>>27970416
"Two hundred years‽‽‽"

Also, flex arms.

>>27970416
"Wait, taken my soul? Did you put it back?"

>>27970457
>I see you and your interrobangs.

"Two hundred years?!" You ask, and sit up.
"Yep!" She responds, clapping her hands together. "Could be longer than that, even, until you starve or something. You just won't die of natural causes now. I don't even know if you can get scars, actually."
You squint at her. "Wait, taken my soul? Did you put it back?"
"Just now, yeah. That's why you're conscious." She says, and waves the strange wand. "Got this dealie from Cromwell. It's how he was able to command golems despite their identification enchantments. Had your blood in it for the past few weeks, so you could say it was... attuned, I suppose. I was able to put your soul in here and have it control your lifeblood for me."
You stretch more, and flex your arm.
Oh yeah. You could get used to this. Your body's as strong as it's ever been. There's a reason you'd been able to survive E.E for nearly ten years.

>You're now Skilled in all physical acts. Combat, climbing, jumping, etc. I will take the HIGHEST of THREE rolls from now on.

Tarda's still rambling as you take this all in. "Of course, that had never been done before. Almost impossible, really, but that's why I'm Third Wizard. Because of my raw genius and hard-earned talent."

>>27970534
"Yeah, I can see why you've got all those hard earned titles."

"Shit, I look almost as young as Marcus now."

>>27970457
I'm free! It's time to conquer Earth!

>>27970534
"And your supreme skill at reading "recovered" notes."

>>27970534
"Hey, Tarda. Thank you for this."

Rolled 77

>>27970534
" and ...Take chances, make mistakes, getting messy!?"

>>27970534
"Technically aren't you first wizard now though?"

>>27970534
"I am really lucky that I have you as a friend. You are kind, smart, capable of saving my life multiple times and giving me near immortality."

"And your skill at reading recovered notes. Yeah, I can see why you've got all those hard-earned titles." You say, looking down at yourself. "Shit, I look almost as young as Marcus now."
"Told you that the reward would be worth it." Tarda says.
"I'm free!" You call, and start to pull on your clothing. "Technically, aren't you first wizard now?"

Tarda doesn't meet your eyes.
"There's a bit more to the rankings than that." She says. "The first and second wizards are dead. The second has been dead for thirty years... Well, maybe longer, actually. The first has been the first since Kystara became a place. They kept their titles as... a monument to them, or something."
She shrugs. She looks almost forlorn, talking about this. "And now I can never become second wizard, or first wizard. It's a damn shame."

You look at her, and shoot her a smile.

"Hey, Tarda. Thank you for this."
"Not a problem." She responds. "I didn't use any of my own energy on it at all. It's pretty late right now, but you're feeling pretty fired up by now, aren't you?"
You nod.
"Well, Strelok, we have... Another twelve hours until Mudimuna is charged." She says. "So we can't start the attack until then. That is, I'm presuming you still plan on attacking? Anyway, if we are going to attack him hard enough to wreck his barrier, we have twelve hours. Anything you wanna go do? If not, then I need to figure out how to control that remnant with this heart. It's still slamming itself uselessly against the barrier, and eats anything Kaederi tries to attack it with."

>>27970848
"I'm going to celebrate my new youth with a few drinks. Would you care to join me?"

>>27970848
"How about we go somewhere private and work off some stress?"

>>27970848
"Oh, where'd you figure out /that/ name from?"

>>27970848
"Well...is there anything fun you used to do, that doesn't require superpowers?"

"I'm going to go celebrate my new youth with a few drinks. Would you care to join me?"
"Hmm... Maybe..." She says. "But I do want to get into those notes you gave me..."
"Well, is there anything fun you used to do that doesn't require super powers?"
"... Drink, usually." She says. "The rest is all work."

Then she tilts her head. "You know what, it might be better if you take him." She says, nodding to the sleeping Mal.

"By the way, where did you figure out *that* name from?"
Tarda raises an eyebrow. "Just chalk it up to a weird wizard thing. You need to know someone's name to be able to scry on them."

You shrug, sigh, and make your way over to Mal. You shake him awake- his eyes widen.

