Silvertree Chronicles Bk. 07

Charlus shook his head, "No I learn the main and the others all at the same time. I know 9 human sub-dialects but the other two are regional one-off languages that I count as sub-dialectics but they are more complex in pattern and structure."

She looked at Charlus, "Why?"

Charlus smiled, "My career and purpose in life. My name in the service is 'Enigma' as they feel that way about what I do. Not just for what you have been shown."

Majisa sent him a message mentally, "Can you talk like this?"

He looked at her, "That is dangerous for me to do with you. I am not psionic but responding is dangerous."

She looked at Charlus, "How do you know?"

Charlus looked at Queen Goldeagle, "Up to you to tell her the answer to that question concerning speaking psionically. I am prohibited from discussing mental communication."

Queen Goldeagle looked at Majisa, "We have, in the last few years, gotten a couple of Amy's descendants and one of Annette's to work as consultants to specific aspects of our work."

They stared at each other for several minutes and Majisa looked at one of his Uncles, the champion even. He contacted Charlus. "I have been warned. Answer me mentally if you can hear me?"

He gave him a one-word answer, "Yes."

In every dialect and sub-dialect that he knew from every language he knew. He flew back against the wall in pain. The other two looked shocked. He walked into a side room and they heard him puking his guts out.

Charlus looked at him when he returned, "The psionic who tried that the first time was working compulsion and she asked me to tell her everything I knew of my trainer. I did, mentally in every language and sub-dialects all at once. She was out cold for a week and refused to connect to my mind ever again."

Charlus looked at Majisa and tried to explain. "She was not specific in her request. The way my mind works is I think of the answer in all of that at once. What comes out of my mouth is filtered for the language I wish to project.

I think it was something the Gods put into me because of what led up to my father's death. Being contacted mentally. I do not know if the other 6 are the same way or not. I am the most prolific in language and reading in my family.

If they are looking for something in the family library, and I am home, I point to the volume and give them the page number. Else tell them there is a better way in a different book and do the same.

I let them look at both and let them decide. We are getting off-topic. I can increase the size of the internal crystalline structure in this and expand it to the entire kingdom. Also, the world if I wished. I could do it for more than necromancy as you know."

She looked at Charlus, "We would not want you doing that."

Charlus nodded, "But we are eventually going to be left with little choice. Our intelligence network outside of our kingdom beyond the land bridge consists of what information we get from you. We never got information on the leader of the last attack until 2 weeks after hostilities stopped.

Nothing on the man who replaced him or how soon they plan to attack again. Who is backing them? Who are the alliances made up of with our collective enemies? You are our eyes right now to the rest of the world.

The eyes are not feeding that information to our minds to allow us to determine a course of action for things we find to be a threat to the elven people. Your own God Bahumut gave us access to this magic. Just because we can do something does not mean we should do it.

When I become an adult, if things have not changed, I will take steps to correct it as part of my work. We will get what we need to protect the Elven Kingdom and our allies. If building what we need is required then I will work that on my own if needed."

Majisa looked at Charlus, "Did you just threaten me?"

Charlus shook his head, "I simply stated a fact. I will work to protect my people. Where I am forced to focus the work is dependent in part on what you wish to share. I wish to get approval with this idea for defense.

Personally, I know some paladins who think we have spent too much time on the defensive and wish to push the fight deeper. That was not what the Knights were about, but they do not exist at the moment. Do they?"

She looked at Charlus, "Your father was working on that when he died. It is dormant right now."

Charlus nodded, "Are his two shelters secured? This is why I wanted my uncles here."

They nodded and the champion answered, "Secure but construction stopped."

Charlus nodded, "I will make a deal with you. This is a personal deal. I will limit the scope of this project to what you see. You will resume work on those locations to have them ready when we need to call upon them. Once I am an adult, we will revisit the discussion on how big and where things should go.

If the elven people have to build a better mousetrap. We may be forced to add to this design for other magical types and work to expand over the totality of the elven Kingdom instead of just the Capital but would discuss that with you when the need arises. I can foresee the need to protect the entirety of our Kingdom, at least defensively for now."

