How to End A Task Less than Perfectly
The large coin/medallion stood solemnly atop the hill as if patiently waiting for someone or something. Six thick beams of light appeared around the hill and illuminated the area brightly.
The abyss was quiet and focused here. The currents running swiftly and sharply. Ready to slice through any flesh that dared to explore the middle areas of the abyss.
As Rachel wove her spell her senses went down into this area of the Abyss and began surveying their situation. The monument stood as it had when she left it. The medallion with the coin at its center hung ominously from the monument.
She felt its intent dance around her like it was trying to identify her and asses her threat level. Or even just identify her as someone already known.
Her weave had spread down into the abyss and over the monument and hill themselves. The sorcery led the different stretches of magic down and the weave positioned itself. Tendrils spread out from the weave and began attaching itself to the monument and hill.
And then the area lit up in a sparking dense silver light.
People began appearing around and within the hill. Rachel's siblings, and the Antrunie appeared around the arch and coin, while Rachel appeared high above the monument and the others, her spell still weaving and moving forth.
It had been eleven hours and the spellweave was almost complete so they decided to move down to the abyss.
"It's beautiful." Mis ran a hand gently over the arch while looking at the coin.
"Do you know what it is Mis?"
He nodded absent-mindedly at Cer's question but didn't answer. He just continued to examine the arch and ignoring the coin for the time being.
Rachel shook her head and giggled at her scholarly brother. "It is the Salmoon." She looked down at the monument and saw the runes of binding and of power covering the monument.
"It would seem that she is bound to the monument."
Everyone there knew who the Salmoon was but they were silenced because they never thought they would ever see her manifestation.
The Salmoon was the entrance to an ancient Azmin temple but it was originally a person. It had been a woman who fought against chaos with her brother Heries, the first Milana. The Salmoon was lost in a great war between ethnic groups when the realm was young. She was said to have been swallowed up in a magic conflict between the Elbin, Kefs, and Plasnarians.
Since the loss of the Salmoon and Heries and the losses in the ethnic wars these three groups now shared the continent of Klut; the current central continent. Because they are all on Klut many felt the Salmoon was somewhere near Klut.
Mis had pulled out paper and was taking rubbings of the arch. He took two rubbing before he started taking notes.
"Rachel do you think I will be able to study this after we are done?"
Mis spoke without looking up from the paper.
Rachel nodded. "You are the head librarian of Trannisa. Why would you need to ask permission to study something within this realm.
"I think you should study the alter below as well, it seems more ancient than Salmoon, and we really need to study the Abyss."
Mis finally looked up, excitement clear on his face. "The alter below? We can definitely study the abyss."
Rachel nodded. "I suspect that Salmoon moves about as she pleases but the alter is fixed. But, just in case, I marked and tethered both so that we know where they are at all times."
Rachel looked at Mis. "Go below and set things up. Make sure the alter won't be harmed. Anis, Cer, Yanira go with him."
Everyone got to work and Rachel continued her weave. The Antrunie, Cramnal, and Shain all rose above the hill and stood between two pillars and watched everything.
As things progressed they began to work. The five of them began casting spells and magic that began connecting to the weave and two large beams of light rose and aligned with the monument. The beams of light stood as sentinels on the sides of the monument. Their spell work kept the magic fed and allowed it to flow easily without triggering it. The entire thing was all building power and waiting.
When they finished they stood together, around Rachel, watching the others again.
"Milana. Your brother, Azalstin Shain, seems to be a problem. Antrunie Rebecca's guard have had to subdue him four times and that is just when I was actually paying attention to him." Smral looked to Rebecca.
She nodded. "Six times. "
"I think we should handle him Milana."
"In this I am in full agreement with the new Antrunie." Struns spoke while looking at Shain with hatred.
Rachel exhaled dramatically. "Agreed, but I think the tribunal will be better suited for this. Anis and Mis have already decided to reside in the great library while we are in Ambruce and Cer, Bre, and the guard commanders have sworn to handle him while we are there."
