Nigkala Tales Pt. 29: Dragon Quest

"Interesting."

"I chose a dark picture, so that in a dark room the viewed image will be readily seen, but in a bright room, it won't be seen as well."

"What of the other aspects. They don't seem to be strong magic, yet I don't recognize it either."

"This will use existing links to assist the clairvoyant link. For example, I used my link to the lake to view it. I think I could use my tattoo to make a link to you, as it does connect us. By piggybacking on an existing link, it can more easily locate something or someone. It might even bypass protections, but I haven't tried that yet."

"That is rather sophisticated for an inexperienced mage."

"As I said, it took two years."

"You don't understand. This kind of thing would normally take at least a decade to create."

"Really? Do you think my library helped shave a lot of time off?"

"It definitely helps, but not that much. Your mental clarity helps a bit as well, but it still does not explain your genius."

"Well, you'll just have to come visit, so you can read my journal, for the insights I learned doing all of this."

"I shall at that. Enough of this small talk. What is the story of the new tattoo?"

It took over an hour detailing what happened, and the steps I took to understand her. I then finished, by saying, "You are the only one I know who might tell me more, and whom I would trust to help me understand and use it."

Hugeng looked surprised. "I am quite honored."

"It's not like I have a lot of choice."

"I know, but it is the trust, not the choice, that is the honor. Earlier, you said you trust me. I thought that was merely friendship, but what you just said shows it goes far deeper. This problem you bring is a worthy one. It also sounds fun. But it needs a lot of research, so why don't you go back to the room you used before. It is actually one of the rooms for larger guests, so your size works well there. Oh, that reminds me, you did some sort of magic as we walked up to you. What was that about?"

"When I saw someone official looking, I thought it best if I looked more formal. So I made some clothes, and sent what I was wearing into the bag."

"You made those clothes? They are fabric, not metal."

"Yeah. That is thanks to the magic I learned from Aja. I can now magically create things based on the life of a forest. With my practice with Everest's power, I quickly learned to control Aja's magic in creating stuff. I had to enter the dreamworld to achieve that, but I had already learned much before I went in."

"That sounds like another story."

"Several actually, but I'm sure we'll have time."

"That we shall. Well, I have some things to set up, so we can have a bit of time to explore this tattoo. I will see you in the morning."

"Thank you." He left, and I went to unpack.

Over the next two weeks, Hugeng went through many spells, and worked through several tomes he had before he gave up trying to understand the Isis tattoo. I had asked him to tell me what he was doing with each spell, as I wanted to study it from the other side. In the afternoon, I swam for an hour or two, then meditated while sitting on the surface of the lake. Part of my meditation was to visualize the spells to see what they did, and to then visualize the tattoo to understand how it interacted. When there was some interaction, I imagined a variation on the spell that focused things differently. If this variation seemed to elicit more info, I would suggest it to Hugeng. Another imagining I did was what the tattoo would let me do. For this, I imagined the tattoo letting me do something, and seeing if that seemed to match what it could do.

This is where my cosplay helped. Not from dressing up, but from the people I spoke with. The science fiction and fantasy crowds had lots of ideas for powers and abilities. Trying to test every single one was hard, but I got a few unexpected things that seemed to pop up. There were some things that seemed to be associated with water, and given what she said while in my body, I imagined it would concern the Nile. Telekinesis seemed to have a large variety of uses, so I expected it would be more than just pushing someone away. Levitation seemed to be linked to something else, but I wasn't able to figure it out. There were hints that telepathy was empowered, as well as protections.

"Well, Hugeng, I think we have learned all we can without activating it."

"I agree. Unfortunately, I've already taught you all I can about mental powers. You need an expert, and that means we need to go to the outer palace. Likewise, such experts can be quite forceful in their curiosity. You will have to be on your guard against their prying. It is less about keeping secrets than about making them work to get them. If you are willing, we can go tomorrow."

"Then let's go. Will we stay long, or just visit briefly?"

"If someone agrees to help you, you might be there for a few weeks."

"Then I'll pack some extra outfits. What's in fashion these days?"