She looked at Charlus, "Are you a champion?"

Charlus looked at her, "Your champion has already looked. I can tell you, I am not a champion."

Queen Goldeagle looked across, "That will not be known by any until the 7 become adults. I have divine direction not to press the matter."

Queen Majisa looked at Charlus, "I feel like I am being extorted by a child."

Charlus shook his head, "Do not look at me as a child but as a Silvertree wishing to see my father's legacy continue. Part of that was those 2 locations. I do not know where they are at but I know there are 2 of them. My father told me that much."

Majisa shook her head, "When did he tell you this?"

Charlus looked at her, "The night I entered the Academy. He spoke with all 7 of his children. He told me about the shelters and his desire for me to continue his work given my skills. I know that the blade wielder will have to go to them to activate more controls and ownership of the existing ones.

Else, new ones will have to be built. You saw how well he did at staying in the shadows as the champion. I killed 4 today and had one witness and that was a Guard Captain I saved. 3 of them in the main throne room. No credit, no glory, just blending in with my surroundings. Just a 'child' in the throne room. I am better suited as a non-champion to see this work occurs."

She looked at Charlus, "You want to restart the Knights."

Charlus looked at her, "Don't you? Are you not sick of having this argument over where is our shared intelligence?"

Queen Goldeagle looked at Charlus, "That is a talk for another day. We know we need to get our own assets out looking."

Charlus looked at Majisa, "I know you are a Silvertree by marriage. My grandmother talked about that. The reason I was here at the time was her will was read today, Brima died in this last conflict."

Majisa looked at the Queen who nodded. She sighed, "Let me talk with your Queen alone a minute."

Charlus nodded, "Can I borrow that rod for a minute?"

She nodded. She handed it to him and he walked back toward the falls, "Your Majesty. When she is ready to talk to me, have her contact me on my crystal to you."

The Queen smiled, "Alright."

Majisa looked over and he heard Majisas shocked question, "He has a crystal to you at his age?"

He walked in the back.

---

Majisa looked at Queen Goldeagle, "Is he a gestalt?"

Queen Goldeagle sighed, "Not according to divination. Yet he appears to be battle-mage Rogue gestalt. We have never had a rogue gestalt before, but as he said. To do what his father started, being a non-champion, and being in the shadows provides a means for him to continue that effort.

His Mother stated he does a lot of reading and work on enchanting. He is a prodigy in that area for those things he has shown you and others that you have not seen yet. I will show you one in a second. Brima told me he has outstanding acrobatic skills and can fight with two weapons while casting with both weapons equipped.

He learned the last part on his own from a book that had holes in the information. He can cast tier 9 and from what I am gathering mythic elven and draconic magic in order to build those things you are detecting."

Majisa groaned out, "How did you find him?"

Queen Goldeagle chuckled, "Elven business in how we identify new potential agents. You like to use dragon business. This is one thing I will not discuss is our evaluation process. He is talented and extremely interested in continuing his father's work. One way or another, as he alluded to."

Majisa sighed, "He is so young, and he is casting spells many of our adults cannot cast yet. Are you sure he is not a champion?"

Queen Goldeagle sighed, "I will tell you what Brima told me. All 7 of them have holy symbols adhered to their chests. Others might exist in other houses or branches. The blade will not follow the champion this time.

The blade is the key to the shelters. I could see him using it effectively based on the progress reports I have gotten on him. Both in combat and for the Knights. Enough of this, we have no great answers on this and won't until they become adults. Take this crystal to him and contact him."

Majisa tired for 5 minutes before Queen Goldeagle chuckled, "He built it. IT will only work in my hand. He has been working on many different designs." She activated the crystal.

---

Charlus waited a good 20 minutes and the Queen finally called laughing, "She was surprised by this crystal."

Charlus smiled, "Can you two relocate to a side room for a second. I wanted to ask you something."

Queen Goldeagle sighed, "Alright we are in the side room."

Charlus asked, "Majisa, do you like my thinking of you in creating that rod for you and your kind?"

