Nun the Wiser – 5

You stare down at the illusions on the table and push your glasses up. You give your boyfriend a subtle side-eye, but he's just as enamored in Scarlet Lily's illusory work as Star is. To be fair, the nun really has a knack for artistic detail; she's conjured up a fortress city at the foot of a mountain with concentric walls of increasing elevation. At the very middle is a slice leading from an ornate palace high above all the other circles, giving an optimal height advantage against invaders.

Something based on one of those Hardy Boys Publishing books that Scarlet shared with Star, a place called Minas Tirith.

You are Cirrus, aspiring atmomancer and complete newbie to the Paragon Tabletop Wargame.

You've recently hit a wall on Klein Bottle's project, and Scarlet Lily recommended that you all take a break together to get your minds off things. Klein and Star were resistant to it at first. Especially Star, who freaked you out a bit when she started gnawing her pen and growing frantic as she proposed more and more outlandish solutions. Honestly, you were scared that she'd wind herself up into bloodmaddness.

Scarlet calmed her down by asking for a game recommendation.

Apparently, Star is a big fan of the Paragons. Which makes sense, given that she knows Paragon Tenderhoof and Paragon Jesper personally. She had to dig through a big pile of comic books to find her miniatures, giving an in-depth explanation of each of the faction's abilities, point costs, and special heroes. Scarlet just nodded along with her eternally blissful smile, like she always does when Star goes on one of her rambling sessions.

"What will we defending this city from, anyways?" Klein asks. "Can't play a game without enemies."

Please not goblins, please not goblins...

"Playing against demons is a bit on the nose." Scarlet hums. "How about orcs?"

"That'd be interesting!" Star leans closer to Scarlet to show her a rulebook. "They're part of the Boreal North Expansion Pack. You can tell us of any inaccuracies regarding the factions!"

Now you're curious. You snag one of the rulebooks and look for any goblin factions. The results are somewhere between insulting and ridiculous, maybe with a pinch of disappointment. There are two goblin factions, Pre-Unification Goblins and Post-Unification Goblins, both of which vastly undersells goblin diversity throughout the Goblin Coast alone. The author paints Pre-Unification Goblins as a sort of homogenous green tide of raiders. To be fair, it is pretty close to the truth, though there were a lot of times goblins were just some other force's cannon fodder.

The description on Post-Unification Goblins almost makes you laugh. For some reason, the author got it in their head that goblins became more civilized as dwarves interbred with them. Which is insultingly inaccurate, and how you know for absolute certain no goblin or dwarf was involved in the creation of this game.

"That bad?" Klein looks over your shoulder.

"They have Grand Matron Booba as a dwarven witch." Klein stares at you blankly and you elaborate. "It'd be like having King Arthur as a kobold."

He winces.

"I don't know about the orcs, dark wizards, or necromancers...but the kobolds don't seem right." Scarlet taps her finger against her cheek as she reads over the faction guide. "I know for a fact they use tools, trade, and they absolutely know how to make rations. They've got a hierarchy, too. The books just paints them as a wild group of raiders. It kind of makes me doubt the veracity of orcs 'kidnapping women for breeding.'"

You almost detect a hint of...disappointment in her voice? She must have hoped the game makers would hold themselves to higher standards instead of spouting a bunch of Purity Front conspiracies.

For a bit, you were afraid she was one of those elves. And your previous experience with nuns involves a spray bottle full of holy water. So you didn't exactly have a lot of faith in her. That changed the more you worked with her, her unrelenting kindness and generosity really proving her as the real deal,

You once asked her why she didn't mind working with a goblin. She just cupped your cheeks and proclaimed how she couldn't hate a species as adorable as yours. Then she got all serene and started spouting something about the lord loving all members of the flock, no matter the color of their wool.

Botched metaphor aside, that sealed her position in your mind as one of those holy people that practiced the love they preached.

Even if her love is a bit infantilizing.

