the wings soft? she asked quickly, leaning into Legion, who only turned their head to glance back at her.

They can be very soft, or very hard, they replied, but there were all sorts of suggestive emotions dancing around the layered words. I will let you feel them next time.

I could tell that Azaia was thinking about the Wings she could manifest when she got her Bloodline to Ten, and how well theyd match. Of course, Legion could manifest white Wings, too, so that would be interesting to see.

It was interesting watching Azaia charm Legions souls, but unsurprising. As a Natural Empath, she was far more sensitive to peoples emotions than any normal person... and she didnt take advantage of them. Her embrace of Legion was simple acceptance and sympathy, with no intent to exploit, and given Master Freds awareness of it, they couldnt help but accept her and take on the role of protective big sisters to her.

Master Fred wouldnt be coming with me, and Azaia would need someone to look after her, too. The Warlock Path simply didnt have the raw power that the Casting Path did... but that didnt mean that Legion couldnt become a true force of nature to withstand, and Master Fred knew it. Karma had many places to go, and I knew just how incredibly dangerous Sole, Terra-Lunas Warlock Grandmaster, could be.

Master Fred was taking that one step further with Legion, further than Shvaughn possibly could. That was because Shvaughn was a gestalt, a hybrid mind made up of the chosen parts of those she Consumed. That was very different from having multiple souls contributing to a common cause of their own free will.

----

Not too long ago...

You are drawing back from me? Legion asked softly, our fingers intertwined. Why?

I smiled sadly. I am letting you know that I have an open heart and mind to what must come next. I would like nothing more than to keep you at my side as I face what is coming... but you and I both know that is impossible.

They hesitated, unsure of how to respond. We could go with you... they started to say, and I just shook my head.

No, you cannot. Do not lie to me. Their eyes dropped guiltily. You are a Warlock Grandmaster. You took a route different from Shvaughn, but that is what you are... but you are not The Grand Master of Warlocks yet, and you cannot leave that role to Shvaughn... who it will indeed devolve to if you are not present. I squeezed their hands. When the Shroud is gone and the Land Awakens, you MUST be here. The Spirits will arise and look around, and there are only two their gazes will fall upon.

Only the mad would pick Shvaughn over you. You MUST BE the Grand Master of Warlocks. Azaia is going to need someone at her side she can trust absolutely, and tying the Spirits of the Land to someone who will certainly be a Chosen and Favored of Sylune and the Heavens themselves will be of immeasurable benefit to the entire world.

You know me. You can see me. I cannot take that away from everyone.

They slumped just a little bit, acknowledging that we both had greater obligations. We could be very happy together... they whispered, and, okay, my smile got very brittle.

Yes, I said quietly. I have a fairly good idea of the fate awaiting me. With my Intellect, how could I not? The Shroud is merciless with its gifts and its obligations. I want, my breath caught in my throat, and I paused as I fought it down, I want someone, anyone, to be with me there, on the endless roll of years, the constant strife, the battles which will go on and on. I am selfish, and I am greedy, and you know I cannot do that to you.

Their mouth opened, and closed. If I asked them, I had no doubt they would come with me, and together we would fight until the Shroud was gone.

But, no. I could not do that to him, or them.

I will give you this caveat. I lifted my chin just a bit, stared them in the jet and silver eyes, the eyes I had named my whole Allegiance after. If you can find a successor to your position as a Grand Master of Warlocks, and if Azaia no longer needs you by her side... then if you can, you can come find me. Not before.

I reached up to stroke the fine cheekbones that came with the Amazon Pact Legion preferred to be under. Master Fred, the women you are trying to save help make you complete. Ladies, you know that he needs you as much as you need him. Save him, make him strong, and he will save you, if he needs to take the road all the way to Eternity to do so.

I drew them down, and planted a quiet kiss on their forehead. You have been there for me, and now you must also be there for her.

They reached up to grab my hand once again, fifteen souls shining in their eyes, and a solemn promise there with no words spoken.

They wouldnt let me down, ever.