Cor, warding – a central matrix acting as a buffer before redirecting energy to corresponding runes of the warding array. A Cor is usually used to facilitate operating and maintaining arrays designed for prolonged use or covering large areas. Advanced types enable changing energy allocation to specific sections of wards to prevent excess mana consumption by currently unneeded enchantments.

Preparing an array containing a Cor is noticeably longer and requires a different approach than setting a ward in a traditional way. An array containing a Cor, once set up, is much harder to modify and upgrade, however, is also far less likely to completely fail due to damage done to its outer formations.

- the excerpt from ‘Encyclopaedia Arcana – C’

“Master Evans, it is my pleasure to greet you in Silverfords’ Estate. Please follow me,” a servant spoke to Ion and Sae before leading them towards the mansion.

Walking through a well-kept garden surrounding the building, Ion closed his eyes focusing, trying to feel the flow of ambient mana.

Hidden behind the similar illusion he had used during the negotiation, Ion pointed towards Sae, making her a target for one of his cantrips.

“The wards here… I can sense a few crude ones. They were probably quite powerful once, however by now they have almost faded,” he whispered, yet no sound was produced as his words were carried directly towards Sae’s ears. “Contrary to this, the layer encompassing the building is more subtle and still well maintained. Just like the wards on the outer walls of the property.”

Even if his cantrip, Message, made overhearing almost impossible, it still required the words to be spoken. If not hiding behind illusory spell, one could try to lip-read him, or at least be alarmed by his odd behaviour.

“I see,” he heard a faint voice as Sae draped an elegant scarf around her neck, answering him in a similar matter.

Ion was surprised when he found out how difficult it was for his teammates to use this Cantrip. After days he spent teaching them during their travel from Windhelm, only Lyssa and Sae were able to initiate Message on their own, although the latter requiring quite a long time to concentrate. Dorian and Ciros were capable only of answering someone’s whisper, their voice often sounding distorted, missing some words. Thaleus couldn’t manage it at all.

‘Ciros… according to Sae, he still drinks in one of the taverns, torn by his knight’s ethos, his loyalty towards our group on the one side, a duty forcing him to turn us over to the authorities for creating undead on another.’

They entered the building, two guards opening a massive doorway as they approached. Ion took a breath of pleasant, invigorating air filling the spacious hallway, marvelling the sight of numerous paintings adorning walls.

“Edler Silverford is a known connoisseur of art,” the servant explained proudly, leading them upstairs. “A few paintings in Lord’s collection were even brought from Isvaarheim.”

‘They sure know how to use their wealth.’

Ion had no idea how valuable paintings around them were, but he was sure that small enchanted cubes, filling the air with a pleasant smell were expensive, especially in amounts required to affect the whole hall.

The servant opened a door to one of the chambers.

“The edler hopes that this apartment meets your expectations during your stay,” they have entered an elegant parlour. The servant pointed towards a pair of doors on the opposite side of the room. “The left chamber was prepared for you, Master. The right one can be used by your assistant or apprentices of yours. Would you require something, ring this bell to call one of the servants. A dinner should be ready in about an hour, Lord Silverford will be delighted to finally meet you in person.”

After making sure that Ion didn’t require anything else immediately, the servant left the room. The wizard proceeded to utter a spell, observing the apartment with now amplified sense of magic.

“Nothing that far from expectations,” Ion said after his investigation. “There is a fairly diffused array encompassing the whole estate… probably anti-divination, I sense it slightly interfering with my Detect Magic. It would also make sense to have some measure of protection against mages wanting to spy on you. The walls and some furniture are warded to have their durability increased. The cushions are enchanted to be even more soft and comfortable. What a way to waste gold it is… how long would pillows like those last? Two, three months?"

“Don't say so, it’s a marvellous idea, I have to test them!” Sae said, jumping on one of the single beds in the room assigned to her.

“The cushions on my bed were the enchanted ones,” Ion grinned. “Yours are normal.”

“It’s so unfair,” she pouted. “And your bed is bigger, too.”

“After all, I am the wizard here.”