Scarlet insists on using orcs for the setting, and you each choose your factions to protect the fortress city. You go with the popular (boring) faction, the Arcanoknights, because the variety of skills they have seems good for a beginner. None of their heroes really interest you, so the tough front-liners and skilled battlemages that make up the bulk of the Arcanoknights eat up your points. Klein goes for the tactical option, the Earthwill Knights for that guaranteed Principality bonus. Their defensive cannons and fortification bonuses are a solid choice. Scarlet Lily chooses a minor knight order specialized in ranged attacks and mobility, though she briefly considered the Lunar Knights for their magical formations and illusory tricks.

Star picks the Holy Knights, using a decent chunk of her points to use Paragon Yellow.

You each take turns playing the orc hordes and organizing your own pieces for the defense. While Star always chooses the option that makes it hardest for the defense, Klein is a bit more reluctant to make damaging attacks, and Scarlet...well, she gets a bit hammy with the evil laughs and the risky plays. As you roll dice and discuss tactics, you begin tossing ideas on how to automate the orc pieces' movements so you can play more naturally.

"Even if we used small golem cores for simple decision making, they're still quite expensive." Klein rolls his dice and grins upon seeing a double crit. "Yes! That's one battalion down!"

"Mimicking life is a mighty feat." Scarlet nods. "Even a simple mind is more complicated than it seems."

"Maybe we could ask Dean Sher'khan on how his magus minds work." Star wonders aloud.

"Isn't he ridiculously busy?" You ask, wincing as you lose one of your precious support casters.

"I don't usually bother him...but he's always willing to give me an impromptu lecture for a niche subject." You, Klein, and Scarlet stare at the dhampir. She looks up from the board and cocks her head. "What?"

"Like...any subject?" You ask again.

Is the solution to this roadblock just to ask for help?

As a rule, you avoid teaching classes at the University. One would think being the dean affords you the privilege, but old rules supersede logic and good sense. A Dean need not be a wizard, nor even an archwizard, but every wizard employed by Camelot University must teach at least one class per semester.

Your peers typically get away with this by setting up a class with terrible passing rates, or teaching subjects too obtuse or niche for anyone to bother signing up. The only time you’ve seen this tactic backfire was a few years back, when one of your colleagues severely underestimated the students’ interest in cheesemancy.

You are Dean Sher’Khan, archwizard of a thousand disciplines, master of the arcane…and for the first time, you’re personally teaching a class of more than two people.

You’re a busy man. Between the university budget, schedules, the delicate political balancing act needed to maintain the security and sanctity of Camelot University, as well as the duties you have towards Prillia, you’re swamped even when you use your magus minds. With the recent demonic incursions throughout the south of Prillia, it’s a miracle you even have two hours to spare.

And instead of spending your precious time in quiet contemplation of the mysteries of the arcane, you’re writing on a chalkboard for a class of four. Star, who writes down everything you say and do with an entire squadron of flying quills. Klein, struggling to keep up with the advanced theories you cover. Cirrus, who was unprepared for the sheer amount of information you dropped on them. And Quinn as Lily, delicately writing everything down while she secretly formed a seeing eye in her vestments to record everything.

The subject?

Efficient magic data transfer and storage. A fascinating study, a keystone to your unique brand of magic. It’s what allowed you to outpace far more talented wizards. Why go through the trouble of learning the spellforms, practicing them until mastery, and struggling to cast them perfectly? It’s so much easier to use other’s people’s knowledge, tweak it for yourself, then copy the memory of casting it flawlessly so you can summon the perfect spellform whenever you want.

In essence, you are cheating. But in practice, you’re the only human archwizard without an innate magic, having sidestepped the rigorous process of self-study and transcended the limits of talent for the chance to learn more spells. That is the power of Memory magic.

Does expecting your students to memorize everything at the same pace you do make you a bad teacher? Possibly. Star can keep up quite handily even without using the memory spells you taught her.

But she’s also astonishingly talented. Real talent, like her parents.

The fact that Cirrus and Klein can keep up as much is a testament to their work ethic.

