System Scribe Academy Book 1 - Chapters 106,107,108,109,110,111,112

Chapter 106

Round Two

Barry and Amelia helped to keep the goblins at bay for now. Several teams of adventurers took to the front lines, igniting skirmishes that burned across the landscape. In the distance, fields burned, lightning bolts rained from the sky, and general mayhem reigned in the distance. Even the sounds were an uninviting drag of clashing metal, shouting goblins, and roaring adventurers.

Ethan picked a plump strawberry-looking thing from his fruit salad, popping it in his mouth and judging the flavor to be satisfactory. It was sourer than the strawberries back home, but then again he loved sour flavors. As a group of adventurers passed down below, heading through the gate in the wall of Gale House City, he cast his assortment of buffs before returning his attention to his fruit.

“For someone lamenting the fact that they’re not doing enough, you sure aren’t doing a lot.” Tenalia stood nearby, watching Ethan’s ‘tactics’ with disdain.

“I’m on break,” Ethan said, taking a sip of fruit juice. He held his hand out, slotting a different spell. A beam of blue-white light shot out, dragging across a group of goblins to the northwest, barely inflicting any damage. “See? I’m helping.”

“You are the laziest person I’ve ever met.” Tenalia folded her arms. “You could be down there! Fighting!”

Ethan gestured to the ground below. “You have my blessing to engage.”

Tenalia folded her arms, shaking her head. “Those enemies are too weak for me.”

It had only been a day since Ethan went down to the Twilight. His mind was still processing everything he had seen, and he wasn’t sure where to go from here. He still hadn’t seen his new traps in action, and had spent his time working on his homework for his end-of-semester tests and buffing people down below. His perch atop the massive wall had become his home, as it provided an excellent view of the various battles.

One of the more interesting things that had happened was the inter-class communication. People from different grades had come together, forming a command structure that allowed them to better coordinate their attacks. Most of the defenders were from Gale House, but Ethan was surprised to see a few folks from other houses. Fangbrand House had a few excellent fighters that had come down to show off their skills. Apparently, the monsters attacking them were ‘too weak’ this year.

The only upside to that was the amount of fighters that passed through, flaunting their abilities. Thus, the plan for today was to accompany those fighters to the front-lines and steal their techniques. Training his Strength Ring had been hard enough, and anything to push it forward would be welcome.

Ethan fell from the wall, landing softly and dusting himself as though nothing had happened. The steady stream of people leaving the city didn’t pay him any attention, as Air Mages were common enough to not rouse excitement. Of the many combatants heading out to skirmish, it was easy enough to spot which ones were from the fighter’s school. They were the ones with gigantic swords and thick armor. Eventually, the sound of combat had grown loud enough that cresting one last hill was enough to see the wild skirmishes.

Spells flew in every direction as students fought against the low-rank goblins. There was some kind of honor among the upperclassmen where they didn’t wipe out the fields of Rank 1 goblins. That or there was no point in killing them, seeing as they wouldn’t gain any points toward their total. Their time would come when the waves had advanced to the city itself. For now, Ethan latched onto the nearest fighter, buffing them and gaining some words of appreciation in return.

“I love Support Mages!” one massive dude said. It was hard to tell what race he was, seeing as he was covered in thick plates of armor. But Ethan suspected it was a vulbet, one of the large hairy guys.

It sure was a sight watching the unorganized mages try to take down groups of goblins. Although there were plenty of offensive mages, none of them had trained to operate in a group. When the fighters from Fangbrand House thundered across an open plane, seeking to catch a group of goblins off-guard, the spells flew, nearly hitting the advancing warriors.

Ethan buried his face in his palm, wondering how any of this was supposed to work. Even with offensive powers, the mages would’ve been better served staying back in a defensive role. But it made him think about how party dynamics worked in general, and he came to the conclusion it could’ve only been accomplished with a lot of practice. The reactive barrier the scribe had cast on one fighter flared up, catching a fireball before it slammed into the man’s back.

“Amateurs!” the fighter shouted back.

This is where Ethan focused his attention. Right before the fighters clashed with the monsters.

[System Emulation]

Would you like to emulate the X-13 system at Rank 1, Level 8, with the Warrior class?

Y/N

Giving his mental confirmation, Ethan felt the power of the class well in his chest. He felt he would be slightly better at fighting close up with the enemies, but that wasn’t what he was here for. The first fighter to slam into the monsters held his sword high, bringing it down to leave a dazzling trail of light. The scribe copied the motion with his staff, but wasn’t able to reproduce it right away. Next came an ability from another fighter. This time, the person’s armor took on a shine and when a goblin tried to smack him, the wooden club bounced off as though it was hitting the side of a mountain.

Ethan assumed the same stance the fighter had, doing his best to emulate the ability. The fight raged on, forcing the scribe to split his attention between buffing the fighters and mages nearby and attempting to learn a new ability. As expected, such alien abilities were hard to master in such a short time. Over and over he performed the motions, focusing on the aspects of those abilities. By the time he finally got close to mastering two of the ten he was trying to copy, the group was advancing again.

The fighters actually waited for Ethan when he lagged behind, urging him forward and asking for more of his ‘awesome buffs.’ It was easy to obey, since every buff he used was a few more points in the bucket. One warrior took an arrow to the face. He had taken his helmet off to wipe sweat and grime away, but a goblin took advantage of that. A moment before the arrow slammed into the man’s face, his skin shimmered with the same energy as before, deflecting the arrow entirely.

“I’ll get you for that, ya little sneaker!” the warrior shouted, charging off into the distance.

Ethan looked down at himself, holding his gloved hand out. With a breath, and deep focus on the concepts of that ability, he watched as his skin and glove shimmered with the same energy. “Hell yeah!”

The scribe opened his interface, scrolling through until he found the new ability listed under the ‘Warrior’ class.

[Ardent Defense]

Emulated Rank 1 Ability (X-13)

Description:

Harden your defenses, decreasing the damage you take by 50% for the next 10 seconds. Minor blows will be converted to glancing blows.

“Might make a decent combination with barrier…” Ethan trailed off, thinking of the best way to combine the ability. Damage reduction was interesting on its own, but he couldn’t help but think about sticking it with his other defensive abilities.

Although the sounds of battle raged on, Ethan fell into his interfaces. In his Rank 1 Affinity Ring, he combined Lesser System Barrier with Arden Defense and inspected the result.

[Lesser Ardent Barrier]

Affinity Ring Synergy Ability

Generated By:

Lesser System Barrier, Ardent Defense

Description:

Creates a stationary barrier of system-based energy before the caster.

Effect:

Creates a barrier, shaped like a defensive object of the caster’s will, to deflect physical and magical attacks. The strength of this barrier depends on the mana you inject.

Passive increase to physical and magical defense.

Passive increase to mental attacks.

That was an interesting outcome. Ethan had to think about the logic there, but it kinda made sense. The Ardent Defense ability was all about rooting one’s self to the ground, creating a powerful defensive ability that was hard to get around. Combined with the ultra-mobile System Barrier spell, there had to be a compromise. The scribe held his hand out, imagining a defensive shape.

A glowing blue wall appeared in a semi-circle before Ethan. It was about five-feet tall, covering an area of about twelve feet. Although the wall was made of energy, it had the appearance of a real wall, with stones and mortar set between. Unlike the regular barrier, he couldn’t see through it, and the object itself was very solid to the touch. That’s when he realized he wasn’t channeling the spell. It was a cast-version of the spell, rather than channeled.

And it didn’t take long for the skirmishers to notice this. Mages jumped up the stairs, taking their places on the battlements and slinging spells to the area below. Ethan tried not to laugh at their eagerness. Especially when he saw what kind of advantage such height gave them. The mages were no longer almost hitting the fighters below. They were given a much better angle to sling their spells, resulting in the small goblin force being crushed within a few minutes.

“Where was that before?!” one fighter shouted, slapping Ethan on the back after he returned from the battle. “More of that, please!”

Over the next few fights, Ethan experimented with the Ardent Barrier. The best part about it was that he could make it in just about any shape and size he wanted. The semi-circle was okay for an initial charge from the goblins, but the scribe figured out a way to organize the mages and fighters so they could battle from the top of a completely circular wall. While the wall didn’t cost much mana, that was offset by the low mana floor cost. He could infuse it with as little mana as he wanted, starting with half his pool for the circular version.

He settled on infusing it with everything he had and relying on Mana Filter to bring him back to full power while the others did battle.

But even with their mobile fortress, the group of skirmishers were pushed back over the course of two days. Even with Lesser Energize on his side, Ethan couldn’t get them to keep fighting. In the war of attrition against monsters that didn’t rest, the impromptu sortie was pushed until their backs were against the walls of Gale House City. By Wednesday morning of the second week of the trial, no fields outside the city were held by the defenders. They were replaced by endless ranks of disorganized goblins, all doing their best to find gaps in the massive walls.