After he described some things, I created an illusion to see if what I had in mind would be acceptable. Once he gave his approval, I sent my current clothes to the bed, and created new ones on myself. I accented it with shoes, jewelry, and such. I didn't copy it, but rather used it as an inspiration. After four such outfits were ready, I put my original outfit back on. All the outfits had a matching pair of daggers.

"There, four outfits all ready for our trip. How best to carry the extra? Or should we not worry about that and just operate out of your place there?"

"I think a silk duffle bag would be appropriate."

I gave it some thought, then used Aja's magic again to make it. "Ta da. Do you want anything?"

"No. But have a care not to show off your magic there. There are many eyes about, that wish to learn everything."

"I shall heed your advice."

"We'll leave in the morning."

I woke early, so I could get a quick swim in. Breakfast was simple, and then we went to the gate. In the blink of an eye, we were at the imperial city. Except, I sensed passing through something. Our first stop was his apartment. There, I unpacked, while Hugeng waited for me. We then went elsewhere in the city, where I began to notice signs of open-magic places. Some were curio shops, others service shops. We went into a large building that declared itself to be an academy of some sort.

Hugeng said to the one who was at the counter, "Is Master Chang available?"

"He is quite busy. Come back tomorrow."

"I have a rather unique find, and I would like his opinion of it."

"Many seek his appraisal for trinkets. Try next week."

This seemed odd to me, so I opened my mind to see if I could gain a sense of what this clerk was doing. Not intruding, but rather open for leaking thoughts.

"I do not come by idly. I am a Taoist master, and I find it unique."

"The Tao is not the same as magic. Go away."

His mind revealed he was having fun at our expense. I could see Hugeng seem to get annoyed, so I said sotto voice, and in the high court tongue, "It seems they have employed a street cleaner to greet honored guests." I also used a little mental influence to be sure he heard it clearly, but barely. I hit my mark.

"Lady, I am no street sweeper. You insult me."

"Perhaps not. As I said that to my companion very quietly, it is clear you are at least an eavesdropper, and not a helper." Looking at Hugeng, I said, "This... person... is not interested in helping us, my lord. Let's not waste any more time here." I then whammied the clerk, and said to him, "Sit down and shut up until you wish to be helpful." Privately, I told Hugeng what he was doing, and asked him to go forth.

Privately, Hugeng indicated I was courting trouble, but he followed my lead and led the way. Even so, I could tell he was amused by me. I followed, and once out of earshot, I told him I shut him down because the clerk was deliberately giving us grief. We went further in, and stopped at another door. We were greeted by an older lady.

"Hello. Who are you?"

"I am Lord Hugeng, here to see Master Chang, concerning a rather unique find."

"You do realize he is quite busy."

"Hung over again?"

"... It seems you do know him."

"Might I see him?"

"If you don't mind his current state, then he's inside."

"Thank you."

I, too, nodded as we passed within. We soon found him out cold, lying on a table in the back, behind a corner. Apparently, he set this location up for just such occasions.

Hugeng said, "I fear we will have to wait for him to wake up." Leaning in, he sniffed, and said, "Waiting a while."

"Anything we can do to help?"

"You got a hangover cure?"

"... Not the traditional kind. My lady's gift might be of help. But given your reaction to that idiot, I'm asking first."

"Thanks, I think.... Go for it, but try to be circumspect."

"Okay." I moved behind the Master, where he wouldn't notice me if he opened his eyes. Then I focused my healing sense on his body, looking for the cause of his stupor, and its scope. I reached for the vision of him in full health, and began to align the two, starting in his gut. I left his head for last, as I felt that would give me the most time to clean him out. I also did a little cleansing of his chi lines, at the same time. Just before I went to clear his head, I moved back next to Hugeng. He didn't wake up, but I quietly said, "Done. Perhaps, call his name, or shake his shoulder?"

Hugeng looked around, and spotted a large book on a table. He picked it up, then slammed it back down. Master Chang startled awake. "Huh? Who's that?" He blinked his eyes a lot, before finally realizing we were there. "Lord Hugeng, It's been a long time. What brings you to my lab?"

"This." He then opened the bag he brought, and pulled out the picture I gave to him. "Examine it. I am aware of its abilities, and so know it won't cause you trouble, but I think you might find it rather intriguing."