“And that’s how data can be managed through magic. I trust this will help in your project, Klein?”

“Yes, Dean!” He’s frazzled but keeps writing. “It’s a network that has to be carefully maintained to listen and respond to requests.”

“But how can we make a mana projection into an enchanted hub that communicates with mirrors on this network?” Cirrus chewed the end of her pencil into a nub. “And how do we connect the hub to the mirrors without agitating monsters like radio towers do?”

“Trial and error.” Quinn sighs. “Lots of trial and error.”

“It’s about finding the right magic.” Star hums, and the other three immediately perk up to listen. She notices their stares and shrinks into her chair. “I mean, I think?”

Truly a strange class.

A human unsure of his skills, a studious goblin atmomancer, a holy demon, and a dhampir with the potential to stand toe-to-toe with dragons. Never would you have thought such a group would become friends. You hate to admit how much Lily has helped your favorite student get out of her shell.

Yet, here they are, working together to build something that will revolutionize Prillia for a school project.

“Right, that reminds me.” With a pop, four folders appear in your hands. “It’s been nine weeks since the semester started. Time for your progress reports.”

Normally, you’d teleport the files into their quarters. But since they’re all here now, you might as well. It’s a chance for Star and Klein to recognize how far they’d come…and to get Quinn to realize the gulf of skill between her and your best pupil.

“Woah, Scarlet, how many classes are you taking? It’s only your first semester!” Cirrus peeks at Quinn’s file. “An eighty average is great, considering your workload.”

Twenty-three. You had her take basic arcana classes, elemental magic classes, biology classes, history classes, math classes, etiquette classes, and one on holy magic. Anything and everything to keep the demon busy.

“That’s how dean Sher’Khan works.” Klein sighs with world-weary eyes. “He had me take fifteen accelerated courses in my first semester. I’m more impressed that you have extracurriculars, Cirrus.”

“Yeah, the weather forecast club.” Cirrus leans closer to Star and her jaw drops. “Hold on, wha—semester eighty-three? Averaging a hundred? Exemplary affinity in everything? And what’s with these clubs?”

Star shrinks away and tries to hide her file.

“Eighty-three semesters?” Quinn’s eyes widen. “Isn’t that forty years of study?”

“Forty?” Star sputters. “N-no, I also took a few summer semesters. I’ve only been in college for a little over thirty years. And the clubs, well…they needed someone to crunch the numbers and do the paperwork so I accidentally became president of a few clubs. It'll look really good on my resume.”

She puffs out her chest in pride. You haven’t the heart to tell her she is beyond ever needing a resume. Since she’s made a few spells on her own, Star technically qualifies as a wizard. She never bothered to graduate officially.

And you’re not sure what sort of Apprenticeship Trial you could give her that would provide an actual challenge. You had her take a combat magic class, and personally sparred with her.

Once.

She is indeed Everbright’s daughter. And as a dhampir, she can channel more magic than even her father. Added to her natural battle sense, spellcasting speed, and library of spells at her disposal, Star is well on her way to surpassing her father. You count yourself lucky that you were able to corner her before she could overpower you. If she’d beaten you, you’re not sure she’d look at you with the respect she does now.

Quinn leans over Star’s shoulder to look for herself.

“Why are you president of the cheese magic club?”

“That’s an interesting story; see, there was an exchange program with the UCCES…”

As Star goes over what the staff calls the ‘Quesadilla Incident’, a small part of you is content to watch your master’s daughter make friends for the first time in decades. She's gotten comfortable leaving her room for the occasional lunch with Klein or to help Cirrus study. And her regular tea times with 'Lily', of course. The warm sentiment is somewhat spoiled by the lust demon making bedroom eyes at her. You’re worried that Quinn could be a bad influence on her, even if she’s behaved so far.

To be fair, Quinn is far from the worst person to be infatuated with Star. Which says more about the quality of people you’ve allowed to get close to her. Once more, you are thankful that Klein is such a good egg.