“There it is,” Ethan said, squinting from his perch atop the wall. His solitary position had become much more crowded, filling up with mages seeking to sling their spells down below. The scribe had spotted a figure moving between the goblins, wearing a dark robe with a hood covering their face. He turned, shouting to those gathered near me. “Brace yourselves!”

Not long after shouting his warning, the walls were rocked. Stones exploded inward, showering the buildings with withering force. The traps did their job in thinning out the goblin ranks, but there were still more than enough to surge into the city.

“Time for round two, I guess.” Tenalia cackled, hoisting her biggest sword. “You handle the retreat! I’ll carve some goblin flesh!”

Chapter 107

Fighting Retreat

The air in the streets of Gale House City was filled with a strange energy. It wasn't that of some obscure magical domain but that of both nervousness and excitement from the students. The mages enjoyed their chance to show what they had learned during the semester, and with the thought of safety in their minds, they did so with glee. The nervousness came from the groups of goblins thundering through the streets, pillaging whatever they could find and ‌making a mess of things.

During the first leg of the trial, the timid mages of Gale House had already come out of their shells. Although the streets were filled with only first years, they moved with decent coordination, mostly directed by the fighters from Fangbrand House. The fighting retreat was conducted over city blocks, mages tossing off spells and defensive shields while the fighters kept their flanks secured. Ethan found himself laughing along with the other mages. He knew that, despite the fact that everybody was having a good time, they were also taking it seriously. They considered this a way of proving themselves.

Even with a horde of goblins charging, it was hard not to have fun.

Ethan cast his Lesser Ardent Barriers spell, blocking the passage of a group of 100-some-odd goblins. The fighter, watching his side, laughed as the creatures attempted to bore their way through the massive chunk of reinforced magic. The scribe drew in a deep breath, relying on both Siphon and his breathing to get his mana back.

"Get your asses in gear, everyone. Only 200 bases to the gates, and everyone get out." A fighter who seemed to have become the default leader scanned the area from under a visor helmet. His breath heaved.

Other mages participating in the retreat reported that if anyone had been left behind, they were long gone. Ethan focused only on keeping the goblins at bay. Despite their weak status among monsters, they broke through his first barrier, forcing him to erect another. The group soon retreated after that, ducking behind the portcullis of the inner gate and waiting there. Eventually, the goblins were thick enough on the streets to force the gate guards to close up.

The fighters all settled on the ground, wiping themselves down as though they had just played a friendly game of football. Ethan felt this was disrespectful to the spirit of the trial until he heard their conversation. They were not discussing how enjoyable the experience was but instead focusing on what they had done and how they could improve. Many of these mages would go on to become adventurers, and they treated this experience with all the reverence it deserved.

It was hard to know how much time had passed, but eventually Ethan was roused from his contemplations by a voice that boomed through the city. He flinched as it fell upon his ears but quickly recognized the voice of Headmaster Vesper. Likely through magic, he had empowered his voice.

"The first phase of the wave is completed. The outer parts of Gale House City have fallen, and now the goblin forces besiege the inner cloister. This next part of the trial will focus more on siege defense. Although the inner sanctum may never be breached to ensure the safety of the refugees here, we will be counting points for those of you who deflect or dissuade this attack."

This was where the high-ranked adventurers came in. Their job was to ensure the goblins didn't make it past those gates. This was the most simulated part of the trial and would require some imagination from the participants. The most important part for Ethan now was defense and enhancement magic, but he might have an opportunity to employ his structural repair spell. Fortunately, Headmaster Vesper had a little more information to give.

"For the purposes of this test and the sanity of the defenders, we will pause the advancement of the goblins for a day. Please take this time to rest and plan the next phases of your development. Your professors from this semester will also be available for you to both ask questions and take tests with. If you're looking for the seal of approval, the coming weeks may be the time to get started."

Ethan felt his shoulders sag without command. The fight had been pitched. More than a few times, he thought he would be caught out in the open by the goblins. Fortunately, that hadn't happened. He wondered what he had learned before proceeding to something that had been on his mind since the trials started. He thought about it. Defensive magic could be incredibly powerful. It was a tool that could save lives, if only because he could combine different elements from spells, allowing him to create potent barriers. More combinations would likely result in even more situational barriers. He was eager to start that research.

Tenalia had mostly stayed out of the fighting. After wading into a group of twenty goblins and shredding them with ease, she decided it was unsportsmanlike and perhaps even in violation of the spirit of the trial to take part. Instead, she had spent her time on the scribes' shoulder shouting advice about tactics and screaming about how inferior everybody was.

Ethan didn't have to go and find Barry and Amelia. It was easy to see the crowd surrounding the truck and people shooting questions about its construction and operation. It might have taken a while for the crowd to thin out, but when they did, the scribe was finally able to approach his friends and get a report on what they had been doing. As expected, their time during the trial had mostly been spent running over monsters and helping adventuring teams retreat from the front lines. That was a service he hadn't expected them to provide, but it was a brilliant idea.

"How about you?" Barry asked. "Did you find your niche yet, or are you happy filling every single niche?"

"I’m very interested in defensive magic, specifically creating mana construct barriers in the shape of a wall. You really can't underestimate the usefulness of a wall appearing out of nowhere that helps us fight in the fields and on the streets. I'm going to have to mess with that spell to see if I can make it even better."

"Yeah, yeah, Mr. Fancy Pants over here breaking the rules of magic. Not that Barry is much better. This thing he's created is an absolute monster," Amelia sighed as she pressed herself against the truck. "I almost forgot to cast my own spells. Firing the gun on top of the vehicle was so fun. But when we combined his driving and my spellcraft, we actually got some really impressive effects."

Ethan nodded along as she spoke. He was happy that they hadn't just gone full offensive and had attempted to fill a support role. "It seems like the point of this phase was to give a stage for the support roles to shine. I know that's pretty rare in Gale House, but the effect of the evacuation and fighting retreats was incredibly effective. I honestly don't think we lost anyone.”

"I'm not a soul, so far as I know," Barry said, stretching out. "Well, looks like the rest of us mortals are going to go get some rest while Mr. Fancy Pants over here stays up all night again."

Ethan looked to the sky, seeing that it was barely past noon. "You're going to bed this early?”

"That's right. We didn't sleep last night, and I'm actually exhausted, so I'm going to catch some sleep when I can. I'm going to have to prepare a few weapons for the defense of the wall if I want to stay in first place.”

Ethan watched as his friends departed. He would have stopped off at the dining hall to get some food if he hadn't shifted his diet entirely to monster meat. There were a few people in his life who had pushed him toward consuming the magically potent food, and it was now a habit. A very expensive habit that he couldn't hope to maintain if he didn't take care of some more anomalies. But his latest conversation with Trex in the Twilight had him thinking about the undead he had taken into his care.

After taking a quick hour-long nap in a nearby park, Ethan checked the statement he had received about the gates. They were still functional. So, he took one to Luminarum House City and observed how they were doing during the wave live.

The answer was that they were doing a lot better. Orderly ranks of men and women dressed in heavy armor, bearing the symbols of various deities, marched through the streets. They held spears, flying flags of similar iconography. Healers brought up the rear ranks, wearing delicate robes and hoisting censers that trailed thick lines of smoke. A quick check on the status of the walls revealed that all was well. The members of this house were still fighting in the fields outside of the city. The flashes of gold and silver light spread here and there, scouring the landscape of the goblin horde. They were doing significantly better than Ethan could have ever expected.

“Guess I’ll see if Nultan is at the church…” Ethan trailed off, watching the martial discipline Gale House could never hope to attain. He knew there was a reason the houses didn’t come together for this test. But as he watched the efficient paladins do their work below, he kinda wanted to jump ship. Maybe for just a day…

Hallow's church was as immaculate as ever. When Ethan stepped into the wide-open entryway, he was greeted by clerics who recognized him by his badge. They sent him into the back room through that winding maze of passages until he found his way into the cloister. The scribe was unsurprised to see both Zeal and Solace there, basking in the midday light and sipping cold drinks. Once again, Nultan was nowhere to be seen.

"Hey, it's my favorite dude," Zeal waved a lazy hand as he played with a blade of grass between his fingers. He took a tentative sip of whatever he was drinking and nodded with approval. "Nice of you to come visit us. I don't really want to push you because apparently we have all the time in the world, but have you made any progress?"

Solace sighed dramatically. "Your character slipped again."  

"That's okay, I'm taking the day off. No need to worry. I'll slip back into it tomorrow."  

Ethan scratched his head. He shifted his armored robes, finding that despite being blown up a few times, they were in perfect order. There wasn't a tear visible anywhere. "I really have to ask, what's up with that whole character thing?" 

“Do you really want to know?” Solace asked.

Ethan nodded. “Yeah. I really do.”

Solace stood from her spot on the ground, dusting herself off. She wore a floral-patterned sundress that fit her tiny frame just fine. She took a sip of her drink before she started. “Back during the war, Zeal treated this more like a video game than anything else. He wanted to take on the persona of a powerful knight protecting the weak and all that. So he put on the voice to make himself feel more like that knight.”