They continued to chat through the cantrip as Ion emptied some of the clothes from his Spatial Bag, then proceeded with setting up tiny, stone tablets which he was covering with runes, establishing a privacy ward and an Alarm spell.

“Take a look,” Sae pointed through the window.

“Are you sure it’s him?” Ion asked, focusing on a single figure walking down the street outside of the residence garden.

When she nodded, Ion used a Message cantrip once more.

“Dorian?” after few seconds he received a confirmation. “We’ve received a room on this side of the residence, we’ll contact you tomorrow around the same time.”

“Although I’m still able to Message him across this distance, I doubt he will be able to reliably answer us.”

“We will think about something different.”

A sound of knocking interrupted their conversation.

“Dinner is ready, may you please follow me.”

****

Ion smoothed his robe slightly nervous. He expected to have his acting skills tested again, however, his current audience was far larger than expected.

“I am Edler Joseph Silverford and this is my wife, Oda,” a greying, but still healthy looking man sitting at the top of a richly set table greeted them. “Some of you might have already met my sons, Conrad and Heinrich.”

Conrad could be considered a younger, albeit little fatter version of his father, while Heinrich looked much like his mother. Ion caught a hostile stare of the second son, however when their eyes met, the noble quickly averted his gaze.

“I am very glad that you have accepted my offer and decided to help with deciphering the script I have found, Master Evans, Master Melker,” the edler continued, nodding to Ion and the other wizard.

The spellcasters observed each other for a moment. The man was slim, had short, dark hair. He could be around thirty years old if his appearance was to be trusted. Ion could feel the power emanating from his grey, enchanted robe.

‘Is he able to look through my transmutation spell? How powerful is he?’ Having to deal with another wizard was the reason for his uneasiness.

“Runemaster Amanda,” Joseph introduced an older woman, “should be able to provide you with some insights as she was already working on deciphering the notes for a few days. Also, apprentices Lara and Sten would gladly offer you any help you might require.”

A pair of teens, probably one or two years younger than Ion nodded shyly.

“Dabblers,” Melker snorted, the couple abashed by his remark. “So Evans, would you mind sharing what discipline are you specialising in? I’m mainly focusing on Abjuration.”

“I am merely trying to understand the eternal cycle of nature, of life and death.”

“So a Necromancy it is then? Quite an elaborate way to describe it. I wonder, what makes a Necromancer thinking that he is qualified to try breaking a ciphered records?”

“Researching the texts of old is a hobby of mine,” Ion answered calmly, yet Melker’s haughty attitude was beginning to annoy him. “They often provide many interesting insights, sometimes approaches described within are offering solutions one wouldn’t even consider.”

“I never understood why so many wizards waste their time studying fallen civilisations. Wouldn’t it be better to learn from those who actually survived to pass their knowledge? If something has been forgotten, maybe it was just not worth remembering?”

“Even if not all researches prove to be useful, even mistakes are worth learning from. Especially made by others.”

They continued the exchange for a few minutes, the rest of the guests watching them silently, food forgotten. Soon they started to probe each other arcane knowledge with questions, sometimes joined by Amanda.

Melker was presumptuous, almost to the point when Ion has found himself hoping for his trance-like state to trigger again just to temper the other wizard. He had to admit, however, that the man really deserved the title of a Master.

‘But a 5th circle is probably his limit… I doubt someone as conceited could stand to be called simply a Master, having attained the rank of a High Wizard.’

Thanks to his access to fragmented memories of Vision-he, Ion believed he fared rather well in both a discussion and maintaining his disguise. His insights also gave the interlocutors a pause quite a few times.

“I must admit that some of your theories are interesting,” Melker finally concluded, with a hint of respect in his voice. “Often outrageous, true, but interesting nonetheless.”

Judging by Melker’s reactions to few of his claims, Ion supposed that there might be differences, some subtle but others more significant, to how the magic operated in this Plane, comparing to what he knew from his visions.

‘Is this a reason why I wasn’t able to recreate some of the spells at all? And to think that an ambient mana here could sometimes be depleted in just an average, prolonged fight between two spellcasters, not solely in massive battles like Vision-me believed…’

“And this lady sitting next to you, is she an apprentice of yours?” Having finished their discussion Melker asked with curiosity.