He heard Majisa sigh, "Yes."

That was followed by the two of them screaming. He smiled, "I told you I would give it back."

Queen Goldeagle gasped, "How did you do that?"

Charlus smiled, "Teleport object through the crystal. Remind you of anyone?"

The Queen sighed, "Get out here."

---

Majisa stared at her, as she picked up the rod, "Lady Silver Hair was the only one I knew who could do that! Maybe her mother or father taught it to her, but no dragon can do that at the moment. Send an object or teleport to the distant end of a communication crystal. I have never seen or heard of that talent being developed in another race, ever!"

Queen Goldealge composed herself and opened the door for them.

---

Charlus walked up front and the 2 of them were still red-faced from being surprised. He looked at the Queens, "You are the first to know that I can do that. I figured that the Knight Paladin's interaction with the Silver Queen affected this. Lady Silver Hair or Countess of the Moon depending on which champion referenced her used it with him in sending those explosives to the drow.

I felt it might have held a key in developing that talent and have worked to unlock it. I started with objects and then moved to myself. That is why I carry a teleport object spell on me for practicing that skill."

Majisa looked at Charlus, "She said you have been working with various designs for these crystals."

He nodded, "Yes, she does not know it yet. The last time I upgraded that crystal I took care of the three design flaws; but differently than she expected."

The Queen looked at Charlus, "Which design flaws?"

Charlus smiled, "The one for magical compulsion, psionic compulsion, and will not activate if it detects a necromantic aura."

Queen Goldeagle looked at Charlus, "Explain."

He looked at her, "If you are under the effects of magical compulsion your voice will go through and the message will be delivered several pitches deeper.

Psionic several pitches higher. The receiver will know you are under the effects of a compulsion. Free to take action as appropriate. The one with my teacher has it as well. It was funny when our mental agent did a compulsion on him to test it out.

Had him singing a bawdy dwarven drinking song and came through like a girl was singing it. His is the most secure crystal I have built directly tied to a pair of users."

He walked over to the bag and pulled out two drow communication crystals.

He set them down. He picked one up and activated it and nothing happened. Picked them both up and activated them and she watched them light up. He looked at her, "I believe I found their way of locking the crystals."

Majisa looked at him, "How?"

Charlus looked at her and turned the crystals off. "A substitution cipher is used. Both of them have to have the book or document memorized to use it. The one I have with my instructor has three-tier encryption with three tiers substitution ciphers, different books.

In each direction. 6 books in 6 different languages including 2 ancient languages. Also, the blood aspect to activate the crystal which will not work if it detects a necromancy aura holding it. Then the voice changes for compulsions."

Majisa looked at Charlus, "Who would use that?"

Charlus smiled, "Spies, generals, and royalty. Hers only has a small substitution cipher associated with a memorized passphrase and the triple-tier separate in each direction with the other security features.

My father was hunted for 3 years; never being able to spend much time in any one location. No more than a day, it kept shrinking. This is what my grandmother told me.

Secure shelters being the only place he could sleep, knowing he would be attacked as soon as he emerged. I am showing you what a spirit of cooperation could look like with me when I am no longer 'a child.' While I work to remain in the shadows."

Majisa sighed, "I am sorry for saying that. You are not a child but you are not yet an adult."

Charlus nodded, "But I can kill like one. Protect my people like one." She did not know how to respond to that statement at all. "At the moment I have 22,487 books memorized. I can sort, catalog, and cross-reference them.

By the order in which I read them, on what dates they were published, or any number of ways...even if I wanted to just count the most punctuation and give you the book associated with that. The 36 volumes of Dragon's Axiom are the winner in that category thanks to Jarron Silverleaf, by the way.

If a new version comes out, I can tell you what was added and removed down to the punctuation. Useful on treaties, which I count each one as a book but count each version as part of that same book.

I have also read all of the collective reports on my family line from the Dragon Wars forward. I had some really talented ancestors and I am doing things that are from my genetic makeup.

From Elara Strong Oak and Eldar before he was made a champion for example, but not the only examples. I even read the report given to the palace from Lady Amy Tryst when she connected with Eldar." He smiled. "Child's play for me."