“Did it work?” Ethan asked.

“It actually did.” Solace looked disappointed at that. “We had to face a lot of hard decisions, and that character was always our guiding light.”

“I never thought about embodying a character that way…”

“Anyway, do you have any good news?” Zeal asked.

Ethan cleared his throat. “Bracelet, can you project the undead arrays?”

“Understood.”

“You named your Jarvis ‘bracelet?’” Zeal shook his head. “That’s kinda messed up, right?”

Ethan moved on without explaining how bad he was at naming things. “As you can see by Skynet’s projection, we have a few options…”

Chapter 108

Tinkering with the Soul

Ethan knew a few things about Zeal and Solace's systems for sure. He knew that their old ones had been destroyed somehow, likely because they had been kept in some weird kind of suspended animation for 300-some odd years. He also knew that a variant of a death-type system had implanted itself inside them, giving them the blessing or curse, depending on who you asked, of undeath. The issue was that although their old system had been completely destroyed, it was still there, like the wreckage of an old building sitting atop a tree's seed wishing to sprout.

"What I think I can do, and I need to emphasize that I think this is possible, is stimulate the growth of your death-based system. I have no information on this system other than what we can determine from looking at the code."

"So basically you don't have a damn thing on this system. You've never seen it before and you don't know how it's supposed to work." Zeal scratched his chin, still sprawled out on the thick lawn. "Does that sum it up?"

"It's not just that I've never seen it before. It's that nobody in my academy has recorded it. There's no record of it, which could be because of its association with necromantic magic."

Solace Place is pacing back and forth, shaking her head. "You're telling us that you're making a guess here. You don't know exactly what's going to happen when you do what you want to do."

"I could ask around, but I do not know any necromancers or death-aligned spellcasters, and I doubt they exist in the academy. It's one of the more fringe types of magic, like Spatial or Dimensional Magic. All those people are off-world. They just don't stick around for long."

Zeal snapped his fingers as though he were a rude patron at a restaurant attempting to get the attention of a waiter. "So how confident are you that this will work? And what exactly are you going to do?"

"Pretty simple, actually," Ethan said with a half-hearted shrug. "I'm going to stimulate the growth portion of the array that you guys already have in you. Basically, I'm going to make it so that you can feed your system energy and increase its power. But for that to work, I have to teach you how to process mana and turn it into undeath-type mana."

"We can already do that.” Solace looked proud of herself. "To serve the warriors of the Shard, we had to learn how to process Celestial Mana. We used that to empower our bodies and get stronger than we should have been. All that power seems to have faded, but the knowledge of how to do it hasn't. Nultan tried to teach us his method so that we could sustain ourselves, but we already knew how to do it.”

Ethan had to remind himself that they were undead. Sure, they looked a little paler than a normal person, and he was certain if he checked their pulse he would find none, they just looked like normal people. But they weren't. They couldn't eat food to sustain themselves. Instead, they had to process undead mana and add it into their soul to gain sustenance. There were questions about physics and thermodynamics he was curious about, but now was not the time.

"That saves me a lot of trouble.” Ethan withdrew his Celestial Pen from his soul and held it aloft. “So, do I have your permission to tinker with the inner workings of your soul?”

Zeal coughed on his drink. "Well, when you put it like that, no." 

"Yes, of course, that's exactly what we want you to do.” Solace shot Zeal a glare. “We can't stay here forever, and our captors won't let us leave until we develop a system." 

With a nod, Ethan got to work. He inspected the array and their soul, emulating it the best he could, although we still couldn't get a full emulation blessed by the Grand System. What he could do was tinker with it enough to stimulate it. He wasn't actually changing anything about the array. He couldn't do that without emulating the system, but what he could do was inject him into certain parts of that array, so long as the person he was working on agreed to it. There seemed to be some sort of mental blocker for Zeal, but Solace was more than happy to allow him to poke around inside her soul.

"Do you feel anything?" Ethan stepped back, wiping sweat from his brow and regarding the tiny sigil buried deep in her soul with curiosity.

"I definitely feel something." Solace placed her hand on her chest, closing her eyes as she thoroughly explored the inner workings of her mana system. "There it is. I can see what you're talking about. It looks like a small purple orb to me, but you called it a sigil, right?" 

"That's exactly right. That's what I see buried deep in your soul. It's the essence of who you are now as an undead person and a representation of your new system. If you can guide the mana through your body and feed it directly to…”

Ethan trailed off, watching with amazement as Solace expertly guided mana from the air, which came in as Celestial mana, processed it into Undead mana, and fed it directly to the sigil in a single breath. This wasn't the kind of mana control of a newbie. She was a master, performing the most efficient processing and injection the scribe had ever seen during his time at the academy.

"Something like that," Solace said with a smarmy smile.

"Do me next," Zeal said, spreading his arms wide as though he needed to supplicate to have his system changed.

Of course, Ethan was happy to do it without any need for begging. Doing it the second time was a lot easier, and he was able to stimulate Zeal’s system much more efficiently. Just as expected, the big man moved his mana with just as much expert precision as Solace had. It was an amazing sight to behold.

“Now, if you do that a million times, your system might push the old system out.” Ethan smiled to himself, but Zeal and Solace didn’t appreciate the joke. “Or a few hundred, I don’t know.”

Ethan stuck around for a while to make sure that the pair understood the process completely. He didn't want them to overload the array and eventually got them to where they were processing and injecting the mana with great efficiency. Somehow, the conversation swung to history. They were, after all, present during the construction of the academy. The scribe had questions about a certain figure.

The Herald was an enigmatic figure that Ethan simply couldn't shake from his mind. He had written books that were historically questioned, and the scribe simply needed answers. So he asked. The question got a laugh from both Zeal and Solace.

“We knew him briefly,” Solace confirmed. “We fought with him during the war, when he went by Ivaran. Eventually, he went by the name Fenian, and was a powerful fighter. As for the books he wrote? From what you said, they sound accurate down to the last maiden.”

Ethan wasn't sure which possibility was more horrifying. The fact that the stories were true, or that he had interacted directly with the man. And now Alex was permanently on the man's planet. It was a bit ‌much to consider. Although some late conversations sprung up after that, the scribe felt as though his break was over. He had left Tenalia back in Gale House City but had an interest in trying a few things out. His understanding of dimensional magic still wasn't where he wanted it despite all the effort he had put into it. Perhaps it was time to allow the puppet to run a few dungeons.

Rather than taking the easy way home, Ethan wanted to challenge himself. It might piss a few people off, but that was always worth it in the name of science. Instead of taking the main exit out of the church, he found a pillar in the cloister and reached out, closing his hand around a doorknob that wasn't there before and turning it. That got a surprised sound from both Zeal and Solace.

“What? Never been in Voidspace before?” Ethan asked with a wink before vanishing.

Ethan stepped onto the bridge in the Twilight and lingered there for only a few seconds. He made no sound and kept as much of his mana and senses to himself as he could, as expected. No ripples radiated out from where he stood, and Arthur, no doubt sitting in his castle in the distance, didn't notice a thing. The scribe reached out, finding another door and latching onto a concept. He repeated the idea. The point of the excursion was that he wanted to pass unnoticed through Voidspace, and since Trex and Arthur didn’t come to tackle him, he figured it had worked.

One last door brought him to the strange shift of gravity. He couldn’t even guess why, but the door leading to his cottage was still on the ceiling. Using his Rank 2 Agility, he jumped through it, twisting his body in the air to land deftly on his feet.

“That’s one way to make an entrance,” Avalara said with a laugh. “Have you had lunch?”

Ethan shook his head, moving to the kitchen and finding dried spirit fruits and monster meat to snack on. He hadn't had much of an appetite lately but still forced himself to enjoy the meal. He processed the magic, the food, and brewed it into his body and dedicated it to whichever ring seemed most hungry. These days, it wasn't the physical rings. Despite all of his exertion, those seemed just as stubborn as ever. His preference was for the Affinity and Mind ring, and getting Endurance and Agility up had been an absolute labor.

Settling onto his couch in the spatially expanded room, Ethan considered all he had done during the semester. He was falling into his role as a system scribe easily, perhaps a bit too easily. He had spent his life trying to be one thing, only to be shunted off to another. Then, when starting his new life here in the academy, he realized that it was a third thing he had longed for all this time. Being a System Scribe was everything he had hoped for in his old world.

More than any job he held back on Earth, any house he had stayed in, and any family he had known, this felt like the place he belonged. And it wasn’t just because of the importance of the role. It was how well he fit into it, like a puzzle piece that was always meant to fall into place.

"You should really pace yourself," Avalara said. "You have six months of these trials to endure, and those who try to stay in first place by sheer force of will are surely going to burn out."

"I think you're right. Even if I can't settle down to rest, I need to take time away from the trial, and I also have to get my seal of approval from all my classes so I can take some strange crap next semester." 

"Well, there's nothing stopping you from leaving the planet, is there? You could visit the other worlds and see what they're like."

