Transcendence?

by Andur

Somehow I wish that there would be some other immortals. It's boring to deal just with those useless short lived people. The guys from the Nation of Mist are a little amusing but they aren't aware of the true reality of this world.

  If they would remember their previous lives at least. I sigh. I was cursed with wandering eternity until I was blessed with this body.

  My attempts to create the ultimate and everlasting peace failed on several different worlds until I arrived here.

  Either I failed in establishing a lasting peaceful society once I had conquered the world, or I always died before I could conquer it completely.

  A single lifetime simply isn't enough for a goal like that. But my declared goal is to create the perfect society. Everlasting peace all over the whole planet!

  I am simply sick of being reincarnated into one warring world after the other. Therefore I will create my own world of eternal peace. If the universe won't give me what I wish for I will create it on my own.

  It took me quite some time to forge a society which will always strive for the ultimate and everlasting peace. The Phenex Empire will make my dream come true.

  Unfortunately it's impossible to achieve peace without beating the lesser individuals into submission. The elements of a society which yearn for chaos and freedom have to be suppressed.

  If I learned one thing during my existence, it's that freedom means war. If everyone is allowed to do what he wants it leads to anarchy. On the other hand too much oppression also sparks war.

  It's my goal to find that delicate path between freedom and oppression. And then I have to find a way to have it last forever.

  But first I need to get control of this world. There are no other forms of society allowed. Or otherwise people would always wonder if there was a different path.

  “We captured the Gate my Empress.” Another one of my military officers bows to me.

  “Good. See to it that we can make good use of it.” I smile at the good news. Capturing one of the Gates was another of our primary goals.

  I didn't have them on my continent. They are valuable military assets and having one of the enemy Gates is a huge bonus for me. Through the Gates I have access to every important city on the continent.

  Maybe I am lucky and they are even connected to the Nation of Mist? Those accursed imitations of elves have hindered my plans for long enough.

  It was a pleasure to crush their fleet in the Ocean of God. They are quite crafty when it comes to magic. I didn't expect them to have such tricky spells, because the Academy is thankfully prohibiting the level of technology in this world.

  Although we crushed their fleet I still lost about forty ships. It's slowing my advance a little, but if I take some action by myself it should be fine. Though their spells suggested that they have at least some scientific knowledge. Hmmm. Is there another power on the playing field?

  Or have they invented those spells by accident? Many great inventions are the product of an accident. But why should someone play with creating bubbles under a ship?

  Were they playing around? I can't think of any reason for such an experiment.

  Well. It should be solved soon enough. If they suddenly turn up with another new spell I think it's safe to say that another power is at work. If nothing happens it must have been a fluke.

  But what would it imply if there is another power? The Academy? No. They are restricting knowledge. On the other hand their most trusted Inquisitors could be well educated.

  Another immortal like me? That would be huge news. If I could get him on my side I would have something to fight my boredom.

  In any case. The situation at the Academy will decide my next move. I will have to wait for my spies. They should start to arrive through the Gate very soon.

  I didn't dare to sent many spies to Mislow. If they had been caught too early it could have created a disaster.

  Most of my spies are operating in the Academy, Norfolk and Jamaian, where they organized themselves in cells.

  “~Get my spy-master. I want to hear her report.~”

  One of my officers nods and walks off. Two minutes later my spy-master Tjena arrives. She is one of the persons I trust the most. Normally she has a very confident expression while facing me. But this time she looks agitated.

  “My Empress. I wasn't able to talk to everyone yet. If possible I would like to wait a little longer until I can be sure of my information.” She bows to me.

  I arch an eyebrow. “Speak of everything you learned until now. I won't hold you responsible for being the messenger of bad news.”

  “It looks like our spy network was uncovered a few weeks ago. The major powers started big searching operations and caught quite a few of our operatives. We get only spare reports from the Academy and even fewer reports from Mislow.

  Which had to be expected because Mislow is at war and we hadn't that many spies there to begin with. But we got almost no reports from Norfolk. And according to our few survivors Norfolk was the first nation which started to search for spies on a great scale.” Tjena bows slightly.

  “I thought Norfolk has almost no military? And they don't have mind magicians!” This is a little confusing to say the least!

  “Norfolk has a very simple society with small villages. Even in the major cities you are bound to arouse attention as a foreigner. Their common ranks have a tight tradition and a wrong word can give you away. It looks like they found one of our spies by accident and got enough vital information from him to justify something which can be called a witch-hunt.

  Without a doubt they caught and interrogated many innocents too. But as a result the North is close to a blank page to us.” Tjena doesn't look happy at all.

  I tilt my head in thought. “That's a very thin explanation. How can you justify a spy-hunt on such a scale just because of a single caught spy. He would have had to blurt out the scale of our operation and be believed. That's simply unreasonable.” I shake my head. Are the people of Norfolk maniacs?

  “It's possible that he was picked apart by a mind magician.” Tjena bows to me. “There is the house of Asceron in Norfolk. It was established by Ascathon Asceron who apostatized himself from the Kingdom of Mislow and joined Norfolk as a free noble. He managed this by graduating the Academy with almost perfect scores and was granted a wish.”