His uncles chuckled at his humor. "Any other questions about my activities? Thoughts on building this design?"

Queen Goldeagle nodded, "Who would do the enchanting?"

Charlus looked at her, "I have two siblings that are enchanters, whom I have already discussed with you, who could do the shields for the dome and fly the tower into place. I would have to create the device for tracking necromancy as only I have access to those spells. At least for now. I would warn you that all three of us are not adults."

Majisa sighed, "I got it. Enough about your age."

Queen Goldeagle looked at Majisa, "It will take a while to get the building in shape first."

Charlus nodded, "Ten years ideally to fix a lot of issues with its foundation. Unless you had them working around the clock. We could build the control for the shields and the maps for tracking within the city.

Incorporating some of the design elements from the shelters into the maps to adjust for the buildings as they change, new, destroyed, or expanded. Those pieces we can move into the tower once it is in place and secure.

The small one I have activated in the building we work in. I even found a few hidden rooms that way. I am not supposed to know about those yet. Different training rooms. My instructor does not know this yet. I can build the larger ones at home in the shelter and then move them when we are ready to install them."

Queen Goldeagle asked, "How long?"

Charlus looked at her, "Best guess is 6 months."

She nodded, "No glory, but you will receive covert citations for your work today. For the 'secret' research I am 'suspending your training for six months.' You can work on getting this made and secured in your home."

She smiled. Charlus nodded, "That I can do. It will help me with Stern. Knowing I made a perceived mistake he will find me less of a threat for a while. You calling him out as the heir apparent helped with that."

She nodded, "I know. The instructor will retire when you become an adult. We are trying to figure out how to get the 2 of you working together."

Charlus nodded, "I am not working against him; he just does not like what I do. Then there is the fact that I crushed his cipher and could explain how I did it. He had been working on its design for close to 200 years and was not happy. I told him how to improve it but I think he abandoned the work."

They opened the portal. Charlus grabbed his things leaving Majisa with her new rod. He left the conference room and walked out of the palace and then home.

---

Majisa looked at Queen Goldeagle, "That is one impressive child. You are sure he is not the champion?"

Queen Goldeagle sighed, "I told you what Brima told me. She told me this the night he went into training for my Diplomatic Service. He was the only 1 of 7 who did not test as a gestalt and that is because he is a rogue Battle Mage with some serious enchanting skills.

Given the sword's abilities for the shelters, I could see that in his hands. If what Brima said is true then we are looking at a different champion to confuse our enemies. I have no idea where this champion will emerge from, it could be Silvertree or another house this time entirely. The Gods are keeping us in the dark on this, likely because of how his father died."

Majisa shook her head, "The council is not going to like his project but if he pulls it off, then they will have to consider it. Technically they have to consider it now...we detected his small system and he plans to build one bigger for your capital that is practical for defense. They will know he is capable of much more than that, they might find it threatening. I will have to work to defuse that."

She left with the two uncles and thought to her Champion, "Has Bahumut given any guidance on this?"

He shook his head and thought back, "Just that when the champion is revealed is when we will know, including himself. He has an agreement with the elven deities to stay hands off of their champion after Jazzia's efforts on both of their behalf."

Majisa silently cursed, "Fuck. He is a child, yet he has one of those perfect minds like Eldar had. I wish we still had neutral psionic dragons to work with. I miss Amy, she would have been able to tell us much about this one. He is casting mythic draconic magic to create this stuff, yet he is not even an adult yet.

What will he be able to do as an adult?! Genius and prodigy are the right words. What he did with sending it through a crystal has been lost to us. Getting him to teach others, dragons how to do that would be beneficial as well."

---

Charlus walked into the house and Gia, his mother, looked at him, "How are you doing?"

Charlus shrugged, "I will be home working on a side project for about 6 months. I would like rooms over in the training wing so I can keep up on my strength and combat skills while working on this enchantment project. The second is for a workshop. Zirra, I will need 4 diamonds at 20,000 gold pieces. 6 at 6,000 gold piece value.