Ethan shrugged. He wasn't sure ‌he wanted to do something like that. His sights were currently set on the academy world, and there was plenty to explore here. Even discounting the other academies and the houses, ‌he could also visit the abandoned towns and the free cities that were scattered across the landscape. There was enough history here to keep him busy for quite some time.

“There’s a lot to explore here,” he said. “Anyway, this is where all my friends are.”

“A decent point. Just remember, I won’t be here forever.”

Chapter 109

Dungeon Crawling

A day off from the trail was an interesting thing to consider. Ethan found himself in his back yard the next day, flat on the ground as he gazed up at the sky. Fluffy clouds crawled by, the edges drawn out and wispy as the wind high above blew hard. The sounds of the city around him were normal. People went about their business as though a horde of goblins wasn’t beating on the door. They had complete faith in the high-rank adventurers protecting them.

On the students’ side, all the first-years were adding their unique skills to the defense of the inner wall. Anyone higher than that ran missions outside the walls, embarking on dangerous quests to put a dent in the dungeons that fueled the endless horde. During a siege like this, removing the dungeons was always important. Apparently, it was even more important when the dungeons were sapient.

But that wasn’t something Ethan wanted to dig into right now.

“Are you done relaxing, yet?” Tenalia’s voice was frustrated.

Ethan had promised her a dungeon run, and he had to make good on that today. But five more minutes would’ve been nice… The part of the scribe that needed to press forward no matter what won over. “Yeah. We already have the missions, so we can go whenever.”

Ethan didn’t move. Tenalia stayed where she was, tapping her foot impatiently. “Okay, so can we go?!”

Laughing as he rose to his feet, Ethan dusted himself off. He really loved the gear Luna and Finn had given him. It was so impossibly comfortable, he could fall asleep anywhere. But it was time to answer the call. After stretching for a bit too long, and getting his ass smacked by the puppet’s sword, they were off.

The first mission was to scout for the dungeons. Doing that at night was just about useless, but under the light of day the easy dungeons were simple to spot. The bracelet created a map of the area. Ethan had selected an area to the southeast of the city, since most of his time had been spent before the siege in the north. Thanks to the heavily forested areas, spotting the dungeons was a matter of getting the right angle.

“How about that one?” Tenalia asked from Ethan’s shoulder.

The scribe squinted, making out the shape of a dungeon. The figure in a hood standing by the entrance didn’t pass his notice. Using his System Platform, he descended to the forested area below. Leaves crunched underfoot as he padded forward, eyes open for any ambushes. The goblins might’ve been idiots, but they were somehow decent at ambushes. Once the scribe was sure everything was clear, he quickened his pace and stopped before the hooded figure.

“Please note: destroying the core is forbidden.” The black-robed figure was tall with broad shoulders. When they spoke, their voice came on hard enough to make Ethan’s bones rattle. “I’ll escort you to ensure all the rules are followed.”

“Any other rules I should know about?” Ethan asked.

“Just don’t destroy the core.”

Ethan nodded, approaching the dungeon entrance. Tenalia was extremely eager to shoot forward into the dungeon, but he held her back. “I’m just going in to study. You should follow that one. The chance that she rushes ahead to fight the boss is pretty high.”

“Noted. I’ll follow your golem.”

Ethan paid close attention to the sensation he felt when passing through the dungeon’s portal. Before stepping forward, he understood the quality of this space more than ever before. The feeling he felt upon entering the portal was now incredibly familiar, similar enough to the feeling of stepping through a Voidspace door. The dungeon itself now reminded him of one of those many proto-realms he had visited. And the interior was no different.

Tenalia had already dashed forward, powering through the dense forest to find some monsters. The trees around them were packed so tightly that barely any light filtered through. When the black-clad observer also dashed forward, the scribe tried not to laugh.

“Yeah, just leave me alone in the haunted forest…” Ethan trailed off with a sigh. “Bracelet, are you taking readings? Cross referencing against the proto-realms?”

“Indeed. Current process will take a few hours to complete. Complexity of process will increase depending on the quantity of information we gather. But the results of the process will be greatly improved.”

More time for a better result. That made enough sense to Ethan, so he pressed forward.

If Ethan were to use his knowledge of systems, he would place the Dimensional Magic used to create a dungeon close to the base of a branch, if not the base itself. There wasn’t a complete correlation between how close something was to the main tree and the power of that system, but he imagined the Dungeon-based Dimensional magic was a very primal thing. Although he needed to do more research, he was almost certain the dungeon and Voidspace were the same thing, if not at least very close variants.

The forest was a murky thing, but at least there were no monsters. Signs popped up here and there, leaving evidence to the battles Tenalia had conducted there. A few fallen trees here and there, and the general destruction of brush. She was uncaring when it came to her fighting style most of the time, but it still held a grace granted by her tiny form and immense power. Ethan eventually caught up to her, about an hour later. He had spent all his time sketching things in the air, pushing his system as far as it would go to allow him to emulate the dimensional system.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t an anomaly. The Grand System was forgiving to him in many respects, but not here. For some reason, it wanted him to try hard… Or perhaps that was just himself reflecting on the words said to him by the Herald. Growing lazy with his class was a death sentence, and he had no plans to let that come to pass. If he wanted to fix Tal’vengar, he needed to toughen up.

“Your puppet is impressive.” The hooded figure appeared next to Ethan, the sound of a smile evident in his voice. “It must’ve been a gift. No offense, but you do not seem capable of creating such a thing.”

“No offense taken.” Ethan bowed his head low. Respect for powerful people was a lesson he had learned long ago. “She’s a strange little thing, but I like her.”

“Tell me, how did you ensnare a Primal Spirit?”

“I didn’t. She had some issues I helped with.” Ethan phrased it to avoid giving too much information. Respect was one thing, but spilling all his personal info wasn’t a great idea. “She elected to remain with me, and a powerful Golemancer bound her to the puppet.”

The figure let out a soft chuckle. “Yes, I’ve heard that tale many times before. A person lucking into a powerful companion like that is a common story in many sectors.”

Ethan bit his lip, taking the casual way the man spoke as an invitation to probe deeper. He just wished he could see the man’s face under that dark hood. “And which sector are you from?”

“This one, actually. You may not believe it, but I’m only 100 years old. Born on the Anchor World, ascended to fight through the elemental planes, and eventually ran off to fight in some war I didn’t understand.” The figure let out a wistful sigh. “There are many paths to power in this universe. Just make sure you seize whichever you can… Speaking of, what type of class are you?”

“Support, mostly.” Ethan only wanted to give that much information and nothing more.

“You’re going to have it easy. Just do me a favor: don’t abandon your team when things get too hard.” The figure let the words settle, giving them weight. “I’ve seen people killed for such an act.”

“I’ll take that to heart.”

Ethan and the figure watched Tenalia’s progress. She had slowed, since the boss was somewhere nearby. It was a wolf-riding goblin, complete with a spear that it used like a lance while charging. The fight would’ve been over in seconds if the puppet wasn’t using it as a chance to train. She dodged to one side with an unrivaled grace, deflected a few blows, and generally put on an awesome show.

The hooded figure even clapped when the job was done. But they were all business when the Dungeon Core rose from the ground, taking up a defensive position near it.

“Remember the rule,” he said.

“I’ll just sit here for a bit.” Ethan found a suitable rock to plop down on, withdrawing his Celestial Pen and getting to work. “My studies are on the effects of dungeons and Voidspace. I’m looking for the link between them and Dimensional Magic.”

“Ah, you’ve been to the local Voidspace?”

“That’s right.”

The figure nodded with approval. “This is the best Voidspace I’ve ever visited. Others are quite disorganized, but not here. Whoever tamed it is worthy of note.”

“I think Xol’trex took care of that. At least, she helped.”

The figure cocked a head to one side. “You’re friendly with the entity that tamed this area?”

“I guess… Kinda. She made the puppet for the Primal Spirit.”

“Very interesting. I’d like to see her one of these days.”

Ethan could split his concentration between studying the dimensional energies and talking. This was an opportunity to talk to someone who had been outside of the sector. It was a person who regularly spent time abroad.

“What are the other sectors like?” Ethan asked. “And how about your job here?”

“You’re full of questions. You’re not from the local sector yourself, are you?” The figure shook their head. “Reincarnators are difficult to deal with sometimes… Frontier sectors are rough. They’re unestablished with weak defenses, so they typically don’t last long. Well-established sectors with decent authorities are a lot better to visit.”

“This sector seems extremely secure.”

“Because it is. They have some of the most advanced defenses I’ve ever seen, even as a young sector. We have something special here, which is why I keep coming back. I want to ensure it keeps going.”

The figure had a lot to talk about. Once Ethan broke down his walls as a helper for the trials, he was happy to chat. It didn’t hurt that the scribe was doing something strange here. He wasn’t clearing the dungeon and leaving like the other students, but remaining to study it. The figure absolutely refused to give their name, or reveal what he looked like, but the scribe doubted he was a magic class. Anyone exposed to base-level magic would know that he was doing some pretty advanced stuff.