"Not gonna tell me, huh? Must be rather unusual then."

"Yes, and created by an inexperienced but gifted mage."

"Well then, let us see what it is." He took it over to another table, and we followed. A few minutes later, he said, "It has a clairvoyant effect, but there is something beneath that. It is elusive." We just smiled, and waited. For nearly half an hour, he would try a spell, and then grumble, then try another. Finally, he finished, and looked back at Hugeng. "Well, there is some kind of secondary detection web interwoven with the basic clairvoyance magic. It seems aimed at the user, but I cannot fathom why. Nor can I figure out the purpose of that second web. Also, the magic is limited to the glass, so the frame, and the image placed behind the glass have no particular effect. I do like the peaceful scene, as it is a calming one. So. Tell me what is going on here."

"Before I do that, tell me, how advanced would a mage need to be to create this."

"The basic divination and the screening spells are simple enough, but interweaving a second detection web into it? Our graduate students would likely need a decade or more to do it. Why?"

"This was created by a newcomer who has only a few years of magic training."

I spoke up, "Three years, and less than two years to make this."

"And you are?"

"The one who created it."

"Interesting. You seem unlikely for a mage. Your attire evokes... other associations to me."

"Your impure thoughts are correct. I am far more involved in that side of things than in being a mage."

"Indeed? Well, then, even more unlikely. Who taught you?"

"Lord Hugeng did. Oh, I also had access to a few magic books." Hugeng snickered.

"Well, Lord Hugeng. What's so funny about having a few books? Any serious mage collects such."

"While not rivaling what you have here, it easily surpasses what your graduates can access. Including one rather ancient manuscript."

"Good library, huh?"

"Better than mine, in fact."

"Wow. I expect you have a decent library, just because of your position, skill, and age. That hers is better, is impressive. What of that ancient book?"

Hugeng nodded to me, so I told him. "While I do not have the original, I did the translation of a cursed tome of Sumerian magic with Egyptian influences, and kept a true copy of the translation."

"Cursed?"

"Preservation spell that leached the user's energy to keep the book in good repair. It kept trying to repair nearly seven thousand years worth of existence, all at once, with lethal results. I found a way to limit its leaching to a survivable amount, and thus suppressed the curse eventually."

"Nasty result of neglect. What else?"

"It was part journal, part log book, and part spellbook. But it was from a very different viewpoint to the other books I acquired."

"Acquired?"

"Some other mages no longer had need of them."

"Lord Hugeng, should I be worried about her?"

"You should be thanking her. Also, I'm not sure I would class her as a serious mage, as that is not her focus."

"There is a story there. But I see it is not the time for such. Where were we? Oh, yeah. Creating this scrying device. So what is that second detection for?"

I looked at Hugeng, and he nodded. "Clairvoyance uses magic to find things. Sometimes. a person already has some sort of supernatural link to the object or person to be viewed. The detection is to allow the user to provide access to that link, so that the clairvoyance can seek better, and perhaps even past obstructions. I haven't tested that part, but I think it might. But the two years I spent developing this, was only partly for this. The other part was a variable destination portal that used the clairvoyant glass to define the destination."

"You made such?"

"Yes. I used it to go to Lord Hugeng directly."

Master Chang looked at Hugeng. "My lord, that could be dangerous."

"Yes, but the link between us is quite tenuous, and not one to be expected, as it was by accident. It took strong divination for me to learn of it, after it called itself out to me long after it formed. I think even you might be hard pressed to see it. While I do have protections, she wisely didn't use her link to me, exactly, but to something in my domain."

"Still, creating a variable gate is hard. You are sure of what she says?"

"I trust her."

"I see." Looking back at me, he said, "Two years? From scratch? I would expect more like twenty-five or thirty years for a graduate. I want you here. Not sure if I want you as a teacher or a student, or perhaps both, but your talent demands teaching."

Before I could say anything, Hugeng said, "She is not available, as she has other commitments. But she does have another problem, that she could use your help with. Perhaps she would be willing to let you teach her, as you help with her problem."

"With talent like you have shown, what seems to be the problem?"

"A goddess gave me a lesser talisman, then chose to die. Lord Hugeng has done some initial examination. I'll let him explain."

