It was simple enough to verify that the large white stone home did, in fact, belong to Enoras. The next day, I went deep into the surrounding grassland until I found what I was looking for: a rock face, roughly 30 feet tall, made of limestone. I intended to create an arcane circuit that could, if properly implemented, allow me to scale the wall.
Magic was rather simple in some ways. It wasn't about writing the runes to affect the world exactly as you demand. There was no combination of runes that could simply make me walk on the wall without effort. Life wasn't a fantastical story after all. I had to use science and my innate understanding of the physical world to bring about my desired outcome.
So, using my understanding of natural worlds and the forces that govern them. In less than a day, I developed an arcane circle to climb a stone wall.
One of the first things I noted was how energy was conserved, even in magic. My arcane circuit for Dragon’s Breath pushed a large current of spiraling air. Since energy is conserved as the air was pushed forward, this generated an equal and opposing force, which pushed my arm back.
What's the reverse of this? What if I tried to pull air through instead of pushing? Simple, my arm was pulled forward, instead of being pushed back. Then we go further, what if I tried to pull the stone towards me? Since the mass of the short cliff face was greater than my body. The small flat stone I was using to test the circuit was pulled towards the cliff face.
With enough energy, the pulling force would generate enough friction between the rock and cliff to support my weight.
I looked at the small pile of wood, which was currently being used to fuel the pulling, slowly turning black.
The stone was stuck to the face of the cliff, a few inches above my head. Grabbing the stone, I lifted myself off the ground.
Then I slowly decreased the strength of the binding until the stone gave way, and it could no longer support me.
‘Alright, step one is complete.’
After releasing the binding, I sat on the ground, contemplating further.
‘I’ll need gloves with metal plates in the palms. And boots too. If I regulate the strength of four, no, make it six, of these bindings, I could crawl up the side of a wall. Though this does give me ideas about flying.’
Immediately, I abandoned the idea. If Heywood, a mage with all the might and learning of the Magisterium, couldn't fly. Then I had no hope of solving the problem in this lifetime. I had ideas, but I had no interest in breaking an arm or shattering a collar bone.
‘How did he leap from building to building, though? Those jumps should be impossible or, at the very least, have shattered his ankles. Something to think about.’
Most of Heywood's magic was a puzzle to me. The precise levitation of the objects, the beams of light, and the fiery explosions. I could create the explosion as well, perhaps compressing a large amount of combustible air. It would require testing and experimentation, something I couldn't afford to do at the moment.
“A deal is a deal,” I dropped five bits into her cup as well.
“Wait! One more thing,” Urn said before. I raised an eyebrow in question, “I want to sit on your horse.”
I looked at his sister. “If he falls and cracks his head, it's his fault.”
She shrugged, seeming not to care, though she was glaring at the boy.
~
We headed east in a more industrial section of Lowtown, Urn sat atop my horse looking down imperiously at passers by. The smell of iron, coal, and burning wood was thick in the air. Tradesmen worked in forges, hammering out tools and smelting iron. Large bloomeries pumped a constant stream of dark ash into the air as their bellows were worked by young strapping men.
I could have found a blacksmith on my own. But one acquainted with beggars was most likely not important enough to be feeding anyone influential, information.
Over-caution, I suppose, you never know if things like that could make a difference.
I looked to Urn, the boy sat upon Cole, grinning like a madman as he lorded above the other peasants.
“He’s enjoying himself,” I said to Gorill.
“Aye, and you weren’t lyin’ when you said he was a decent beast.”
“Any news in the city?” I asked as I navigated Urn around a large cart carrying coal.
“Nothin’ really worth coin, some big shots came ridin’ through town earlier.”
“Anyone interesting?”
Gorill shrugged her thin shoulders, “Don’t know. She was in a giant carriage. Never saw the like.”
“She?”
“Aye, some noble young-looking woman.”
“You saw her?”I asked.
“Looked out of the window of her carriage, really pretty, she was.”
‘At least it wasn’t Heywood. Though, given his previous tactics, I doubt he would arrive in something obvious.’
“There we are,” she said, holding out her hand and nodding at a decrepit old store with a door barely hanging from its hinges.
I sighed and dropped a few bits in her hand.
~
“So, can you do it in a day?” I asked the old blacksmith.
His entire business consisted of making nails, horseshoes, and unimpressive weapons. He looked down at my drawing, running a hand through a bushy, gray beard.
It was a simple request that anyone with even meager skills should be able to fulfill.
The design was rather simple; the job was to secure a plate I had already made into the palms of the leather gloves.
“It’ll affect the range of motion on your fingers,” he said.
“Not that much, at least not enough to matter. I just need it strong.”
“How strong?. And what you want this for?” He asked.
“Strong enough that even a bear couldn't rip the metal out, and my purpose is my own; you need not concern yourself.”
He looked at me suspiciously, “And the kneeguards and soles of your shoes; same setup?”
I nodded, “Yes, just make them strong.”
“Eagle, whole deal,” he said, eyes unwavering.
I placed two on his counter, “You never met me, correct?”
He smiled and slid the two eagles into a pocket. “Never met who?”
