ticking off fingers, “first, which entities would have enough power to fuel these attacks; second, of those entities, who would be willing to work with a Demigod from an annihilated pantheon still subject to persecution,” I continued, my curiosity piquing as I went, “and finally, what possible value could even a band of listless Demigods provide in exchange for such a commitment?”
Pi’Vari shrugged. “Those are good questions, Jezran,” he replied calmly. “They are also questions to which I do not currently have the answers.”
“A Dragon Lord?” I asked, drawing blanks.
Pi’Vari shook his head. “Certainly not, as even if Arch Magos Rekir had not stamped out the last of their kind within a thousand miles thirty years ago,” he said with a thin sneer, as we both knew how unlikely it was for Rekir to fail at anything , “there is simply no possibility that a Dragon Lord would use its precious life force to fuel ineffective attacks like this. It would instead employ a real, tangible army of mercenaries using riches and the promise of more riches on fulfillment of the contract.”
I nodded, knowing he was absolutely correct. I thought for a few moments before another idea hit me. “A cabal of free wizards, then,” I said hopefully.
Again, Pi’Vari shook his head. “Impossible. Even if Sbeegl himself returned from the void to lead a cabal of a dozen equally legendary figures, their combined resources would only be able to produce this effect,” he furrowed his brow as he performed some mental gymnastics, “once in a year,” he said with finality. “I suppose if they were willing to risk death due to overexertion,” he mused absently, “they might be able to produce it twice in a year, but not seven times in seven months.”
I was stumped. As usual, my herald’s logic was unassailable.
Pi’Vari stopped drumming his fingers on the table, which immediately got my attention. The man’s habits were infuriating and ever-present, making their cessation more notable than their presence.
“What is it, Pi’Vari?” I asked, hoping he had something.
He clenched his teeth and looked like he wished I hadn’t noticed anything. Finally he offered, “It could be a High Wizard of the Imperial Inner Circle.”
I raised my eyebrows, and I could sense even Aemir’s surprise at my herald’s suggestion.
“Why would a High Wizard of Veldyrian do that?” I blurted. “Even if they didn’t know of its riches before we put in our official claim to the territory of Coldetz this month, to know that such a large store of mythicite lay just beneath the castle’s walls would have prompted even the most insane Imperial Wizard to cease these attacks,” I asserted, but seeing that Pi’Vari wasn’t convinced, I pressed on. “mythicite is more valuable than anything—other than prospective High Wizards—to the Empire, and the amount here is more than any other recorded find in Veldyrian’s history.”
Pi’Vari finally nodded his head. “I suppose that such an ambitious individual would opt for political, rather than physical, pressures after learning of the mythicite’s presence,” he agreed.
“What makes Gods’ Blood so difficult for your people to find?” Aemir asked unexpectedly.
Pi’Vari rolled his eyes, but I ignored him and turned to Aemir. “Gods’ Blood, or mythicite as the Empire calls it, is impervious to all efforts at Augury or other forms of Divination,” I explained, although my own knowledge of the substance was limited. “It’s highly prized among Imperial Houses, and as Veldyrian is a relatively young city of only five centuries, discovery of large pockets of the mineral is still a fairly regular occurrence.
Aemir nodded slowly before continuing, “What is so important about the Gods’ Blood to the Empire? Among my people, its only use is to augment the durability and effectiveness of weapons and armor, and in the hands of our finest craftsmen it can produce items which
Pi’Vari shrugged. “Those are good questions, Jezran,” he replied calmly. “They are also questions to which I do not currently have the answers.”
“A Dragon Lord?” I asked, drawing blanks.
Pi’Vari shook his head. “Certainly not, as even if Arch Magos Rekir had not stamped out the last of their kind within a thousand miles thirty years ago,” he said with a thin sneer, as we both knew how unlikely it was for Rekir to fail at anything , “there is simply no possibility that a Dragon Lord would use its precious life force to fuel ineffective attacks like this. It would instead employ a real, tangible army of mercenaries using riches and the promise of more riches on fulfillment of the contract.”
I nodded, knowing he was absolutely correct. I thought for a few moments before another idea hit me. “A cabal of free wizards, then,” I said hopefully.
Again, Pi’Vari shook his head. “Impossible. Even if Sbeegl himself returned from the void to lead a cabal of a dozen equally legendary figures, their combined resources would only be able to produce this effect,” he furrowed his brow as he performed some mental gymnastics, “once in a year,” he said with finality. “I suppose if they were willing to risk death due to overexertion,” he mused absently, “they might be able to produce it twice in a year, but not seven times in seven months.”
I was stumped. As usual, my herald’s logic was unassailable.
Pi’Vari stopped drumming his fingers on the table, which immediately got my attention. The man’s habits were infuriating and ever-present, making their cessation more notable than their presence.
“What is it, Pi’Vari?” I asked, hoping he had something.
He clenched his teeth and looked like he wished I hadn’t noticed anything. Finally he offered, “It could be a High Wizard of the Imperial Inner Circle.”
I raised my eyebrows, and I could sense even Aemir’s surprise at my herald’s suggestion.
“Why would a High Wizard of Veldyrian do that?” I blurted. “Even if they didn’t know of its riches before we put in our official claim to the territory of Coldetz this month, to know that such a large store of mythicite lay just beneath the castle’s walls would have prompted even the most insane Imperial Wizard to cease these attacks,” I asserted, but seeing that Pi’Vari wasn’t convinced, I pressed on. “mythicite is more valuable than anything—other than prospective High Wizards—to the Empire, and the amount here is more than any other recorded find in Veldyrian’s history.”
Pi’Vari finally nodded his head. “I suppose that such an ambitious individual would opt for political, rather than physical, pressures after learning of the mythicite’s presence,” he agreed.
“What makes Gods’ Blood so difficult for your people to find?” Aemir asked unexpectedly.
Pi’Vari rolled his eyes, but I ignored him and turned to Aemir. “Gods’ Blood, or mythicite as the Empire calls it, is impervious to all efforts at Augury or other forms of Divination,” I explained, although my own knowledge of the substance was limited. “It’s highly prized among Imperial Houses, and as Veldyrian is a relatively young city of only five centuries, discovery of large pockets of the mineral is still a fairly regular occurrence.
Aemir nodded slowly before continuing, “What is so important about the Gods’ Blood to the Empire? Among my people, its only use is to augment the durability and effectiveness of weapons and armor, and in the hands of our finest craftsmen it can produce items which
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