“I grow bored,” Tenalia announced out of nowhere. “Can we clear another one? You may continue to study, my faithful steed.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Ethan groaned as he rose from the ground. He rolled his shoulders, working out some of the tension. “We’ll see you later, mystery man.”

The hooded figure chuckled. “Goodbye.”

As expected, the next dungeon was guarded by a similar figure. They refused to give their name or remove their hood, but were happy to chat after a bit. Tenalia didn’t find the next dungeon hard, even if it was on the upper end of Rank 1. One thing Ethan wanted to do was to avoid Rank 2 dungeons. Tenalia might not’ve had a problem clearing them, but the more potent dungeons were a lot harder to study.

The day wore on, and Ethan wasn’t much closer to decoding Dimensional Magic by the time night came. With no desire to probe in the dark for the dungeons, even with nightvision mode available to him, he headed back to the academy to participate in the defense.

Once again sitting on the wall and eating his snacks, Ethan threw buffs out when they expired, maintained barriers to defend against goblin arrows, and generally added some decent effort to the defenders’ efforts.

Chapter 110

Final Exams

Another week of fighting against goblins attacking the city made Ethan realize how much he wasn’t interested in fighting. He grew bored of the siege fairly quickly, and falling into the role of being a support mage, casting buffs and maintaining barriers, was the only way he could keep his sanity. How the others spent their days flinging fireballs and regenerating mana without end just didn’t click for him. Study, experimentation, debugging… That’s where the scribe had the most fun.

Instead, Ethan took this week to conduct his final exams. Since the staff had all settled in, exams were wide open so he took them one at a time, in order of his schedule. Sitting at his dining room table, sipping on some fruit juice and eating something that tasted a lot like monster bacon, he prepared for the Ritual Foundations 1 exam.

“Are you sure you understand the difference between Rank 1 and 2 ritual arrays?” Avalara asked, ever the mother hen. “What’s the advantage of lacing array lines with sigils?”

“Energy flow, array stability.” Ethan shrugged. “A way for ritualists to feel important, maybe?”

Avalara tried to punch him in the arm, but her hand simply passed through him. “My, aren’t you feeling spicy today?”

Ethan chuckled, sending a subtle mental command to his bracelet. An example ritual array appeared in the air, detailing a sample he had studied a thousand times. Maybe he was too prepared, but he hated not knowing the answers on a test. “I’ve been studying this stuff constantly. Any time I have a spare moment, I go over the material.”

“I know. Just worried for you.” Avalara produced a shy chuckle. “Maybe I’m just projecting…”

“I’ve got it. I think I can handle a few ‘pass’ grades, but getting all seals would be perfect for my next semester. Who knows? They might toss me in a class I don’t want if I cannot get the seals.”

Avalara straightened herself up, a resolute expression spreading across her ghostly visage. “You’ll do well. I know it.”

That was a swift change…

Ethan headed out after getting enough food and encouraging words. He smiled as he watched normal life going about in Gale House City. The streets were a lot more packed, thanks to the refugees. One aspect that was interesting was the need for food. Whoever was running the trial wouldn’t let the people starve, but they also simulated supply runs. The entire scenario was based on a besieged city, meaning that people needed to import food.

The answer to this was to create supply points far away from the dungeons and goblins. Students could go pick up those supplies, which were empty crates as far as Ethan knew, and bring them back to the cities for some serious points. Barry and Amelia had done a few of these, but they were devilishly hard. There had to be some kind of magic informing the goblins supply caravans, and they got swarmed. Then there was a matter of getting those supplies inside the city.

Good thing the only objective I have to deal with is a few exams…

Ethan met up with Professor Eggs at the promised time in the promised spot. The floating Chihuahua greeted him with a lot more enthusiasm than he had expected.

“Greetings, student!” Eggs shouted. “Ethan Walsh, yes? Are you prepared for your practical?”

“Yeah, I think I’m ready.”

“Excellent.” Eggs’ eyes flashed with a dim light. “I see you have a few records of using large-scale ritual magic to solve real-world problems already. Including one designed to remove necromantic magic. Is that true?”

“Oh, yeah.” Ethan had almost forgotten about how he had helped save Zeal and Solace. “It was a dubious application of purification magic, but I employed a ritual array to get the job done.”

“Did you integrate parts of your system into the ritual?”

“That’s right.” Ethan realized this felt more like a job interview than anything else and straightened up. “I can translate arrays from other systems into sigils I can use with my system. Hallow allowed me to borrow some power from his Cleric class, and I combined a purification spell with Clean Surface, changing it to a wide-area effect thanks to the ritual.”

Professor Eggs nodded with approval. “Excellent job. How many concepts from the Rank 2 concepts did you use?”

“I had to use some sigils in the line work, but that’s about it. Most importantly, I used them to move Pure-aligned mana to power the central formation.” Ethan shrugged, unsure if it had been the best solution. “I think the most interesting thing was how I designed the array to be used by another class from another system.”

“Very encouraging.” Professor Eggs hummed for a few moments. “You don’t plan to take Ritual Foundations 2, do you?”

“No, I believe other classes will better suit my needs. Specifically, classes that cover esoteric topics.”

“Such as?”

“Dimensionality, spatiality, portals, teleportation, gates, and so on.”

“Ambitious, aren’t you?” Professor Eggs chuckled. “Fine. You’re certainly one of the few students in my class who have a real-world use of a ritual array. Now, let’s see… Produce a ritual, any ritual, that shows the use of the advanced topics we covered.”

Ethan nodded. He didn’t even need the bracelet to produce the ritual he had been practicing. It was a simple thing, if taken at face value. The scribe had penned a Barrier array, technically coming in at Rank 2 based on the connected parts. It had sigils in the lines, connected arrays, two total, and advanced System Sigils to bring the size of the entire thing down. He sketched it out on the ground, drawing the main circle first before scribing the supportive parts.

Eggs hummed as he drew, making passive comments that helped no one. “Interesting choice there. I have absolutely no idea what that one means!”

Ethan didn’t wait for the professor to give him the signal, pressing his fingers into the central sigil and flooding it with mana. The barrier sprung up as the mana worked its way through the ritual. Octagonal plates materialized, creating a protective dome surrounding the scribe. Professor Eggs hooted with approval.

“Now that’s a ritual.” Eggs said, floating around the outside. “Let’s see how long it lasts.”

The answer was: a long-ass time. Eggs eventually got bored and gave her seal of approval. Ethan wasn’t surprised, but this was the most difficult class he had. Of course, this was an introductory class and the expectations weren’t exactly high. One seal was nice, but the scribe intended to get them all. With an hour between his exam for Ritual Magic Foundations 1 and Array Foundations 1, the scribe went over the required material in a park before heading off to Professor Marsh’s meeting spot… which was a different park.

Students and professors alike loved parks.

“Well, look who it is.” Professor Marsh placed her hands on her hips, looking up at Ethan with a wide smile. “Gonna blow my socks off today?”

Ethan chuckled, trying to be polite about how prepared he actually was. “I hope so.”

“Yet you won’t take my version of Array Foundations 1?” Marsh asked, taking on a more disappointed tone. “Almost like you hate me and my instruction.”

Why so needy?

Ethan cleared his throat. “The nature of my class means I don’t get much beyond the basics. I’ll be looking for classes that are strange. Stuff that’ll help me expand my base of knowledge.”

Professor Marsh nodded, a faint smile spreading across her face. “I get that. We’re not used to teaching people from other systems. If you want guidance, we’re here. Otherwise, you know your own path.” Marsh paused for a super long time, almost like she had fallen into a dimension of her own making where her mind was a prison. She snapped out of it. “Anyway, ready to go? I already heard about all the crap you’ve done, so whatever. Just make an interesting array.”

Ethan laughed. He just couldn't help it. The way that Professor Eggs and Marsh conducted their exams was completely different. Eggs had more of a concern for the technical details while Marsh was more of a casual professor.

“I have a few interesting things…” Ethan let out a breath, emulating the X-13 system. He felt the power of a Rank 1-and-change Mage roll through him. “I’ll use a neat lattice array, combining the concepts of a basic Barrier spell combined with aspects of my class to create a directed version of the Rank 2 Barrier spell.”

“Oh. Going above the requirements?” Marsh rubbed her hands together. “Can you do it?”

Maybe.

It was stretching the definition of the way ad-hoc spell formations for the X-13 system, but Ethan thought he could make it happen again. Of course, he had tested the spell before and it worked. But it was hard to cast, and had a few fizzles before he got it right the first time. With a deep breath, he got working on building the 2-layer array by hand. The foundation was easy enough to lay down, but connecting the two parts was a pain in the ass. Worst of all was the modifier, which would change the spell from Channeled mode to an on-target deal.

“That’s a mighty weird spell you’re making.” Marsh laughed nervously. “Are you sure that modifier works?”

“Nope,” Ethan said, sweat dripping down his face as he forced the spell together. Despite his confidence, his nerves were getting to him. “The second layer isn’t playing nice.”