<It's me.> You say.
<It's you?> He sounds groggy.
<It's me.>
<It's you! How are you feeling, bro?>
<I'm feeling good. Want to go for a few drinks?>
<Hell yeah.> He responds, and rubs at his eyes. <Let's go.>

The village is sleeping, seemingly uneffected by the smoking blasted fortress flying not far above the city to the north. The tavern's lights are on, as always, so you and Mal bustle in.
Miriam waves the two of you in.
"Hello!" She says, walking toward you to greet her. Then she freezes when she recognizes you. "Uh..."

She doesn't say anything else, almost stunned.

>>27971177
"Stunned into silence by my UNEARTHLY YOUTH."

>>27971177
"I can tell I'm going to get this reaction a lot."

>>27971177
"You should really be expecting this kind of stuff now that Tarda is out and about."

>>27971177
"A few drinks please, barwench."

"I can tell I'm going to get this reaction a lot." You say.
"I.. uh." She says.
"You really should be expecting this kind of stuff now that Tarda is out and about." You say.
"Yeah... I should." She says. "Is that really you?"
"Yep." You say. "A few drinks please."
"Right!" She says, and busies herself behind the bar getting you and Mal drinks. "I don't suppose there's a way Tarda could do this for me, is there?"

>>27971319
"No harm asking, I guess?"

>>27971319
"From what I gather it's some secret ritual for wizards, and takes a lot of energy. Plus, that heart was eating me, so I would have died."

>>27971319
"You like the way I look now don't you?"

>>27971392
"From what I gather, it's some secret ritual for wizards, and takes a lot of energy. Plus, that heart was eating me, so I would have died without it. There's no harm asking, is there?"
"I could just ask her..." She says.
"You like the way I look now, don't you?"
"... A little, yes." She says. Mal starts to drink as well.

>Is there anything you guys want to do for the next few hours, or just stay here and talk to people?

>>27971430
Stay, chat, karate chop some bricks to test our strength.

>>27971430
Oh, now that we're stronger, do we still have to use both hand to hold the elephant gun?

>>27971430
Charge up our steamsling and the cloak generator

>>27971430
We must flaunt our new-found youth! Go find Ann.

>>27971430

We still have to figure out a way to deal with our mission, do we just tell them that creating weapon amounts of Runes is impossible and quit?

>>27971430
Maybe go check that the Heart isn't eating Tarda?

You sit back for a time, laughing and talking with Mal, or a few hours. Slowly, the sun starts peeking over the horizon, so you decide, only slightly drunk, to go show off to Ann. You climb out of your seat and stagger down to Leroy's farm, regenerating your cloak generator and finally, mostly sober, walk back up to blacksmithy. There, you see Dalton hard at work. According to the lights in the house, Ann hasn't woken up yet.

"...You got younger." He says. "Wizard?"
"Yeah." You say.
"The magic users never tend to do that sort of thing for us mundanes. Good on you."

His reaction isn't anything like what you'd hoped. However, as you sit and chat with Dalton, you hear Ann wake up.

When she pulls open the door, dragonmeal in hand to no doubt look for Bruno, she pauses when she sees you.
"... I'm going back to bed." She says, staring at you.

Bruno, currently hiding behind the barrels- no doubt to jump out and surprise her- whimpers.

>>27971934
"What? Am I that horrifying?"

>>27971934
"Bruuuuuun!"

"How is the little fella doing? Still snorting flames?"

>>27971934

"wait, It's me! Do I look that strange now? Bruno, you remember me, right buddy? Buddy?"

>Oh god, Bruno will never be as close to us as he was before. The heart will have the last laugh.

>>27971934
He's hiding from us. He can sense how dangerous we are now.

>>27971934
"No! It's better this way! When I'm injured, I'm just going to die, rather than mutate horribly."

"What? Am I that horrifying?" You hold out your hands. Bruno whimpers, but his head tilts just slightly. "Bruno!" You cry. The little confused dragon makes a 'grumph' noise at the sound of his name, and hops into your hands without hesitation.
Ann stares. And then rubs at her eyes. And then stares some more.
"No, it's better this way!" When I'm injured, I'm just going to die, rather than mutate horribly."
"I agree." Ann mumbles. "It is better this way."
She rubs at her eyes some more.

