Chapter 136 - Small Demonstration, SC

There was little to say or do to help, even if Sunday wanted to do so. A lot of those present paid them significant attention, and quite a few glances lingered at Vesper. The presence of the vampire was probably an oddity at this time of day, especially in this situation. There were also bound to be those who remembered his presence on the walls.

Vesper didn’t seem bothered by it though. He hummed slowly as they passed corpses and destruction and made it under the tall walls of the Arcanum. It was then that a group of magi dressed in official robes surrounded them, with Adept Ironbond at the helm of it all, and Kloud looking stone-faced just as the first time Sunday had met him.

“What are you doing here?” the undead Adept asked.  

His tone left little room for wondering whether they were welcome or not. There was a surprising amount of hostility in it, which caught Sunday unprepared. He had assumed some would blame him, depending on how much they knew about his existence, but having Ironbond lead with that was oddly hurtful.

I guess I’ve burned, or am about to burn this bridge. It’s not like I meant for any of this to happen though.

“I’ve come to see if I can help and also talk. I wanted to see how you all are feeling and how we can support one another. I’m a decent healer.” Sunday said.

Adept Ironbond frowned. Those around him were not like the regular magi Sunday had seen in the day-to-day life in Blumwin. He remembered a few of them from the walls. The first line of defense against the hordes of ghouls. Combatants, perhaps? They too seemed angered by the offer.

Kloud avoided his gaze. The slightest shimmer of essence was spreading around them. Sunday didn’t so much as see it as he felt it. The tree in his soul space worked constantly to absorb the essence of the world and grow the little spark of divinity in its very core. As it was now, there was no use in attempting to achieve anything with it.

“That’s hard to believe, coming from the reason all this death happened,” one of the magi hissed.

Ouch. We are not pulling punches, are we? Do all of them know what I am… all of them? Was I the last to learn? An institution-wide conspiracy, huh? Fucking pricks.

Sunday let his shoulders drop a bit and ran a hand through his hair. “It’s not like I called the Divine or that weird mage here, man. I know just as much as you. Well, maybe a little more now but that’s why I want to speak with civility.” He kept his gaze locked on Adept Ironbond.

“So you have no relation to the imposter who killed one of the Adepts, took their place, and pretended to be one of us? You know nothing of the mage who stole from the library, exploited the cauldron, and made away with our strongest spells?!” a familiar voice joined in. “Do you understand the consequences of all that has transpired, little outsider?”

Trust did all of that? Of course, he did… fucking manipulative bastard. I should’ve known he was behind more than he let on. Fuck. Sunday turned around on his heel and met the icy stare of the old woman he had admired for a while before learning she was just another actor. All of that was meaningless now, wasn’t it?

“Adept Juvinde, it’s nice to see you’re doing well. And that’s what I’m saying, yes. I had no clue Trust had killed the third Adept and taken his place. This is news to me. All I know is most of what happened was his fault. And yours, for allowing the cauldron to function as it did and exploit living beings as some sort of cattle. And mine, for being forced into this position.”

That last part probably won’t help my case, but fuck them. What did that drunk young master say… find my pride?

“Insolent boy,” she said. Contrary to her tone a slight smile was playing on her lips. The strange contrast was worrying. “You know nothing of the world and lecture us? Should I presume that you’re here to let yourself be judged and give up the spell you stole, or do you have no humanity left since death has taken you?”

Sunday frowned. He could feel some more of the strange essence churning around the magi. Were they about to attack? No, this felt like some sort of a protective spell, but it was all so elusive and ethereal. He hadn’t expected such a reaction. It was not like he had done things on purpose, and they had tried to manipulate and use him more than anyone.

“My humanity is not for you to judge. And no, I won’t be giving up anything,” he said. “I’ve stolen nothing.”

“You’ve brought destruction to this city, to this branch, and you believe you have a choice? We’ve lost a Cauldron. A price must be paid! You might be a special existence, but you’re still a fledgling when it comes to spells.” She turned her gaze toward Vesper, “I can assure you that even a vampire of his caliber won’t stand against the combined might of a whole branch of the Arcanum. We’ve taken measures against his aura this time around, and spells… spells can find a way through anything! That’s why magi rule the world, and vampires hide in their districts and towns.”

Many eyed Vesper with wariness and open hostility, but he didn’t seem to mind at all. They should’ve seen what he was capable of… what gave them confidence, then? How could one prepare for something like that?

Sunday smiled instead and stepped forward. “I seem to remember it took a single wight to put you down last time…” I shouldn’t provoke them, but goddamn she’s annoying.

Adept Juvinde snorted while a few more magi seemed to join the group now fully surrounding them. This was turning into something quite troublesome.