“She’s Rita, an assistant of mine. She’s well versed when it comes to researching ancient lore and comparing various records of history.”

“I am just taking care of more mundane things so that my master could fully focus on his researches,” Sae responded with a smile.

“I heard from my son that you also have an apprentice, you hadn’t brought her along?” the edler decided to join the conversation, seeing the wizards have finished their dispute.

“I required her to take care of a few things around the area, as well as check few places we deemed possible to host remains of Dworcen civilisation I spoke about earlier,” Ion gave a trained answer before changing the topic. “I can’t help, but wonder; going through your garden I noticed that there seem to be quite a few wards that were dissipating…”

“Ah, to think they still work,” Oda said smiling. “They were made by our daughter, Arianna. She created them before leaving to Aethera University. She is very talented, being able to achieve 4th circle in both Evocation and Conjuration before her 14 birthday.”

“Really, what a gifted girl,” Melker said with a tinge of jealousy. Ion himself was also impressed.

“They have an immense magical repository, she should be in good hands,” the other wizard nodded to Ion’s words.

They continued to talk over the course of the dinner. Overall, Silverford family surprised Ion. He supposed that people for whom they would be working would be more villainous, like evil characters from some of the novels he had read. Contrary to his expectations, they seemed to be friendly, mannered, well-educated.

'Excluding Heinrich, of course.'

“I have already arranged for some of your requested materials to be delivered,” the edler said to the wizards before leaving the hall, when everyone finished eating. “Ask servants when you would like to check them.”

Seeing Melker taking the offer immediately, Ion decided to also find out what Silverfords managed to provide to him already.

One of the servants led them to a small stone building not far from the main building of the residence.

“I am terribly sorry Master, but we weren’t able to bring everything that you requested into the main building. However, I may bring documents you have asked for to your apartment if you wish.”

“No, it’s fine, we will carry them ourselves.” Ion looked on the small stack of papers at the table. When setting up his alarm spell Ion hadn’t considered that servants might try entering inside to do their work.

After the man left, Ion glanced at Sae who immediately started to sweep through the parchments.

“What have you requested from them, actually?” Ion was sure that this part of the payment was Sae’s idea.

“It might be only a cover story for you, but I really want to find out whether there are some interesting places south from there,” Sae replied to Ion’s Message. “We still need to decide where to travel afterwards and after your recent change of mind my idea to travel to Fallpoint would be surely outvoted.”

Ion produced a mortar and pestle along with a few containers and begun to grind herbs provided by Silverford family.

‘I managed to order a strange mix of plants commonly found in Rikse along with those clearly native to the Plane Vision-me lived on… or at least Sae’s interpretation of them.’ Curiously few herbs, like Peyas and Rangdos looked exactly the same like those that he knew from his dreams, albeit with different names. Others were clearly different.

‘Could they really be the same species? That would mean that some of the plants might be prevalent throughout many Planes. Were they spread purposely, or is it merely a work of nature? If their properties are similar then I might try to use alchemy knowledge of Vision-me not only to know how to handle the utensils. I could also attempt to recreate some of the recipes used by him.’

Until now Ion wanted to mostly use what he has learned from Ryan about mixing herbs to achieve desired effects.

‘I wonder how is he faring? He is probably training with other recruits in Windhelm, we would have surely heard if they have sent another batch of troops. After all, they should have to go through Leisha's Crossroads.’

‘There is still something to reclaim…’ an unwanted thought remembered Ion about the destroyed waystation. He hoped that fresh recruits, like his friend, wouldn’t end up as a cannon fodder against daemons.

“Another room to set up privacy wards around. Eh, I will set it up here tomorrow, it's not like I'm going to leave anything important here...”

“As for privacy… it might be worth to investigate something more about those two apprentices here. I think they might be runaways from one of the guilds… and I bet you have impressed them.”

“What?”

“Well, at first they seemed quite shaken at the mention of you being a Necromancer, yet when you started discussing with Melker, they were hanging on your every word.”

“I guess learning more about some Wizards’ Guilds could be only beneficial.”