  “~Hoooh? Almost perfect scores? And no loyalty towards his birthplace? That must be a very strong and independent individual.~”

  29 - From day to day.

  Norfolk, Sarn-Valley

  “Please!”

  “No!”

  “Just one bite!”

  “You will get fat!”

  “I will train my body!”

  “You are consuming chocolate, like other people would eat bread! That's not healthy!”

  “But I can't help myself.”

  “It's unhealthy! And let go of my hips. Hugging me like that while kneeling is cheating!”

  “Please.”

  Celestial has to be swayed to make chocolate for me! I can't go without it any longer! We are in the kitchen and she is cooking while dragging me around. I am hugging her around the waist in a vain attempt to persuade her.

  Idala is sitting at the dining table while reading a book.

  Celestial has me on a one week long withdrawal by now. “One week without chocolate! It's cruel!”

  “You got an entire bowl for the whole month and you consumed it in ten days! Do you have the slightest idea of what will happen to your body, if you keep eating chocolate in this manner.” She walks over to the fridge, while dragging me along.

  I know exactly what will happen if I keep this up.

  “I will reincarnate?”

  *Smack!*

  Ow! She gave me a clout. That's going to become a bump!

  “I saw to the proper implementation of these *greenhouses* with Stefan!” Arduin enters the room and stops while watching us.

  Then he turns towards Idala, who shrugs her shoulders. “Don't look at me. They've b
een like that for half an hour by now.”

  Arduin shakes his head and takes a seat beside his wife. Both of them started to help with governing my principality. At least they are trying to help in exchange for free lodging and food.

  In essence it's a perfect arrangement for me. I keep playing with my toys to ensure a steady stream of new devices, which are beneficial to our infrastructure. Fortunately this world has magic, so I am able to create most devices by using short-cuts. In a purely technological realm it would require a profound industrial base and resources for something like a properly working engine.

  I can avoid many of the problems which would occur in a world without mana.

  It's also helpful that my rule is absolute. If someone from the higher class gives an order to the commoners, they will adhere to it without questions.

  “A dictatorship is convenient when it comes to the implementation of a new order.” I talk to myself while thinking over all the new things, which were accomplished in Sarn.

  The Jarl was on fire for my proposal to create a research- and development-centre for warfare in Sarn. Of course everything is completely walled in and top secret. The topography of my principality is another positive factor and helped my proposal.

  Naturally he had a valid reason for giving me this much freedom. The Jamaian Union fell practically over night into complete disarray when the Phenex Empire invaded.

  It's another benefit that he keeps feeding me with the latest news of the world.

  It was completely unexpected, even to me. I had thought that we would have a few more years at least. But it looks like the rumoured Immortal Empress took action herself.

  Norfolk and the Academy tried everything to get a hold on the spies. Mislow started a search too, but they continued to fight Jamaian when they found just a handful of agents. The Jamaian Union didn't heed our warnings at all and kept their offensive stance towards Mislow.

  The division of the main continent is proving to be its downfall. I don't see how they can mount a proper defence if they don't start working together immediately.

  It's like a twist of fate for Jamaian to be the first target of the invasion. When they heard of the huge fleet which took their most important harbour cities, they turned and marched with all their forces to their capital.

  Well. If you think about it, choosing the Jamaian Union as the first target was obvious. Much land, many people and slaves to free. Of course they will praise you as the messiah who brought their freedom.

  The best way to start a great scale invasion is to have the support of a sizeable amount of the population.

  The invasion practically ended the war between Mislow and the Jamaian Union. It remains to be seen if the Jamaian Union is able to fend off the attack.

  Mislow on the other hand is busy with fortifying its borders and walling itself in. They have no reason to help their enemies. Norfolk is too far away to send help. Even if the Jarl wanted to help, he wouldn't be able to.

  The few troops he has would have to march through Mislow, or through the desert which is controlled by the academy. Mislow wouldn't allow it and the desert isn't easy to pass with a big army.

  The Academy will surely send a few of its mages and assist with magical knowledge. But I doubt that it will be enough. There are reports that the naval fleet of the Phenex Empire already set its sails to destroy important cities along the coast line.

  Because nobody ever thought about challenging the Nation of Mist on the sea, there is next to nothing which can oppose the Phenex-fleet.

  I suppose that the Phenex Empire has a few more transports with new troops on their way too. Their first wave was just enough to conquer some important ports.

  Or maybe they were weakened? Who says that they didn't clash with the Nation of Mist? Then the Nation of Mist must have gotten a bloody nose.

  Haaah. If my theory is true, then the stupid Sky-General will grant me a visit soon enough....

  “Ascathon, it's getting creepy. Let go and let's eat.”

  I return to reality and take a look at the food on the dining table. Haaa. Probably Celestial won't give in, so I let go of her and crawl to my seat.

  At least it's one of her best dishes. Rice with spiced meat and salad. The taste of the spiced meat is well rounded and perfectly to my liking.

