[Hlaeth] Ch 22 - The Road to the Eternal

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            “I see. Recalling those great masters of song in the past, they did have a more… eclectic understanding of magic than is typical of a normal elven lyrist,” Silver Styllaris remarked, considering that.

            “A mono-Classing specialist will game the magic by accessing the ability to take Druidic magic as Minstrel spells, and expand their repertoire that way. It is considerably less versatile than being a true Bard, but it will suffice to gain the full Sublime Chord with time and persistence,” I admitted. “Did any of those masters manage to break Twenty and walk the Eternal?”

            The Wyrms all looked at one another, then shook their heads. “I do not believe so, it has been an area limited to the elven High Mages,” Silver Styllaris replied. “Perhaps taking your shortcut also cuts short their ultimate path?”

            “That is likely. One does not reach the Eternal on one’s own by not building a true foundation. Why would Creation acknowledge someone not willing to put in the work to be recognized?” I asked rhetorically. “Even dragons find it difficult to step past the limits Creation has placed upon them. Mortals trying to gaff it get what they deserve.”

            “Do you wield all the True Songs, Master Aelryinth?” Copper Rimbiter asked with great interest.

            “I do not know, Elder. There are likely True Songs I am completely unaware of,” I admitted frankly. “I can wield all the Sublime Songs that I know of that are available to mortals. I dare not say that there are not more Sublime Songs that I have no knowledge of and thus cannot use.” I flicked up a hand, and the Holo glittered in front of us, laying out the Songs I knew of in Draconic, everyone instantly focusing on them eagerly. “I know but ten, as you can see.”

            Brass Laufengel was the one to pipe up, “I know of four others, Master Aelryinth.”

            “If I may inquire as to their names and effects, and which side they are on?” I asked him. The Sublime Songs were divided into the Sublime and the Elemental Songs, and had different effects thereby.

            “I believe they are the March of the Wood and the Rhythm of Night and Day, and the Whispers of Dream and the Endless Beat of Time,” the Brass Wyrm recalled, and I added them to the list gratefully, the draconic terms for them also conveying the effects.

            The March would Animate Plants in the area, and could be ended for a Verdant Tsunami. The Rhythm granted Resistance to Negative Energy, and could be ended for a Sunburst. The Whispers could evoke an ongoing illusion of great strength, or wide-area Invisibility, or be ended to absolutely terminate all illusions in the area of effect. The Beat evoked the power of time, and so drove a Battletide, a combined Haste/Slow, in the area of effect, an extremely powerful magic… and could be dismissed for a Time Stop, of all things!

            “Thank you, Elder. I will make efforts into discerning them in the future.” As in, using Raised Paragon Surges to shortcut the research process significantly, as long as I had the requisites. You can’t Surge for something you don’t know to ask for… “The Rhythm indicates use and defiance of negative energy. I posit there is a Sublime Song that is its reverse, resisting positive energy and likely dismissed for a massive Fear effect, likely not something used by living Singers. Likewise, the Songs seem to generally follow the classic major spell schools and Domains, and I see no Divination effects among any of the Songs.”

            The Wyrms all exclaimed at that observation, seeing the logic of it. “It is probable there is a negative energy Song that is used to attack, the exact opposite of the Lyrics of Life,” Elder Coronus theorized. “While a Fear effect is also possible, one can argue that fall under Enchantment as much as Necromancy, and the Doldrums of Death would certainly be equal and opposite to the existing Song, yes?”

            I had to agree that made more sense on the face of things. “Then there should be an opposite to the Rhythm, perhaps Positive Resistance terminating in a Refrain for a Wail of the Banshee?” I theorized as well, shaking my head. “We shall have to see...”

            “I would think that a Fear effect might well be more suitable for a True Song that focused on dragons,” Bronze Clangrill spoke up gruffly. “Although I am not sure if it be Verse or Refrain…”

            “Any Sublime Song dealing with Dragons would be extremely complex due to interacting with the Draconic language, Elder. The Elemental Songs are as much plays on Draconic Words of <Fire> and <Lightning> and so on as they are of anything, as I’m sure you are aware.”

            “That is true,” he agreed, contemplating the matter. “But there is no such Song that deals with a dragon’s Aura of Dragonfear… nor, come to think of it, the magical flight that you so recently proved,” he pointed out thoughtfully.

            “You are advocating for a Score of Dragons, perhaps to give a large number of beings the ability to fly, and then terminating in a blast of Fear to stun the enemy as they swoop in?” I asked archly.

            The old warrior of a dragon smiled broadly at the thought. “That sounds like an eminently suitable Song, if such a thing can be devised!” he agreed quickly.

            “It would be a play on <Flight> and <Dragonfear>. I am not an enlightened composer, but that sounds eminently doable. I will be certain to pass it on to the Chordists who follow me, and if they work out how to accomplish such a thing, I will be certain to come back and show it to you all, Elders.”