"How is the little fella doing? Still snorting flames?"
"Only when you tickle his belly." She responds.
You, of course, tickle his belly, and get some cute hiccups and a small spurt of flame in return.
"What happened? Why do you look like that?" Ann asks.
"You look like a girl, without the stubble and all that hair." Dalton jeers at you.

>>27972287
"That remnant heart was eating my guts badly, so Tarda performed some ritual to reset my body. I think."

>>27972287
"Give it few hours, most of it will grow back."

"And this is payment for getting Tarda a huge amount of Wizard notes. I probably won't age for another hundred years or so."

Pause

"I don't know if E.E. will be happy or angry."

>>27972287
"Worse. I look like Marcus."

That's a good point, Dalton. Let's get a knife/sword/scissors and cut our hair short and rugged-looking.

>>27972287

"That heart Tarda saved my life with? tried to mutate me, painfully, I got her a 'few' important notes and she rewarded me with this. took me back to my prime years in life."

"I'll have you know that this 'girly looking guy' had no trouble wooing the ladies back in his day."

"Any progress coming to a decision on Bruno, Ann?"

"Give it a few hours, most of it will grow back." You say. "That remnant heart was eating my guts badly, so Tarda performed some ritual to reset my body. I think. She also called it the payment I got for getting her a huge amount of wizard notes. I probably won't age."
You pause.
"I don't know if E.E will be happy or angry." You add as an afterthought.

"Remnant heart?" Ann asks.
"That heart Tarda saved my life with." You say. Then you turn to Dalton. "And I'll have you know that this 'girly looking guy' had no trouble wooing the ladies back in his day."
"Heh. Come back when you've seduced a queen."
"Dad!" Ann yells. Dalton just cackles.
"But that's a good point." You say, and hack off your hair. "Makes me look like Marcus, anyway."

You turn to Ann again.
"Any progress coming to a decision on Bruno?"
"Change isn't a bad thing until it is." She says. "So I think he'll keep it. For now, anyway."

>>27972548
"A wise decision. I was of that same opinion until my organs were almost forcibly replaced."

I want to try sparring with Tarda. She's been written as being surprisingly strong, mite b fun.

>>27972548

"The fire adds a certain charm, I wonder how other dragons would react to him."

>>27972587

she needs to save up her magic for our fight against Kaedri, sparring now is likely not something she'll agree to at this point.

>>27972661
I meant physical. Punches and stuff, not magical.

>>27972548
Hold Bruno like a rifle and tickle his belly.

"Hey! Flamethrower!"

"A wise decision. I was of that same opinion until my organs were almost forcibly replaced."
You sling Bruno up and forward, like a rifle. Bruno doesn't look happy about being played with, but he's pleased enough by the attention not to care. "Hey! Flamethrower!" You say.

Then you tickle his belly. Bruno hiccups some flame, but it's almost like a few sparks.
Ann giggles.
"The fire adds a certain charm. I wonder how other dragons would react to him."
"I've seen how other dragons react to him normally. When he was a hatchling, I mean." Dalton says, scratching the dragon's head. "They didn't survive him. They didn't give him food, so he attacked them. Scared them off. Imagine this little six month drake squeaking and squealing up the most furious tirade I've ever heard of."
He chuckles, and pats you on the head.
"So that's your answer, kid."

>>27972828
"Oh, I see what you're doing now."

>>27972828
"Thanks, old man."

>>27972828

"Very funny, old man." with a chuckle of our own.

>>27972828
"Got any cool stuff lying around, Dalton?"

>>27972828
Hey, I'm not actually a kid. Nor any younger then I was.

I've got forty six years under my belt!

"Very funny, old man." You say. "I'm not any younger than I was."
"You got any good stuff lying around?" You ask.
"Nah, just the forge, all my tools, a small pressure hammer... And of course, this beauty." He says, tapping the large machine that pumped air into the tank for him. "Cromwell helped me make it a while back. Free pressure for anyone who comes by. Just using the excess heat of my smelter and forge."

He grins. "It may as well be my second daughter."
"Hey!" Ann says again. She growls, and then snatches Bruno from your hands and stomps off.
Dalton's just chuckling.