  When I am done with half of my plate, I realize that we have two missing persons. “Where are Liandra and Violetta?”

  “Grounded in their rooms.” Celestial stabs her meat like killing it a second time.

  “For?” What have they done now? It's becoming worse and worse with them since they tried to trip Sarah.

  “They trapped Stefan inside a self repeating illusion of a corridor! The poor guy ran in circles through the mansion for half the night!” Idala grumbles while giving me an update.

  Arduin is surprised. “They are able to pull off a high level spell like that? That's incredible at their age! Even if they worked together!”

  “That's not the right reaction! The illusion-loop is a military spell for a good reason! I wonder who taught them something that dangerous.” Idala squints her eyes while looking at Arduin.

  “No. I am innocent! I used most of my time to help with the principality! When could I have taught them?” Arduin shakes his head.

  I stop chewing when all eyes wander to me. *Gulp* “Why aren't you looking at Celestial?”

  “~Inner mana manipulation honey. How could I teach something which I can't do myself? And I am too responsible to do something like that.~”

  This is way too convenient for her.

  “Don't roll your eyes like that! You taught them! How can you teach something like that to children.” Idala snaps.

  “Okay. Okay. I admit. I may have taught them a few spells for self-defence.”

  “A.... FEW!?” Idala is shocked.

  “~Which!?~”

  Why has Celestial such a dangerous aura all of a sudden? “Liandra is quite good with illusion-loops, so it was probably her. Both of them have average skill with the slicing-cyclone-spell and Violetta is actually quite good at creating illusions of herself. Then I taught them a few tricks to bypass the mental defence of someone and a little telekinesis to pop something important in an enemy's head.”

  Hmmm. What else? “Oh. Yesterday we started to train techniques for absorbing mana from our surroundings and other people. It's never bad if you have possibilities to refill your mana as needed, or to steal your enemy's mana.”

  “If their progress is good, I thought about teaching them Inferno. It's never bad to have a last resort spell to annihilate everything around you.” Hah! See? I am a wonderful teacher! Of course my students are smart too, but it's actually hard to teach stuff like this during my free hours.

  “Hoho? Maybe I will join in on those inferno lessons!” Arduin looks expectant.

  “If you teach any more dangerous spells to them I will personally ~re-educate~ you.” Idala looks fearsome now.

  “Try it! I will teach the kids proper self-defence. It's my estate and my house ...”

  Celestial grabs my hand from the side and I face her.

  “~Honey?~ You realize that Liandra is thirteen and Violetta nine?” Celestial looks very calm and radiates a calm aura.

  Suddenly her grip on my hand becomes tighter and tighter. “So..... would you please consider their age? See to their proper moral education before teaching them something to eradicate whole cities! ~If you do your work properly, I may find some chocolate which is hidden away.~”

  Hmmm. Teaching morals isn't as much fun as making things explode or twisting someone's mind. But if I get paid with chocolate.... “They will have a higher moral standard than me.”

  At that moment the kitchen is entered by Sarah with a certain person in tow. Sarah bows to us and introduces our guest. “Excuse me. But the ~Great-Sky-General-of-the-Nation-of-Mist~ didn't want to wait and wished to talk to the ~weapons-trader~ immediately!”

  Fingulf leans around the corner and peek
s into the kitchen. “There you are! We need to talk!”

  …..

  ….

  …

  An hour later I am informed of the crushing defeat and the regular clashes between the Nation of Mist and the Phenex Empire.

  “I hope that you realize that -white flashes- doesn't exactly help in creating a defence. White flashes can have many causes.” I shake my head. Fingulf obviously expects me to restore their naval power over night.

  “We'll pay every price, if we can keep the Phenex-fleet away from our islands!” Fingulf looks a little desperate. “You want another three thousand platinum coins? We'll pay! Just name the price!”

  Idala and Arduin gasp when they hear about such a sum being offered casually.

  “Currently it looks like only the Immortal Empress is able to cast this spell. We can hold our ground with the ships we have left. But if she decides to take personal action another time.....” Fingulf has a grim expression.

  I scratch my cheek while thinking about the situation. “You already have very good barrier-spells on your ships. So whatever that -white flash- is, it overwhelmed those barriers. Either by bypassing or simply overpowering them.”

  “Without knowing anything about the spell, it would be foolish to give you something that adds to your defence. In the worst case your enhanced defence would be overpowered too. Wait here.” I stand up and walk into my basement to get five of my vision-globes.

  They are earlier versions of the one which is able to spy anywhere. To make it short.... it would be appropriate to call them magnifying glasses. You can't look through walls and don't hear any sound through them.

  But they should be perfect to aim spells at larger distances on sea. The Nation of Mist would be able to pick off enemy ships as soon as they appear on the horizon. I place all globes in a box and add a basic manual on how to create them.

  Then I walk back to my kitchen and find Fingulf at the dinner table. He has a blue eye and Idala is tending to it with healing magic. Celestial and Arduin are gone.

  “What happened?”

  “I asked the demon why she became so fat.” Fingulf states this as a matter of fact. Then he looks towards me. “My condolences.”