“You could simply show me using your system.”

Ethan shook his head, doubling down. He loosened his proverbial grip on the array in his soul, easing his way through the process. Gentle strands of power adjusted the mistakes the scribe had placed inside his soul. He eased up on the pressure, rearranged the sigils, and tested the mana flow a few times. Although it didn’t seem as though much time was passing, it was a half-hour before the arrays locked into place.

“There,” Ethan said, breathing out and sagging to one side.

“Not very showy, is it?” Marsh laughed. “The formation looked good to me, though. What does it do?”

“Punch me in the face. The barrier will—”

Professor Marsh did not hesitate. She had already pulled her fist back before he finished saying the word ‘face.’ When her fist would’ve slammed into his face, admittedly not propelled by much force, the barrier sprung up. Ethan breathed a sign of relief. It was hard to say if the spell would’ve actually worked, but he was happy his efforts paid off.

“So, you fail.”

Ethan blinked. “What?”

“You took too long to form the array.” Professor Marsh shook her head, waggling a finger at him. “But… considering you used a foreign system, refused to use your artifact, also refused to use sigils native to your own system bodes well. Okay, you get my seal, but only because I co-teach a class you just might be interested in.”

Ethan’s heart swayed from one end of the spectrum to the other, beating hard in his chest. Perhaps scheduling all his exams for one day wasn’t such a good idea. The only good news there was that the next test should’ve been extremely easy. Mana manipulation had become something the scribe did passively, both with his abilities and with his natural ability. Of course, that talent was built over time, and he was certain people like Barry were still better than him.

But his skills were still good enough to pass Mana Foundations 1.

Professor Sally insisted on meeting in the Opaque Pearl Building 2, and there was a small line of two students waiting for their exams. Ethan chatted idly with the other people, getting the temperature for how the other students were taking the trial. They were doing well enough, earning enough points to put them in the middle of the pack for all the first-years.

Eventually, Professor Sally invited him in with the same cold logic the mantis-people all had. She ran him through a clinical series of mana control tests, going down a checklist containing all the stuff they had learned that semester. She didn’t bother with things he had done outside of class, and eventually gave him a very unenthusiastic seal of approval.

“Please vacate immediately,” was the last thing she said.

Although Ethan knew her to be kinda distant, that was next level. After regaining his senses, he headed to the last exam of the semester. Doing everything in one day was completely daunting, but at least everything would be over. It was kinda absurd that Luna would ask him to attend an actual test, he still made his way to the Anomalous Materials Group’s meeting room.

Ethan stopped off for a meal before making his way to the city. He found a very different scene in Pel’vengar than he did in Gale House City. There weren’t nearly as many refugees visible here, that could’ve been a matter of space… or perhaps the city wasn’t taking part in the trials. Whatever the case, the scribe was happy to have a break from it all. The goblins might not have been killing anyone, but the constant noise of battle that carried through the city was daunting.

One thing that was obvious was the presence of powerful people. They didn’t need to wear signs on their chest claiming their rank to make themselves known. Ethan felt himself being crushed several times, as though nearby adventurers were reaching out with a giant fist and crushing him. A few times, when they noticed the unrequested pressure, they apologized, and the pressure diminished. Of course, the bracelet was happy to analyze the energy and make assumptions.

Ethan knew a little about auras, but not enough to understand them completely. People with a system could manipulate their soul, expanding some aspect of it out to influence others. This was similar to the way the scribe already used his magical senses, but an insanely advanced form of that. He had a bit of time to consider these things, entertaining the ideas the bracelet had on the topic, but otherwise making his way directly to the Silver Spire.

Swinging the door to the Anomalous Material Group’s meeting spot, Ethan froze. Luna and Finn had settled onto their customary seats, but another figure stood in the room’s center. His red hood was drawn up over his head, faint light casting his silhouette in a halo. Armel turned, flashing a broad smile.

“About time,” he said, pulling back his hood. “One should never be late for their practical exam.”

Ethan nodded, half-entering the room but considering if he should run. He wasn’t afraid of Armel or Silvain. They were the benefactors of this world for a reason, and seemed to have the students’ best interests in heart. It was the mere fact that Armel was here that set him on edge. If a benefactor was present during his exam, the difficulty of that exam would be absurd.

“Afternoon,” Ethan said, ducking into the room after a too-long pause. “I had to get lunch.”

Luna’s jaw was set, as though it took everything she had to remain still in her chair. Armel shook his head, crossing the distance between them and wrapping an arm around Ethan’s shoulder. He led him gently away from the two others, clicking his tongue a few times.

“Problem with most mortals is they can’t stand to be near me for long.” Armel let out a dramatic sigh. “No matter what I try, they still feel the same dread. Some days are better than others. Today, for example, is absolutely horrid. Too much energy in the air, you know?”

Ethan peeked over his shoulder, seeing that both Luna and Finn had somewhat calmed down. “I can only guess you’re planning to be part of my exam.”

“Exam? Well, this is mostly a formality, isn’t it?” Armel led the way into the hall, causing some random people to go scattering. “We’re happy to keep you in this class for the next semester. But I got word from the Herald that you needed a nudge.”

“A nudge?” Ethan asked.

Armel sighed. “I wish I disagreed with him. But he’s afraid you’ll get lazy. Answer me one question, and I think you’ll know if you need to do this task for me.”

“What is it?” Ethan realized that, after a moment’s pause, Armel wanted him to ask.

“Are you afraid you’ll get lazy? Be honest, please.”

Of course Ethan was afraid he’d get lazy. He had busted his ass to pass all his exams for that very reason. He had avoided leaning on his status as a System Scribe, putting everything he had into getting the seals from his professors. Some of those might have come easier than others, but he had still done the work. All in an effort to avoid that very sentiment. That idea implanted in his head from the Herald that lingered to this day.

He was afraid of falling into complacency. Afraid of leaning on his title and wasting yet another opportunity. He absolutely had to try his best, pushing himself as much as possible to reach those lofty heights. Maybe not as a powerful mage, slinging spells and whatever. No, he had to be the best System Scribe he could.

“I am.”

“Excellent.” Armel patted him a few times on the back. “Now, I have a very special anomaly for you. From what I understand, you’re getting better at moving from one place to another with ease, is that right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Good. The place you and the rest of the members of the Anomalous Materials Group are going isn’t welcoming to travel by land, air, or sea.”

Chapter 111

Hierophany

The end-of-semester trials on the Academy World were something most students looked forward to. They were a well-documented, safe, and practical way for those looking to strike out into the wider universe to see if they understood what they had been taught. This was a time when everyone discovered what they wanted to do. Ethan reflected on this in a cafe, sipping on a sweet coffee drink as he fell deeper into his thoughts. Stored on his bracelet was the entire history of these trials, written in such vivid detail he could see himself in the room when the academy structure was conceived.

Compared to the way universities operated on Earth, the way things worked here made a lot more sense to him. Everything had been simultaneously too slow and fast for him. There was no time to breathe, until there was way too much time. But here, he was confident he could fit a few roles in that wide universe. Yet those other things, be it support magic, repair magic, or even his lofty goal of mastering dimensional magic, were side jobs. His primary job was to serve the Grand System, patching all the weird stuff and generally making things better.

Ethan released a sigh, falling back into his chair as he looked skyward. Within the Silver City, one couldn’t swing a cat without hitting an outside cafe. But this one was especially nice, mostly because it wasn’t busy. It gave him a place to sit and think about what had happened during his first semester. Even if he still had six months and a few weeks left in the trial, the “class” part of his first semester was done.

“Is this seat taken?”

Ethan dragged his gaze from the sky, blinking away the afterimage of the sun that had embedded itself in his vision. The voice was gentle but carried with it a kind of command he found hard to quantify. He looked down, spotting a maeth woman, one of the many round-bellied, rosy-cheeked diminutive folk that inhabited the academy. She wore an earth-toned set of robes and had her strawberry blonde hair in a series of intricate braids that joined behind her head with the help of a green length of silk. The smile he had on her face radiated a kind of maternal comfort the scribe hadn’t known for a long time.

“Oh. I guess,” Ethan said, nodding his head to one of two other free chairs.

The woman placed her cup of coffee on the table, jumping onto the chair with clear grace. She sipped her coffee, letting out a contented sigh that said she was a regular. “I’d say the weather is lovely, but it always is, isn’t it?”

“Strange how that works, right?” Ethan laughed, shaking his head. “Sometimes I think I should get out and enjoy some foul weather for once.”

“Beryl.” The woman bowed her head, eyes barely glancing over to Ethan for a moment before once again locking onto something in the distance only she could see.

“Ethan. Nice to meet you.”

One thing Ethan had learned was that most people were too busy to give him the time of day within the academy. That wasn’t to say they were cold. They were just busy. When someone approached him like this, they always had something else in mind. Sending a mental command to his bracelet, the scribe began the search.

“A pleasure.” Beryl sighed, closing her eyes and angling her head to absorb more of the sun. “The one thing I’ll always complain about is the spiritual desert this academy world has created.”