"You do know that I am standing here listening to all of you?"
They all looked to Shain as one. Their eyes only stayed on him a few seconds before they returned to the discussion at hand.
"And Sublyme and Althius?"
"Yes them as well Struns. But I will be honest I have already said they should not be dealt with too harshly."
"They are all traitors Milana. They all need Small Color."
"Calm down Struns." Rachel drew out all of her words. "They will be taken care of and Anis will remain safe. Are you saying you no longer trust Rachel?"
There was electric tension in the air as magics sparked around Rebecca and Struns in menacing arcs. Rachel said nothing. She believed that they should be allowed to work through their own disagreements and that her Antrunie needed to have their own opinions.
When all was ready Rachel, the three Antrunie, Cramnal, and, Shain stood above the webbing they made. Rachel was continually feeding it with magics. The guard pulled power through the formation and it began digging three magical anchors into points around the hill.
The abyss quaked as the power rumbled through it The Azalstin began releasing different magics. They used the formation, the anchors, and the webbing to disperse specific magics to specific locations within the realm.
Mental, soul, and healing magics primarily flowed forth through the realm. Seemingly normal, benign things altered or disappeared into piles of dust.
It was an easy task as there was not much resistance since the thrall was no longer imbuing intent. As knots and enthralled were destroyed or altered links were made. Rachel watched and looked for appropriate candidates to tie to the realm.
She wanted to strengthen the realm and she noticed that Smral chose locations, beings, and even plants to infect and enthrall that had powerful souls or mentality. She wanted these purified locations and life to be tied to the realm to strengthen it but she did not want others to understand the connections or how they were tied together.
She cast intricate, miniscule spells to tie intricate spell knots between locations and life. The magic was so minute and intricate that it seemed insignificant.
She stretched all of the magical lines taught and extended them to a central immovable point within the realm. An unknown spot that represented the realm's soul well in the spirit realm, and she tied everything off in seven intricate knots.
The knots glowed in deep rainbow light then softer and softer tones till no more light shown and the knots solidified into crystals of rainbow color. Soul water poured forth from the crystals and began adding to the constantly overflowing soul well of the realm.
The diamond formation embedded itself into the hill and the abyss around it and a continent of light formed high within the abyss just to the right of the hill. As this continent formed six more formed within the abyss along with it.
A door opened next to Rachel as the continent's light muted and subdued. A very fair woman with long white straight hair and milky white eyes stepped through it. She was a tall curvaceous woman with a full soft face large eyes and delicate eyebrows.
Her milky eyes brightened a bit as they looked up at the new continent. She was a Fasarian. They were people who lived below many of the continents. Rachel spoke to the realm in her dreams the night before and told it continents were needed in the abyss.
"Fellashane. Do you feel that you and your people can maintain the abyss for the realm. We have left it unattended for far too long. There are six other continents spaced throughout the abyss for your people to populate."
The Fasarian tore her eyes from the continent. She smiled and bowed to Rachel. "It will be our honor Milana."
"Zolon is a member of the Azmin Guard and can help you set up trade between the sky continents and the new continents. You and your people can name all seven. Remember the abyss is still a dangerous place. Wait for the Librarian to explore a bit before you and your people venture out on your own."
Zolon appeared at their side. He looked very similar to Fellashane. He nodded to both women.
"If you have any concerns…" She almost said speak with Shain but his role was now in question. "… Speak with Emil. How much time do you need to settle in? I want a council meeting to discuss realm changes."
"Do not worry Milana. Give us five days and we should be ready for…."
Rachel shook her head in disagreement. "Take at least a month Fellashane. You will need to answer a lot of logistical questions. You need a little time to be able to understand your new homes."
Fellashane smiled and nodded. "A month it is. Thank you Milana. And will you be at the next council meeting?"
"If the council feels I need to be there I will be there."