Quinn nestles her head in her hands as she watches Star babble on, sighing like a lovesick puppy. Not the behavior expected of a powerful demon with twenty underlings currently infiltrating Camelot. You’d think one of her ‘children’ would have been caught by now. You haven’t personally inspected the demons, but if they are as unique as her…It bears investigation.

“If you don’t mind, I need to cut this conversation short. Scarlet Lily and I have something to discuss.”

“Ooooooooo…” Cirrus grins and guides her boyfriend out of the room. “Come on, Klein. You owe me a date.”

“I’m not sure where we can find one this time of year—Oh! A date date.”

“Is Scarlet in trouble, Mister Sher’Khan?” Star asks meekly.

“No worries, Star.” Quinn gives a gentle smile that only the purest of nuns could give. “It’s probably some holy stuff we need to talk about.”

Once she leaves the room, you and Quinn layer silencing arrays around the room. The lust demon is improving quickly, her spellcasting growing more efficient by the day. Her magic pool grows even faster, making you wonder what debauchery she gets up to in her plane to gather so much power.

Quinn relaxes when the last spell settles, dropping her innocent nun façade like a mask.

“Oh my goooooo—Owowow!” Her mouth smokes less than usual. “She’s so sweet and nerdy and sexy! She could talk algebra between my legs and turn me into a drooling mess in seconds.”

“I’d appreciate you not talking about my student like that.” You frown.

“A promise is a promise, dean.” Quinn stretches her arms and leans back. “I’m staying away. Won’t stop me from fingerblasting myself while thinking about her.”

You don’t want to know what that means.

“Right, fingerblasting is when—”

“I don’t care.” You regret the clause about ‘truthfully communicating relevant information’. “I’m more interested in knowing why your power has grown so much since we last met face to face. Have you been gorging on souls?”

“Only a little bit!” You glare at her. “They were bad people, Dean! I made sure to juice them properly, too! No more getting fucked inside out by tentacle monsters.” She snaps her fingers. “There was also that weird golden stuff that gathered around the souls I’ve been collecting; it gave me a big power boost and a little ember between my horns. Annnd there’s that thing with Venture.”

Subtle horror at all the things she has profaned is easily pushed aside now. Quinn explains the strange soul-stuff she’s collected in her plane, as well as the (frankly remarkable) advancements she made in biomancy to heal a minotaur with a strange curse. As usual, you had her skip over her myriad sexual conquests to elaborate further on the minotaur’s curse and the being that afflicted him.

His testimony, though far-fetched, seems to corroborate part of Quinn’s story. You thought she was exaggerating about the complexity of the curse, but she came prepared. She hands you a vial of cursed flesh, pulled from the minotaur himself.

It’s amazing. And horrifying.

A type of magic that goes beyond holy or demonic, tied to the fulcrum between mind, body, and soul. Much akin to the many theories in Aevum’s book revolving around the mysterious force known as prana. Which is worrying to say the least. You’ve done some digging on your own time, reading about the era and conditions that made Aevum Emit Sisto.

Where he came from, what he studied at the University, even going as far as to dig up class rosters and transcripts from over three hundred years ago.

Thank goodness for those elven archivists. Elves may have a biological inclination to get smarmier with age, but even you must admit they take a dedication to exquisite record-keeping. A few of those smarmy archivists were old enough to know Aevum as a student.

‘A dwarf with an advanced mind.’

‘Older than most freshmen. Very driven.’

‘He beat everyone else here at chess. And frankly, he spoke of things that were somewhat beyond me.’

For old high elves to say such things of him was terrifying. You’ve seen those old bastards spit on the _____'s statues of the last five recognized archwizards. They do not hold many in high esteem.

Other reports complete what you already know.

Full marks, despite frequent absences. Tendency to correct and baffle teachers in different subjects. Top of the classes, three years in a row. Designed the first railway system as a proof-of-concept. Complimented with mechanical, magical, and chemical engine designs for each of said classes. By the time he wrote his thesis, the book you’re familiar with, there wasn’t a wizard in Prilla that didn’t want him as an apprentice.

