In the following several weeks, the rest of the team and I spend our time resting or preparing for the trip to the dwarven nation. Unlike the elves which have several separate nations spread across the outer reaches of the continent, the dwarves can all be found in one place under a single nation. Located directly next to The Divine Theocracy, built deep inside of the mountains and underground caverns is the hidden nation Meldesh: the Deep Empire. The only reason such a large nation can exist so close to humanity is because the country’s natural defenses coupled with the dwarven enchanting kept any invasion mounted in the last several thousand years from ever having any hope of breaking through.
We managed to secure an audience with the nation at the bare minimum, but that is still rather tentative at the moment. And after the Duskallen started to move, everything on the continent has become more chaotic. Riots are breaking out, people are rallying against their governments. People in the streets calling for Anti-System Rings to be freely available after being blocked by their leaders. Even some leaders are calling out that the coming war against the Demon Lord is a mistake.
While the chaos caused by my invasion was earth shattering, the actual number of innocent casualties was rather low and all the corrupt leaders that had been oppressing the common folk were now dead by the hands of their supposed enemy. Most of all, those who had not managed to get their hands on the Anti-System Rings are still getting their emotions amplified by The System’s dumb quest. A small side effect that I took advantage of considering that it was not a direct form of control which let me be the one to point their outrage in a preferred direction.
The people affected all have this anger inside of them and I am simply just giving it a little nudge towards their own leaders. I am not sure how The System will respond to this action, but I can only prepare for every outcome and hope for the best.
Currently, Alice and I are back in The Sea of Trees. Specifically, at the walking demon castle which I am still struggling to name something original. Too many lazy names come to mind, but I know if I did choose one of them I would get yelled at for copyright infringement if I ever came across another person from earth.
Standing beside one of the demons that I had acquire Space Magic, I look up at my giant spider legged castle in the middle of the pitch black forest. Towering buildings one after another line up with a single grand structure in the center. A dome of false sky projected across the platform and sealed within a protective bubble, the darkness of the third ring is pushed back. Each building is dozens of stories tall and made of smooth black stone carved with thousands of runes. Each structure a part of a whole to create magical effects beyond imagination, and all in perfect harmony.
In the center of the rather modern styled skyscrapers is a tower far taller than any of the others, one that just barely reaches the top of the dome protecting the city and peeks out into the void. As I walk through the streets I see elves, dwarves, humans, and even a few fairies all moving about their new daily lives. Former slaves who have been given a new home. They all bow at me as I walk through. I have not had a chance to visit since they were all moved here, but the demon escorting me and my rather ominous appearance - the one Prim and Alice designed - makes it clear who I am.
Many demons are also running around working on all kinds of new projects within my hard built ecosystem here. Most of the structures are new ones that I didn’t even have time to build myself, just provided the base golem cores for which were then implanted into the cores of each material when they were completed. Many of the new citizens of my city are not just living here, but helping out in the research and development for my plans. They know where they are and who saved them. A war with the humans is something they are all more than happy to assist with.
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Eventually, we make our way past the hustle and bustle to the central tower. My castle. Or personal skyscraper if you are being pointlessly specific. Only demons are allowed beyond this point due to the sensitivity of the things going on inside. Several demons stand guard at the entrance and quickly open the doors to let us through. The building is set up like a massive layered city all its own, with each floor dedicated to different things, and not every floor is of the same height. The bottom floor is already 50 meters tall with all kinds of weaponry on display and pointed directly at the entrance. Safety first!
Stepping through the black marbled halls we come to the central room and find a disc the size of a house carved with purple and white runes floating silently in preparation for us. One of several magical elevators that are essential for moving through this horribly tall structure.
Riding the floating platform we rocked upwards without feeling any acceleration at all, the rooms zipping past in an instant as we quickly reach the top of the tower. We arrive after almost no time at all to the floor filled with a special set of rooms I had constructed for today’s purpose. Each one has been built to house environments needed for Class 4 ascension. The same ascension that Alice and I are about to undergo. Shifting back to my natural state, not the human looks but my body just after I had ascended to Class 3, I give myself a once over as it has been some time since I took this appearance. My bone crown with its glowing blue crystal is on full display and my skin has taken its cracked clay like texture that feels soft to the touch. My eyes shift back to their blue crystal state and a gem appears in the center of my chest. My height decreases and my chest… Well, let's forget about that bit.
Alice had filled a sectioned off portion of my shadow space with her mana over the last few weeks so that I could prepare a life mana room for her aside my own. Entering Alice’s room I open up a hole to the space in my shadow and let the life mana flood outwards. A soft golden green illuminates my vision as the mana is so thick you can see it. The bare stone walls begin to glow as the runes push back against the power in an attempt to keep everything contained. It is crucial to not let a drop of mana escape for the best environment to ascend in.
I feel a prickle on my skin as the mana tries to seep into my body and heal me. Noticing this I quickly push back with my Qi and begin the process I devised a few weeks ago to anchor the mana to the room. In the center of the large empty space I push out more and more Qi to create a dead zone. Slowly, I carve out a rune specific to Alice, one that will attract the life mana and nothing more. Tendrils of Qi make their way across the room and into the walls as I ensure the rune is not just carved into space but will move along with the castle. The second I finish and pull the Qi back, the mana rushes in and spreads through the rune’s channels. The golden green glow is now pulsing softly like a beating heart.
“It is ready for you, I will go fill my room now. Good luck.” I hug Alice and leave the room through the makeshift manalock and head over to the room right next door.
One again in an empty room, identical to the one Alice is in. Well, identical aside from the far stronger and layered enchantments for keeping the powers contained. I am about to flood this room with a rather absurd amount of energy, so I had to be careful.
This time I spread out my shadow to cover the whole floor and let the swirling mass of energy fill the room in an instant. Black and white auras filled with malice and hope fight against each other for dominance. Reality and Qi struggle against the vortex of mana built from my two powers. The air is thick with so much energy that it is impossible to breathe.
Black smoke crackling with crimson lightning moves throughout the room as it clashes against the glowing white aura glistening with a pale blue web of light. I am nearly knocked off my feet when the forces collide again and again. I feel like I am in the center of the most violent tornado in existence!
Inside me they are in such perfect harmony, but now without my soul to balance them they appear to be a chaotic mess. Plopping myself down in the center of the storm, I start to meditate, not letting the forces push me around any longer. “Finally, I can get those wings I always wanted.” Mumbling to myself with a mixture of jealousy and excitement, I let the world around me fade. Time to see what Class 4 has in store for me.