An angry growl resounded from the corner of the room.

“I was really wondering what were you planning to do with them,” Sae commented, sparing a glance on the three small cages lying there.

Ion wondered for a while looking at the two owlbear pups and a single little vargr.

“Parts of beasts could be used as material components or to create alchemical mixtures?”

“Are you answering or asking?” She laughed. “Don’t waste a whole night trying to figure it out. As for me, I’m going to take those papers to our apartment and read them there before sleeping. Good night, Master Evans.”

Being left alone, Ion observed the monsters for a little longer. Even so small and confined to the cages they were now thrashing wildly, trying to attack him. Apparently, whatever was used to drug them was wearing off.

Actually, Ion had a pretty good idea how the creatures could be used.

He willed Magic Missiles to hit one of the owlbears. The young wizard was surprised to find out that a slightly different combination of the sigils, one which he was trying to arrange for a little while, allowed him to send a fourth dart from his finger. It was faint and much weaker than the rest, but it seemed that it was a correct path in developing this spell. Its efficiency was finally similar to the version he has learned from Archibald and had a slightly better effect.

Ion silently cursed, seeing the pup staggering and falling on the ground.

As he investigated the body from closer, it appeared that the creature was still breathing, even if weakly. Relieved, he continued by casting another spell, Vampiric Touch.

Ion was working on the idea that occurred to him after experiencing the Lifeforce flowing when he used Animated Dead.

His shadow-wretched hand touched the healthy pup. Instead of just letting the spell heal him, Ion continued the chant, imagining different sigils, trying to keep siphoned energy in check, redirect it towards the wounded monster.

He felt a small headache when the spellpattern broke and the spell was disrupted. He adjusted it before trying once more, yet the effect was similar. When he tried to cast it for the third time, he sighed, seeing the pup he was targeting was already dead.

He moved on to the small vargr and proceeded again.

This time, he could feel some sort of energy within his grasp, struggling to break free. The five steps he had to take towards the cage with the first owlbear while concentrating on maintaining the spell were as taxing as a whole day of travelling with a caravan from Windhelm. Finally, Ion managed to put his hand on the pup. With a relief, he let the energy flow into the monster, releasing the spell.

At first, nothing happened. Then the monster twitched, releasing a pained chirp. Its breathing became even more haggard, a small tumour growing from the area Ion have touched.

As the small vargr was already dead after his single spell, Ion decided to end the owlbear’s misery with more Magic Missiles.

‘If I want this to work I can’t allow the Lifeforce to run wildly after releasing it. Maybe I should also give the monsters some sort of a sedative before trying again…’

Ion wondered if he could preserve the corpses of the beasts by freezing them, but the only spell at least partially connected to ice he knew probably wasn’t best suited for the task.

‘I might as well try it.’

He spent almost two minutes chanting before azure-blue flames started to emerge around his right palm. Then he continued for another two, trying to stabilise them, despite the numbness, which was spreading from his hand to the rest of his body. Finally, he pointed at one of the corpses, and the ball of Coldfire flew towards it with a speed of an arrow.

Ion still chanted, observing an eerie sight. The ball exploded, blue flames spread around in a small radius, limited by Ion’s incantation. What they touched, started to freeze, being encased in a layer of frost. The Coldfire also burned, however unlike a regular fire, it was burning directly the Lifeforce of what it touched. It used up the last of what remained inside the creatures Ion have killed, leaving corpses withered when the flames subsided. Instead of leaving a trail of smoke, they produced hoarfrost in their wake.

The whole spectacle couldn’t have lasted longer than ten seconds.

Ion staggered, a huge chunk of his mana drained.

‘I need to finish this spell. If I manage to properly cast it then I wouldn’t even have to bother with learning a Fireball anymore.’

After resting for a moment he packed everything to his Spatial Bag and returned to his apartment. On his way back, he spotted four guards protecting the residence. They only nodded to him respectfully before moving further.

In the room, seeing that Sae was already sleeping, Ion quietly checked the wards he made before leaving and went straight to his bed.

He was too tired to even be annoyed when he noticed that his cushions were swapped for a non-enchanted set.