"Master Chang, she has been given a magical tattoo. It has no physical substance, but is pure magic. I can barely detect it, but what I have intuited, is that it is one of the most powerful talismans I have ever encountered. It was given to her by Isis, quite recently."

"I thought she died several thousand years ago."

"She did, but her domain included guarding the dead. That she returned to life briefly is not impossible for such a goddess."

"You're right. So, we're dealing with divine magic. That could be a challenge."

"Not for her."

"Huh? Why not?"

"She is a priestess, and serves four divine powers, I think. One being a goddess of sex and war, who also happens to have magic as a domain, as well."

"Sex?"

I said, "You noted my attire?"

"Oh!" He then blushed.

"We met by accident, but I have embraced her, as we get along quite well. Don't be concerned about impure thoughts on my behalf."

"... That won't be easy."

"If you need to talk about sexual topics, or even something more, I shall not be embarrassed by its nature. But I am here to learn about the tattoo."

"What do you know of it?"

"My Lady indicated it was strongly psychic in nature. My own meditations lead me to that direction as well, but also to some other aspects. Part of my suspicions arise from myths about Isis and her followers, and part by how it seems to react to my thoughts."

"Oh, I so want to study it, but I am not versed well in such. Have you had any training in such?"

"Lord Hugeng helped me, but I had originally learned on my own, and had my abilities bolstered by my Lady. The best I ever did was to survive Isis when she dominated me. I have no recollection of the time, but I emerged essentially myself. That's not what I would expect if someone that powerful blows your mind away casually. Oh! That cursed book may have helped, as I needed to withstand the leaching with my mind."

"This is best dealt with by the Jīngshén masters. They are in the Pínkùn district, where they can get the isolation they require. They are not as morally pure, as they so frequently invade other's minds, so beware, they will likely try to invade yours. Is that something you will risk?"

"Will I be allowed to enforce my mental privacy?"

"How?"

"Depends. I could spank them, or knock them out mentally, or hit them with a little lightning. I have some skill in combat. I suspect they are not used to physical things."

"How true that is. Well, let's see how late things are." He got up, and headed out, and we followed him out.

The old lady said, "Master Chang? I thought you would still be, um, busy."

"Oh? What time is it?"

"About ten in the morning."

"What! Impossible."

I spoke, "My Lady is benevolent."

"You did this?"

"No, she did. I just was her instrument."

"I am not used to priestesses." He sighed. "Okay, Miss Lai, have the duty clerk escort our guests to the Jīngshén branch in the Pínkùn district. Inform Master Zhāng to assist Miss..." He looked at me, but Hugeng signaled me to be quiet.

"Just say the Gāo gè nǚrén."

She looked up at me and smiled. "She is at that. Very tall."

Master Chang continued, "Master Zhāng is to assist her in understanding her magic item. He is to be expeditious, and I expect an initial report within a week." Then he asked, "Who's got the duty?"

"That would be... young Wáng."

"Punishment detail again, huh. When will he learn? See to it." Turning to Hugeng, he asked, "What of you?"

"I will be in town consulting with some officials. Seems certain parties have been getting uppity recently, and some others are concerned."

"That could get nasty."

"But, it isn't yet."

"Let's hope it stays that way. Well, if you have some time, I would love to visit." He turned and went further into the building.

Miss Lai led, and Hugeng took his bag and walked with me to see who this Wáng was. That's when we learned we had already met him.

"Young Wáng, you are to escort her. Here are your instructions."

"What! She called me a street sweeper."

"Keep up your antics, and you might yet reach that station. Now go."

"Yes, ma'am." He looked at me, then glanced at the waiting woman, then sighed. Looking back at me, he said, "You. Follow me." He then rushed out.

I quickly reached to catch his shoulder. "Is that how you escort? By running? Do it right. Escorting means to ensure I get there, and the best way to do that is to not attract attention. Running attracts attention. Now lead, as a true escort."

Hugeng said, "I'll be around. Keep in touch."

"I shall. Later."

I followed the young man, who clearly did not care for me. I decided to monitor his leaking thoughts in case he decided to do something inappropriate. We were entering the Pínkùn district, when he got nervous. I said, "Is there a problem? You seem nervous."