~
I rode Cole five miles north up the river, making sure that no one would stumble upon me as I tested my new climbing gear and circuits.
Cole sipped water from the bank of the river as I prepared my implements. The first item was a three-foot-wide ring of thin iron, purchased from a cooper. Using my dagger, I carved a heat absorption formula into the iron ring, tied a block of wood on one end, and a heavy iron weight to the other.
Then, I tossed the iron ring into the river. It sank to the bottom; however, the buoyancy of the wood on one end allowed it to sit upright in the water.
I reached into my pack and pulled out a heavy leather glove; in the palm was a four-inch square of iron with the arcane circle. Walking towards a large boulder near the bank of the river, I bound my glove to ring in the water weakly.
Placing my palm on the rock, I slowly increased the binding strength. The circuit was designed to pull the rock towards the arcane circle; however, since I was much lighter, I was pulled towards it instead. The iron plate was stuck to the surface of the stone.
After increasing the binding strength to match the throughput of my first experiment, I tried to pull my glove off the stone, simulating how the pulling would occur due to gravity, and marveled at how much more energy could be obtained from water.
By my guess, for the same volume of water, it contained at least 30 times the energy density of air. The only problem was the minimum energy point. Frozen water would quickly cause problems in any energy generation system. Careful regulation of the energy extraction would be necessary for proper operation. The magisterium could certainly create such a system, so why exactly did they not with Greystone?
Static rings to absorb heat from the water would be preferable to massive waterwheels, which needed repairs and upkeep. There had to be a reason. Regardless, it did not matter to my plans.
Bracing with one of my feet, I tried to forcefully pry the glove from the rock. After a minute of failing, I nodded in satisfaction.
‘Six of them should be more than enough to get me over the wall.’
I glanced at the surrounding land. The beautiful rolling hills of grass and an azure sky dotted with soft white clouds, drifting in the flowing wind, brought a sense of peace. But there was something beneath it all. I was alone.
Avoiding contact with anyone beyond absolute necessity was the price of safety. Other than the two beggars, a few merchants here or there, all my conversations were relegated to business. Jenna wasn't a high intellect by any means, but an evening conversation over a good meal was always enjoyable, regardless of the inanity.
I supposed this was another price of not ridding myself of these feelings. It was a natural human instinct to seek connection with others. Still, I wouldn't turn my back on my goals regardless of my sudden melancholy.
‘Still, I wouldn't mind some company.’
~
Walking along Crag Street was an eye-opening experience; the massive water wheels were even more intimidating up close. Even standing a hundred feet away, I could hear the system of gears churning as the wheels turned.
The base of the trapezoidal stone building spanning across the lake was surrounded by thirty-foot walls and an immense gate.
I kept walking east. As I followed the road, I ignored the stalls and shops that dotted the banks of the river.
Eventually, I left the ten waterwheels behind. The walls of Greystone were massive in size; an intimidating construct of smooth dark gray stone that sat near the banks of the river. It continued for some time. Until there was a sharp turn to the north, and the walls streaked off into the distance, seemingly forever.
Grey stone, though only the capital of a county, was the fourth-largest city in the empire. Though that was due to the sprawl of Lowtown.
It was so valuable as a center of trade that for the last century, it was involved in no wars. Even when Count Elieas’s Liege lord went to war some years ago, he was not called upon.
‘Right there is a good spot.’
The wall was still rather close to the lake, but the endless sprawl of ramshackle buildings finally thinned into grass fields and farmland. In the dead of night, with my new clothes and cloak practically the same color as the stone, no one would see me. This entrance was even farther from Enoras’s manor than I would prefer, but I was erring on the side of safety.
~
I stared at Hightown with open-mouthed awe.
“Beautiful,” I said aloud.
Only now did I understand what the water wheels were powering. I sat atop Cole a few miles south on a hill, looking down at the city in the distance. I rode Cole around the surrounding grassland, mostly just to kill time and enjoy myself. The sun was setting, and I wanted to see what the area would look like if I fled in the night.
‘This is what a magus can do to a city with enough resources and power.’
Between 10000 and 12000 lights dotted the streets of Hightown. It glowed beautifully in the night; every street was well-lit. The sheer scale and expense required were incalculable. Nothing I have accomplished could compare.
‘They have to be extending the distance of their bindings somehow.’
While I certainly wasn't a master magus, I doubted that anyone could create a binding that could stretch for miles. I felt something stir in me, some kind of emotion.
‘Excitement?’
‘If I controlled Grenwood, I could create something like this magical wonder.'
'Pump fresh water into the city using steel pipes, giving everyone access to clean water.'
'Bathhouses everywhere, so I don't have to smell everyone's stink.'
'Sewer systems that pumped out the waste from the city. Warmers beneath the ground to prevent snow buildup.'
My mind wandered as I was lost in the beauty of the city.
A small chuckle escaped from my throat, “I bet those peasants would fall to their knees in worship.”
The idea pleased me, and for a few moments I savored the mental painting. Then, I shook my head and refocused my thoughts. The final preparations were complete, and tomorrow I would act. I could only hope I don't bring down destruction on such a beautiful city.