“How do you mean?” Ethan tilted his head to one side, not sure if he understood what she was talking about. “I’ve met a ghost and a spirit. And this is only my first semester.”

Beryl giggled politely, covering her mouth. “That’s not exactly what I meant, even if your contracted elven spirit is close.”

“You’ll forgive me if this is rude…” Ethan bowed his head, knowing that asking her directly was very rude, no matter how hard he apologized before asking. “What do you need? I’m happy to share a table with you, but the amount of times I’ve been approached for a chat without ulterior motives is exactly zero.”

Another polite laugh came from the small woman. “I already like you.” Beryl sighed. “I’ll get to that, if you don’t mind me waxing on for a while.”

“Wax away.”

“This unit suspects Beryl is a figure from history. We lack the appropriate texts, as they’ve likely been destroyed. She is mentioned a few times, but only in passing.”

Of course. Another old ghost coming to haunt the only scribe. Ethan planned to feel the conversation out without making commitments. His plate was already a bit full.

“In my day… in my home, there were great spirits. Powerful entities, and classes that could draw on their might. Spiritual-, and Soul-based magics were commonplace.” Beryl paused for a few long moments, as though her thoughts had gone back to those good old days. Ethan made a note that this was emotionally, and perhaps culturally important to the woman. “You might’ve noticed, there are no Soul Mages here. No Summoners, very few Necromancers, and so on.”

“I’ve met one, but I get your meaning.” Ethan nodded along. “Although I’m afraid I’m not an expert in Soul magic.”

“No, but you’re dabbling. The bracelet and your elven spirit are enough to prove that.”

Tenalia was currently… somewhere. The doll had grown annoyed with him, since they weren’t “cleansing the countryside.” She might’ve been tolerant of his supportive plan, but she had to blow some steam off. And Ethan wasn’t sure he could blame her. She had a thirst for war and had been bound to a guy who planned to do as little fighting as possible during his time at the academy.

Ethan tapped his chin thoughtfully, as though it was something he had to think hard about. The people who approached him, like Armel, Silvain, and Trex, often thought he wouldn’t catch on. Apparently, the word was out and now the people asking for help with systems would pour in. Which was fine. That was his job.

“So, you want me to stir up some Summoner classes?” Ethan rubbed his chin. “I’m working on something similar, but this stuff takes time.”

Beryl’s soft smile brightened as she took another sip of her coffee. “You’re funny. No nonsense, huh?”

“When you’re as busy as me, there’s no time for nonsense.”

“Since that’s the way it is…” Beryl trailed off, tracing a pattern across the surface of the wooden table. It was a very simple spell array. Only it wasn’t an array. The symbology was weird, not matching anything he had seen before. A small spectral rabbit, only a few inches tall, appeared and hopped around a bit. “Summoning magic. Very basic. Not practical, but it works.”

“Very interesting magic.” Ethan didn’t even need to tell his bracelet to record everything. It was already sucking up all the information it could get. “Seems like your class is working fine.”

“I don’t have a class.” Beryl giggled again.

“Raw talent, then?”

“Something like that.”

Ethan shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “People normally ask for something by now.”

“You’ve misunderstood me, then.” Beryl seemed slightly offended, as though Ethan wasn’t living up to what she had expected. But she eventually shrugged. “As you fix the world, it’ll open the path for more spirits. I don’t need help with classes now, but you must understand… Not all the spirits are friendly.”

“Makes sense. So these Summoner classes control the spirits?”

“Control?” Beryl was once again offended, but was quicker to shrug it off this time. “They’re very important. As more spirits appear, we’ll need more people with those types of classes. So my request is: when the time comes, help generate those classes. Perhaps pitch in yourself?”

Ethan had some suggestions of his own, but kept them to himself. “I appreciate the warning. Feels like most people only come to me after they have a problem. I’m not used to being approached before the problem crops up.”

Beryl bowed her head slightly. “I’m sometimes good with people. That’s enough business. Are you enjoying the academy?”

Ethan snorted a laugh, unable to stop himself. “No offense, but I really don’t know you. Although I’m happy to help, I don’t see you as the mentor-type.”

“Hmmm. How about a spiritual advisor?” Beryl asked. “Non-religious, of course. The god my people worshiped is different than she once was. Not that my people worshiped much of anything other than the great spirits of the world.”

“And who were your people?”

“The maeth. The Hierophany of Whisperwood in Old Iaredin.” Beryl chuckled to herself. “Wow. Been a long time since I said all that. Now I’m an advisor, counselor, and hopeful future Summoner.”

“Hierophany? This unit has records of Whisperwood, but it was destroyed 500 years ago based on Grand System time.”

The locals might as well have called that time “the long-long ago” with the way they shrouded it in mystery. There were only scraps here and there talking about what happened in the sector from a historic perspective. Ethan filed her away in his category of “old people that should’ve been dead a long time ago” and moved on with his life.

“Sorry about what happened to your home.” Ethan thought for a moment. “I guess the same thing happened to mine.”

“In that, we are alike. I suppose we also have a love for coffee.”

“I kinda hate it, actually.” Ethan offered a pained smile, looking down at his coffee. “Well, I like it fine enough when it has a ton of sugar and cream in it.”

“The sugar and cream are what make it good.”

Beryl was good at talking to people. Ethan especially appreciated this fact when she steered the conversation away from her requests and the downfall of her people. Instead, she talked about the development of the academies, and how the trials had helped shape a few generations of adventurers. The scribe was most interested in where those adventurers had gone once they completed their training. Some went to the nearby sector, while others went far. The most interesting thing to him was how they didn’t always serve a combat role.

Since Ethan wasn’t planning to fight, he always related to them the most. When the conversation finally ended, the scribe left the cafe and headed out onto the streets. The classes he had taken for the semester were mostly behind him. He could look forward, leafing through the catalog of strange classes he could take the next semester and be content with the idea that he could attend all of them. But the one class that dangled before him was the Anomalous Materials Group and the task set before him.

Finding a lonely alleyway to himself, Ethan sighed as he focused on an idea. He reached out, grasping a door handle that should’ve been there. When he turned the knob, he revealed the sight of rolling green hills on the other side of an impossible door. Stepping inside, he felt the gentle breeze of another climate rush against his skin.

“Mostly safe,” the bracelet said. “Analyzing environment. Which direction did you focus on?”

“I focused on the idea of down and safety. But I have no idea where we are.”

“Perhaps it would be best to take the class taught by Trex next semester, before tackling this project.”

“Tell that to Armel.” Ethan grumbled to himself as he pulled the door closed behind himself. It vanished as soon as he heard the click. “I have a feeling Professor Trex will have a wealth of knowledge for us. But these first steps? We have to take them on our own.”

“This unit reluctantly agrees. But it also suggests you bring along the doll. For safety.”

His first steps into the strange Voidspace were tentative. Ethan wasn’t the kind of guy to jump into something like this without a wealth of knowledge. But he only had six months to get the job done. Even if the job came with no information and a relatively tight deadline, the scribe knew he could do it. Perhaps because there were only two people in the sector, including himself, who seemed to know how to navigate this place. Well, he would know how to move around.

It would just take practice.

Chapter 112

Trouble in Twilight

Arthur worked the wrinkles out of his robes before fussing with his hair until it looked decent enough. His countenance was looking fine today, and after setting a few stray hairs he was ready. The castle, which had been and would remain nameless so long as he was in charge, was silent. Walking from the inner walls to the bailey was a timeless ritual, and he had no plans to stop now. Once upon the battlements, he looked down to the long road loading elsewhere.

Then he waited. For hours.

Putting so much effort into one’s appearance might’ve seemed useless to most people. Especially considering how few visitors he got over the centuries. But when one stopped putting effort into the way they looked, they stopped putting effort into other parts of their life. And Arthur simply wouldn’t have it.

“Is that what I think it is?” Arthur’s eye had caught something in the distance. His enhanced vision saw the glint of something near the river. Which meant there was no time to waste.

Vaulting from the wall, Arthur moved with the speed of his kind. He didn’t so much run as he did glide over the landscape, ignoring obstacles and phasing through some. If not for the long-term effects of the Twilight, he might’ve even felt some bloodlust. But the only excitement racing through his veins today was the thrill of discovery; the idea that something new might’ve finally fallen into the spider’s web. A moment later, he stood atop the bridge, peering down into the endless river.

To Arthur’s great surprise, he saw the boat. The exact same boat he had seen several times before, passing over the River Between Worlds as though that was a normal thing single-masted ships did (it most certainly wasn’t.) As if today couldn’t get more exciting, there was a shadowy figure standing on the top deck. At least, he thought it was the top deck. His knowledge of boat parts was limited.

“Hello down there!” Arthur shouted, straining to get his voice to carry close to the river. It was always hard to get anything non-conceptual close to the river. But when the figure’s head swiveled, locking onto him with a strange feeling of power, he felt a flash of joy flutter through him. “Ahoy sailor! Tell me, what are you doing? And how?!”

