61 Plans in Motion

Ai, Amari, Azura, Kenji, Lia, and Ioune sat on floating disks in the center of Azura's tent. Ai had just finished explaining her experience with Ambrosia in the past, everyone was shocked to hear.

"Well, this makes things interesting." Azura said as she held her chin. "Time travel in any form is said to be impossible as the mana required for even the smallest time dilatation spell is far more substantial than even the greatest mages of this world pooled together. Are you sure you went back?"

Ai nodded, furrowing her brows. "I was hesitant to consider it at first, but it didn't feel like a dream, I felt conscious, The surroundings were far more detailed than any dream I have ever had. Most importantly, I could feel her presence. Before meeting her, I had a feeling in the back of my mind, like she was calling for me. I didn't notice it before but thinking back on it, I could hear her voice calling for quite a while, the same words chanted over and over again, 'Come to me and find me', like an echo that vibrated in the back of my mind."

Azura nodded her head as she thought. "Time magic is possible. I have something to show you all." Kenji spoke up as he de-equipped his armor and unbound his hakama, letting it fall down around his waist. What he wanted to show was very easy to spot, across his chest were three large sword slash marks that glowed like an aurora, shimmering over open wounds.

"My oracle put these wounds in stasis, but when I was summoned, these wounds appeared on me almost the moment I arrived. My oracle informed me that a time assassin attempted to kill me, these wounds are a result of time magic. Wounds caused by time magic don't heal, so without my oracle's intervention, I would have bled out." Kenji said as Lia had a sad expression.

Azura stood up and walked to Kenji, tracing a finger across one of the wounds, receiving a glare from Lia as she did, but Lia kept silent. "Powerful Abjuration magic and Time magic, this world of ours never cease to amaze me. Ai?"

She nodded as her eyes turned amber and glowed the familiar blue aura. "[Time Cutter] and [Stasis] modified with the [Focus] enhancement. [Time Cutter] is a spell imbued to a blade that cuts the target in the past, the assassin will eventually show up in front of the oracle, as the cuts need to occur at the exact location that the person has been. The mana cost is ridiculous, even our combined mana pool wouldn't be enough to cast the 10,000 Mana cost. [Stasis] is pretty ridiculous as well with a 4,000 Mana cost."

"So much for the uppers being the most powerful beings on the planet." Azura sighed as she sat back down on her disk and tapped on her chin. "Thank you, Ai, out of curiosity, how much mana do you possess?"

Ai realized that she hadn't checked her information in quite a while and snuck a quick peek.

[Name: Ai

Level: 14

Class: Cleric / Eldritch Mage / Creation Mage

Stats: HP: 532 / 532 | MP: 738 / 738

STR: 20 | DEX: 19 | CON: 19

INT: 26 | WIS: 18 | CHA: 15]

Grinning at the progress she had made, she decided to check Azura as well, she had no idea what her stats were.

[Name: Azura

Level: 25

Class: Frostfire Warlock

Stats: HP: 1200 / 1200 | MP: 2400 / 2400

STR: 9 | DEX: 15 | CON: 12

INT: 24 | WIS: 16 | CHA: 18]

Her eyes widened when she saw the difference of 11 levels, the next threshold multiplier would be from level 20 to level 21, the first being 0 to 1. "I'm at 738 mana, you're at 2,400 mana, if we could all combine mana, I could use that [Stasis] spell." Ai giggled with a slight level of creepiness.

Azura nodded. "Not bad, I take it you have a more powerful scanning spell or skill, normally, you can't scan someone ten or more levels ahead."

Ai nodded with a grin. "Yup! [True Analysis] sees all!" She beamed with pride.

Azura's eyes widened. "That's one of the lost skills, how did you get it!?"

"Ehehe, long story. Raincheck?"

Azura sighed and nodded. "Yeah, we need to get going soon, before that though, we have a few things we need to discuss. Amari and Kenji now have personal quests, we should split the party to accommodate. Amari?"

Amari stood up, grinning. "So it's like this, there is an Artifact weapon I wanna get my hands on in a dungeon close to the city, Hafnir's Rest. Frost Giants live there and they've got Gungnir. I want it!"

"And Kenji?"

Kenji nodded and placed a hand over the hilt of his new sword, Raijin. "Well, I think fate has something in store for me. Somewhere in the ocean, there is a ghost ship, the captain wields the Artifact Weapon, Fujin. In the world I come from, Fujin is the Japanese god of wind. Hoat'l managed to create an artifact weapon called Raijin, also known as the god of storms in my old world." He said as he patted his new katana.

Azura nodded her head. "Two parties, one by sea and one by dungeon. Considering that the enemy within the dungeon is a tribe of Frost Giants, my spells will be better suited for the sea. I assume Lia will want to join us, so that leaves Ai and Ioune with Amari. Any objections?"

Ai cleared her throat to get everyone's attention. "No objection, but If you three are taking to the ocean. We have a strong friend that should be willing to take you all. She might prove a valuable ally. When we get to Caladan Proper, check if there is a bounty on the ghost ship. If they do, we can send a message to my friend and see if she might be interested, you can offer her the bounty reward in exchange for transport and the sword."

"Are you talking about Cidney and the Leviathan?" Azura asked as Ai nodded. "That's a good idea, you took her ship down the river back here, right?" Ai again nodded. "Yeah, and the ship is fast. She can probably make it to the city in a few days. As long as you head out as soon as she arrives, you should be able to make it back just in time to make the final preparations."

"Indeed, I happen to know Cidney, I'll send a message now." Azura said as she summoned a small bird made of ice in her hand, she whispered to the bird as it spread its wings and took off, flying through the entrance to the tent.

[Messenger]

Ai nodded her head as her enhanced eyes turned back to normal. She was finally getting the hang of remembering to use her sight when someone had cast a spell and she smiled as she had another useful skill to add to her arsenal.

"Alright everyone, I'm going to take us to Caladan Proper. Please stand in a circle around... this." Azura said as she waved her hands, chanting ancient words as an obelisk of ice formed in the middle of the tent. Runic words appeared on the surface as the ice began to glow with a faint magical aura.

[Anchor]

The party stood around the obelisk as Azura held a palm towards the obelisk. "Here we go, I recommend closing your eyes as the teleportation can be quite... nauseating." Everyone except Ai and Amari complied. Ai because she wanted to learn this new spell, and Amari because she felt confident that she would be fine.

[Teleport: Caladan Proper]

Ai watched Azura as she cast the spell. The obelisk was immediately engulfed into a small black sphere that sucked everyone else in. Ai felt as though her body was being ripped apart. There was no pain, but the sensation was certainly uncomfortable and disorienting. Waves of void energy washed over what could be called the twisted forms of the party, these forms were like heavily distorted images of the rest of the group.

As quickly as it started, Ai found herself in front of a much larger obsidian obelisk. The world began to spin as nausea hit her. She managed to focus her mind and stop herself from vomiting.

*Blergh!*

But Amari wasn't so lucky, she tried to turn away but wasn't quick enough as she projectile vomited towards Kenji, who immediately blurred away a few feet to avoid the spray. Unfortunately, his skill with evasion caused the puke to land on Lia, who was standing just on the other side. She glared, not at Amari, but at Kenji, who automatically bowed his head in apology.

Lia cast a spell to clean her robes, then knocked Kenji over the head with her staff, causing Ai to giggle.

"I did warn you, Amari. I'm surprised you are fine, Ai, not everyone can handle the visuals of teleportation." Ai grinned at Azura's praise.

"Now then. Let's get settled in. We have a long few weeks ahead of us." Azura said as the party turned towards the gates of the massive city.