“She’s not here,” she said. “And in due time someone will come to deal with her. Your actions have forced our hand. A representative of the Arcanum from the main branch will be arriving to clean this city of the corruption and dread you’ve sown, and neither you nor the rest of the thieves helping you will be able to stand tall and posturing.”

“I find it funny,” Vesper suddenly laughed, “When magi assume numbers give superiority. What, you’ve called for a rank five or six to come? A Named or a Master Mage? Here? Please, old lady. You and I both know that even if two cauldrons have blown up no one would care about this place with the state of the world as it is.”

“You know nothing, vampire. You might have reached the rank of Viscount, but that doesn’t—”

“Viscount? Me?”

Vesper suddenly stepped forward and the air shimmered as his aura overwhelmed the square. A shimmering veil appeared, like a blanket covering most of the gathered magi. It seemed to ripple and push against something, but Vesper remained unbothered. Even as spells started flashing on the fingers of the many magi around, the vampire didn’t react.

It took a single moment for the veil to shatter and for sparkling essence to rain down on the cobblestones like confetti. Tiny glittering grains, broken and disappearing back into the world.

Oh boy.

Whatever spell that had been, its purpose had been to suppress the vampire’s overwhelmingly dominant aura. And it had failed.

“This place is but a hole in the wall, pretty lady,” Vesper winked.

Pretty?!

The vampire was before the old mage, standing just an arm’s length away from her. The spells aimed at him had died down and all of those around were frozen in stupor. One of his nails rested beneath the mage’s chin.

Sunday felt the dominance of the aura but it skipped him, as if he was a cliff cutting apart the coming tidal wave. It made no headway for him, nor did it affect him in any way. The pressure was there. It was terrifying. However, he could simply ignore it.

“There’s no need for this,” Sunday said as he stepped forward after giving it some time. Most of the magi were pale and shaking, but whatever preparations they had done seemed to allow them to still function. It was impressive.

Vesper gave a slight smile, and then just as it had appeared the aura of the vampire sank back into him, making the air lighter.

“I know what you want, Adept Juvinde. I know what you both want, especially considering the losses you’ve sustained,” Sunday said. “I’m here to speak of mutual benefits and help. I don’t know enough of the world to be sure this will prove fruitful, but it’s the best I can offer. You and I both know what I am now, so might as well reveal all our cards.”

“And what, tell me, are you?” the old Adept smirked.

Is it my power you want to see? Not spells… Then, let’s see how I’ve grown.

Sunday returned to playful smile with one of his own and took a singular step forward. It was the first time reaching for his talents after the changes and the strange visit to the City of Legends. As easy as breathing his talent responded to his call, and the world became duller for it. The static that had buzzed against his psyche so many times before was now a pleasant song which filled him with energy and desire for mischief. There was still madness in it. Consuming, chaotic madness.

But it wasn’t so bad.

The dichotomy was strange, almost intoxicating. Few of the magi gasped as Sunday fell apart before their eyes and quite a bit of essence started churning. Spells lit up like one, but there was no target.

To Sunday the world was different for this brief yet impossibly long moment. He tried to linger in this strange state and felt himself unravel the longer he spent doing so. However, there was something that had been lacking before.

Control.

His talent, no matter how strange and cruel it had been, was finally his, even if there were more limits to overcome. He saw more of the world than he had hoped for. It was bending and three dimensions had become more… or less. He wasn’t sure how this world functioned or how he was making sense of it all. He saw the Wayward Rat—a clump of dots buzzing in an endless dance of existence. He saw Elora’s home, the lake, the vampire’s district, the alleyways and beggars where they had gone to heal. All the while the magi were around him, and Adept Juvinde was before him.

It was a map of grains that sprawled in impossible dimensions before him. And beyond it was more of the same, but Sunday wasn’t capable of seeing through that.

So beautiful… He sighed, and a billion little pieces of him sighed at once, and then reappeared with his hand on the old Adept’s shoulder. Her eyes shot up in surprise but her essence died down as soon as it had started fueling her spells. Sunday’s palm grabbed just next to her ear, as if about to pull a coin from thin air.

Instead, he disrupted the channeled essence. The slightest amount left the Adept and entered Sunday and he grinned.

One step to go anywhere and the ability to take all I want… I’ve been such a fool.

“What did you just do?!” Adept Juvinde gasped.

“I’m learning,” Sunday replied. “I’m trying to, at least. It took me a while and all of you trying to get the jump on me, but I’ll get there. The question is whether you will be with me or you will try to take on the coming storm by yourself.”

The Adept smiled wide and then nodded. “Such powerful talents… and this is just the beginning, isn’t it? Good. You’re not as stupid as I thought you were. This may yet be salvaged.”

“It might indeed… Now, shall we see if I can help anyone?”