            They hummed together in unexpected harmony, displaying their satisfaction with the idea and the promise.

            “Is Master Aelryinth familiar with True Spellsongs?” the princess asked into the following silence, enough sincere curiosity in her voice to alleviate any sense of trying to find a weakness in my repertoire.

            “I believe you are referring to what we call the Heartsong Performances, Your Highness. Specific musical scores that lie outside the spellcasting of the Heartsong Classes?” I inquired, although the Elven language made it plain that was what she meant. “I am not a master of any of them, although if given Staff Notation or temporary Inspiration, I can perform them. I have a folio with a couple dozen Performances written down around somewhere.” I absently flicked up a list of the Performances and approximately what they did, halting so they could all peer at the list of names and effects with more eager curiosity. “This is a much broader area of endeavor for Master Bards and Maestros. Many Bards and Minstrels have their own Minor Performances blending true Heartsong and magic, but a Major Performance is considered the hallmark of a true Maestro and Lyric Theurge.” I flicked up a list of Minor Performances I knew of, which went into the dozens in length, frankly startling even the Princess with the amount of musical inspiration there.

            “Your people have a great proclivity towards music, Master Aelryinth?” Silver Styllaris asked in admiration.

            “We have been at war for the world for ten years, seen the fall of our whole civilization, the rise of magic, the coming of gods, invasions from other worlds, magical plagues, billions of undead… One might say, Elder, that inspiration for music is not hard to come by on my homeworld. Add on to that a Heartsinger’s desire to be remembered forever through their art, and Minor Performances accumulate.”

            “You… do not seem to have a Performance there of your own, then?” Gold Urblingfoa pointed out, sounding rather surprised.

            “No. I am an an Arcanist first and foremost. Heartsinging is a supplement to what I do, not the core of it. In musical terms, I would be called a technical specialist of surpassing skill, not a true artiste. I can master what has come before and understand it with great ease and speed, but I am no more a font of inspiration for musical creativity than I am for wildly spontaneous insight into magic out of nowhere.

            “What I am known for mostly is my Theurgy of the Choir. There are not many Heartsingers who also take up service to the Divine, given the nature of who they are, so my dovetailing of the paths to Celestial standards stands out among them. In effect, I re-interpret their Songs in accord with the Words of Creation I know, a direction few of them strive in.

            “Back home, the Words I know are called ‘The Words of Steel’. If my name is not attached to them as the composer, that is fine. Heaven is a far greater and grander composer than I will ever be.”

            “I would love to hear the True Notes enhanced by Words of Creation!” Princess Amethyst exclaimed instantly, excitement plain on her face.

            “You are probably not prepared to handle Truth so plainly, Your Highness.”

            Her step actually faltered and broke at just the slightest touch of the Word, a spasm crossing flawless features as, just for an instant, she felt an illumination sweep across her heart and mind and spirit… and dance jarringly along a thousand flaws she had never felt or imagined she possessed!

            Elder Coronus was smoothly there to give her support as she staggered at the revelation. Behind the Wyrms, Tellusian and Fyanyl gave similar support to the members of her coterie, who were also half-falling down at the shadow of the Word.

            “I, I…” she trailed off, unable to verbalize what she was feeling.

            “To know such a Word is to be unable to lie convincingly, especially to yourself. To hear it is to have a Light shone upon you that many are simply unprepared to deal with. To hear it Sung… without something to focus on other than yourself, such as a battle with lives on the line, well, the Light pierces very deeply, indeed.

            “When you dance on the edge of life and death, or you soulsearch with regularity among the words and knowledge of your ancestors, it is not so far away that you cannot face it. You are not in such a position to face the true essence of veracity easily, Your Highness.”

            I didn’t have to look at her to watch her swallow, as it finally came through to her that not only was I looking down at her, but that she deserved to be looked down on, as she wasn’t really anything special or outstanding under the Truth of that Word!

            Her instinctively rising defensive anger quailed and fell away as she also abruptly realized she hadn’t really heard the Word. She’d just heard the edge of it, like someone talking about it, not the thing itself. If just the shadow of it was so devastating, how much worse would it be to hear the real thing?

            How much worse would it be to KNOW such a thing, and be subjected to it all the time? Her heart shook at having to face such absolute knowledge and conviction, and she couldn’t muster the power to challenge me in the face of it.

            “What, what other Words?...” she asked in a very soft voice, fearing what she might hear.

            Good instincts, at least. She had still asked.

            “Hope and Valor,” I answered quietly, and all the elves shuddered and straightened up, eyes going wide as all the possibilities of a better time and the resolve to defy anything that would stop them from reaching them brushed past them. Suddenly the Truth staring them in the face didn’t seem so overwhelming...

            As she parted her lips, I went on, “Asking for the two without the one leads to delusion.”

            Fine lips slammed shut as she looked at me, then away.

            After all, it was Truth...

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