In short, genius. Far beyond anything you can ever pretend to be.

He never graduated. He had to go back south, due to 'family troubles'.

Aevum Emit Sistorillian disappears from history. There are dedications here and there, prefaces and footnotes from those he helped. Some from long-honored families.

Would he be capable of what Quinn has described? Ultimately, given the time and skills, it’s plausible. Yet all she has for proof is another witness who saw an elven metal-man. Perhaps Quinn’s term, ‘cyborg’ is more accurate. The theory still lacks footing: accounts all agree that Aevum was a dwarf from the south. Not an elf, let alone an avarael.

Your hypothesis holds more water. A student, one so devoted that he took his mentor's name, operating some unknown machinations.

Considering the imagery of a winged elf, it’s possible that this cyborg came from Camelot. Perhaps he’s even a devotee of the Sisters. You still lack information.

“You are right in presuming this is Aevum’s magic.”

“Yes!”

“But not necessarily from Aevum himself.”

“Come on!” She beams an image into the air. “I pulled this from Venture’s mind. Maybe you can get a better picture, being a grand mind master wizard—”

“Don’t call me that.”

She sticks her tongue out at you, then wiggles it like a worm. She’s giving you the eyes again. This pest.

The image is indeed frightening. The cyborg has plates covering his body, strange arcano-mechanical limbs with vicious edges. His wings are carefully crafted feathers of…dear Celeste, Solaria, Libra, and Bolin, that’s adamantium. Some madman made himself an adamantium body. The image progresses and he gets closer…

Closer…

Until the camera is getting choked out, and you realize you’re watching a winged cyborg effortlessly choking the life out of a minotaur with a single arm. He traces a finger delicately on the minotaur’s throat, and the plated mask slides apart into four seamless parts. Those features, a high elf. Silver hair, purple eyes, very familiar bloodline. The image cuts off there.

“I’ll spare you the snuff scene.” Quinn magics the desks together and tries to lounge sultrily on them. “C’mon, tell me that was worth something. A blowjob, maybe?”

The desks collapse under her.

You let the lust demon struggle to recover her poise when you feel something in the silencing arrays crack. It seems that your student has let curiosity get the better of her.

You have twenty seconds.

“We’ll talk more later. You did good. On your grades, though…”

You float her to her feet and clean up the desks. She’s pouting at you, but she stuffs her red hair back under her outfit and puts the mask of serenity back on.

“My grades? Eighty’s a solid B!”

There go the silencing arrays. You’re still not going to let her have the last word.

“B is for Bad, Miss Lily. I expect someone of your talent to get nineties.”

Quinn groans and leaves the room, nearly stumbling over Star on the way out. Quinn didn’t sense her then. Intriguing.

“Oh-h! Sorry, Scarlet. I was wondering if you wanted to study some more? Some of my classes offer extra credit and I want to raise my averages to 105.”

The lusty seductress is gone, replaced by a swooning nun.

“Study time with you? Sounds great!”

The door closes and you let out the breath you’ve been holding. Quinn may seem good-natured, but she is a demon who eats souls. Academic consensus is that wizard souls are a delicacy. You relax enough to release some of the mental blocks you placed on yourself. A clever way of hiding your thoughts to even soul-readers is to lock information from yourself.

Prevents you from thinking about national secrets, vital information, how to distract Quinn…Because that last bit is crucial. By teaching a magical being more about magic, you can study magic better. Sometimes, beings like her have neat little innate tricks to cast their magic. But most importantly, learning magic (without your memory enhancing spells) takes time and focus.

Her underlings are of no threat should they leave the campus.

Quinn, however, cannot be allowed to explore Camelot. There’s no telling what would happen if she infiltrates the ______.

Especially now, during the Wodensleep.

Balancing teaching, administration, archwizard duties, and the fate of the world is a touch more than you expected to handle when you first got this job.