Arthur squinted, focusing on enhancing his vision even more through a mixture of mana and Enchanted Blood. But no matter how far he “zoomed,” he still only saw the shadows. But the figure was moving, gesturing as though it was saying something. But no words carried from the River Between Worlds. Nothing carried from the place, so it was no surprise. And he wasn't naive enough to think that this encounter was any exception. If anything, he knew he needed to be happy to have seen the boat at all.

And then it faded, falling further into the distance until it vanished over the horizon. Arthur let out a labored sigh, cupping his chin as he leaned over the railing of the bridge. “Guess it wasn’t meant to be…”

“Feeling romantic?”

All feelings of joy flooded from Arthur’s body. Any sense of peace he had found during his “morning” routine vanished just like the boat. It was replaced by ice-cold fear, seizing his spine and forcing him to go as rigid as a board. Although he wanted to puke, he knew the craggy voice behind him couldn’t bring him harm. Not even the strongest could violate the rules of the Twilight. Let alone against its keeper.

“Disgusting.” Arthur pretended to heave over the railing. “If I had a coin for every failed Primal God in my domain…”

“Then your coffers would be as empty as your bedchambers.”

Arthur turned long enough to see the hooded man step forward. The shattered horns of a long-forgotten dronon protruded slightly, but the enchantment obscuring his face held firm. Gods liked to do this sometimes. The Twilight was neutral ground, always and forever, so they could pop in if they wanted.

“What do you want, Bael?”

“Oh, you’re using my new name? Thought you refused.”

“Only after you gave me the unwanted history lesson of the Earth demon.” Arthur grumbled inwardly. He knew the demon would taunt him, make fun of him, and perhaps call him a few nasty names… But he was company. And that was hard to find in the Twilight. “You know why I even bother talking to you.”

“A man who can’t accept the gift of unlife is no man to me.” The creature named Bael pushed up, looking over the railing and tutting. He stared for a bit too long.

“You’ll never get through.” Arthur was sure of that. There was one law that seemed unbreakable. Even the mighty Bael couldn’t do it. It had, in fact, shattered him.

“Tell me more about this mighty Primal God.”

“Where to start…”

This time, it was Bael’s turn to go rigid. A chime rang in the distance, joined with a few system messages that made Arthur smile. The demon might’ve been crapping himself, but it was hard not to feel excitement. Did he have enough coffee for everyone? Did people still enjoy eating preserved meat and cheese off a board? Arthur sure liked it, but it was hard to tell when someone was being polite and when they actually liked something.

“Well, well, well,” a smarmy voice came from a shrouded maeth man. His face was obscured by a swirling vortex that seemed to suck in the surrounding light.

Standing beside the first diminutive figure was a man Arthur knew all too well. He was a dronon, with swooping horns and sharp features. His glittering purple-pink skin caught what little light the Twilight provided. He was the more reasonable of the pair. The first one was moderately insane.

“Bael,” the Dreamwalker said, bowing his head slightly as he approached the bridge’s edge. “Been a while since we’ve seen you around.”

“Yeah, too long.” Void grumbled, crossing his arms. If Arthur wasn’t sure of the contrary, he’d say he heard the man yawn in boredom. The small man with the swirl for a face sucked in a deep breath. “Are you, the Primal God Bael, intended to cause any destruction, mayhem, or tomfoolery in our sector through either direct or indirect action?”

“No.” Bael’s response was curt, sounding as though he had barely parted his lips to utter the word. “The Twilight is neutral.”

“Duh. We have to ask.” Void seemed annoyed. But Arthur couldn’t remember a time when he wasn’t annoyed. “You have a history of flying too high, if you catch my meaning.”

“Arthur. How are you?” the Dreamwalker said, nodding.

“I’m well. Just wish people would visit more often is all.” Arthur let out a dramatic sigh. “I have all this delicious coffee, cheese, and cake with no one to share it with.”

The Dreamwalker let out a mirthless chuckle. “Come. Let’s have some food while I talk with Bael.”

Arthur simply couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He stammered for a moment, his mind unable to comprehend the idea that someone wanted to come to his castle for a light lunch. Before he knew it, he was sprinting back to get everything started. Tea, coffee, meats, cheeses, crackers, cakes, and so on. He made sure he had it all spread out on a table, even if his party had already arrived. Even if they had been sitting for twenty minutes before he was ready.

Arthur entered the dining room, finding all three of his guests standing. It looked like someone was about to get punched in the face, based on the way they were standing. But everyone calmed a bit once he entered. Perhaps they remembered that no one could be harmed while within the Twilight.

“Let me know if you need anything else.” Arthur placed his many dishes onto the table, scooting them back and forth until they were at an appropriate distance from each guest. “The cheese is aged.”

The Dreamwalker calmed in a flash, a smile spreading over his features as he sat. “Thanks so much, Arthur. Apologies for not visiting more often, but you know how it is.”

“You may be surprised to learn…” Void cleared his throat, also taking his seat. “That we’re not here for Bael. We have some questions for you, Arthur.”

“Oh, really?” Arthur scratched his head, all concepts of decorum vanishing. “Really?”

Bael sighed, falling into his seat and picking at the cheese platter. He popped a square of aged cheese, Arthur couldn’t remember what it was called, and nodded with approval. “This is pretty good,” he muttered, grabbing a handful and popping them in his mouth.

“We detected some breaches into the local Voidspace and wanted information on the individual.” The Dreamwalker had his arms crossed now. He wasn’t normally this stuffy.

“That… doesn’t violate the rules.” Arthur frowned at the thought, seeing as the Twilight was a free place for anyone. As long as they could reach the location, the system said it was fine.

“We never said it did. But we gotta chase everything down, y’know?” Void bristled.

“Try the coffee.” Arthur gestured to the spread on the table. He had cream and sugar. Along with a few more exotic additions they could try, like the nectar from a cactus flower that had some interesting side-effects.

“Just twist my arm, why don’t ya?” Void grumbled, but made himself a coffee. Arthur waited for the man to take a sip, which was fun to watch since the cup vanished behind the swirling vortex. “That’s actually really good. What, do you spend every waking moment perfecting your craft?”

“Look around.” Arthur couldn’t help but laugh. “All I have is time.”

The Dreamwalker cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the table. “Arthur. We’re certain he visited the Twilight. The problem is, the system refuses to give us any information about him. You understand how serious a breach like this is, right?”

Arthur felt as though the day was full of surprises. Three visitors, and fresh threats from one of the Guardians in the sector? That was far more excitement than he was used to enduring. He cracked his knuckles, popping a chunk of cheese in his mouth.

“If the system doesn’t want you to have the information, and you’re asking me to give this guy up in the only neutral place in the sector…” Arthur gestured to the large cutting board he had placed on the table. “I’ll kindly recommend you shove that entire board right up your butt.”

Bael laughed so hard he fell out of his chair.

“You don’t understand the gravity of the situation,” Void said.

“I understand plenty.” Arthur leaned back in his chair. He wasn’t fully bound to the Twilight. He could leave if he wanted. The bloodlust would come back, but he’d be alive. Any threat the Guardians could level at him was useless. Besides, how could one assail an unassailable place?

The Dreamwalker placed a hand on Void’s shoulder. “He’s right. If we can’t find one intruder, we’re not fit for the job. Thanks for your time, Arthur.”

Bael and Arthur watched as Void and the Dreamwalker went. The demon eventually shook his head.

“See? Remember who your real friends are. They’re the ones that come to eat your free food. Not the ones that drill you for information.”

Arthur smiled, sharp canines flashing in the pale light of the Twilight. People like the Dreamwalker were powerful. Their strength went above what the local system would allow, meaning he would’ve been ejected if he didn’t hold a Throne of Power… Well, that and an entire planet. But Arthur didn’t gain his strength from some system exploits and a fancy throne. He had gained his power the old fashioned way, and had voluntarily sealed himself away.

Ethan was nothing to Arthur. They had met once and that was it. But the man had been very kind to him. Compared to the way the local authorities had treated him, Arthur was prepared to show the sector why the people in a distant sector had once feared the long night. But that was something to worry about another time.

“You must try this cactus juice.” Arthur poured two cups of coffee, dribbling in the sap-like cactus extract to both. “It tastes somewhere between sweet cream, and hot peppers.”

Bael narrowed his eyes. “You’re lucky I’m in a good mood.” He accepted the cup and took a sip. The sour expression that spread across his face had Arthur rolling on the ground a moment later. “I should’ve waited for you to drink…”

“All in good fun!” Arthur shouted, getting back into his chair. He took a sip of his own cup, grimacing. “Ugh. Not worth the cost, I’m afraid… Anyway, why don’t you tell me more about your problem. The position of Primal God of Undeath is still yours, right?”

“Removing the previous owner wasn’t good enough. It changed… I don’t know how, but the Primal Concept of Undeath has changed.”

“Oh, nothing that can’t be fixed by putting our heads together! Let’s brainstorm.”