>>27973103
"You've really got your hands full with her, haven't you?"

>>27973103
"If I don't succeed in bringing down that castle, you should probably get out of town so you're not killed."

>>27973103
Pretty sweet.

Hey, I think we ought to thank cromwell for inadvertantly saving our life with that blood control wand.

Also we should put our new body to the test somehow. Perhaps go exploring or down into the caves again.

"You've really got your hands full with her, haven't you?"
"No, I don't think I do." He says, and chuckles. "Ann's a clever kid. It's more like the other way around. Anything she gives me, I usually deserve."
"How sweet." You say. Then you sigh. "If I don't succeed in bringing down that castle, you should probably get out of town."
"... Yeah." He says. "I agree."

Then he looks out to where Ann carries Bruno, swinging him in her arms.
"Just where to?" He asks. Then he sighs. "I'm going to leave it up to her where we go. I'm not sure if she's ready to make a decision or not."
"Mmm." You say, with a nod.
"I might do it anyway. Leave all this crap here and just go. I'm not a very good blacksmith in the first place."
He chuckles.
"Least we can do is wait until you take that castle down. Or try, at the least. I don't know what's up there, but it sounds like bad news."

>>27973431
Well, it's what happens when a wizard gets mad with power and imprisons his entire country in a dream world and uses their souls as fuel for his magic.

>>27973431
"Yeah."

"Do you ever regret leaving Delura?"

>>27973431
"I can confirm that the castle holds a lot of bad news."

"Yeah. I can confirm that the castle holds a lot of bad news." You say, looking up at it. Constantly, black smoke bellows out of the place the tower once was. It's almost familiar, and makes your spine tingle as you watch it.
A moment later, you turn back to Dalton. "Do you ever leaving Delura?"

"Me? A lot, yeah." He says. "I miss it quite a bit. But I'm here to keep her safe. Back when we first escaped, things were bad. Bad enough for me to break my code and allegience when it came down to it."
He shrugs. "Still worth it, though. I'd do it again if I had to. But I would like to go back, someday. Maybe after Ann marries. Or grows up to rule the world. I figure it's gonna be one or the other."

You chuckle, and wave. "Well, I'm going to go thank Cromwell." You say.
"Alright. Take care."

You make your way to Cromwell's tower, and knock on the door. He opens it, and munches on what looks like a raw mushroom.
"Yes? What's the matter?" He asks.

He doesn't react to your new appearance at all.

>>27973594
"Can't a man come by and thank another for his efforts in arcane rituals that restore youth and vitality?"

>>27973594
"I thought I'd come by and see how you are. How's the research coming?"

>>27973594
Give him a hug. "It's thanks to you I'm still alive!"

>>27973594
"Forgive me for asking outright, but why don't you have any Lifeblood?"

"Can't a man come by and thank another for his efforts in arcane rituals that restore youth and vitality?" You ask.

Cromwell gives you his normal smile.
"Oh, sorry, come in, come in." He says. "What do you mean, thank me? I was informed that the ageless ritual is a... coming of age for apprentices. There's nothing I was able to change or do with it."
"That golem tool you made." You say. "Tarda found it... useful."
"Ah." He says. "She ran in several hours ago, looking rather... upset. She didn't even knock. Ran in, grabbed the tool, and ran back out."
Then he shrugs.

"Forgive me for asking outright, but why don't you have any Lifeblood?"
"Oh, right. Some years ago, there were some rather upset philosophers who were angry at me for completing their experiment for them. That was when I left the academy." He says, and pulls open his tunic. There sits a large brass plate, slowly thrumming. "I don't have lifeblood because I don't have a heart at all. I still have blood, but nothing that magic rules as 'life'. Tarda tested a few spells meant for inorganic things on me. They all worked. I'm not a person, in the law of magic. It also means that that 'ageless' ritual wouldn't function for me."

>>27973849
"That's cool? Yeah, it's cool."

>>27973849
"Ach. That's terrible. At least the rules of nature aren't so picky as the rules of magic, and you're still here to join us today."

"I suppose Tarda was upset her experiment was failing, and she had to act quickly to make sure it worked."

"Tell me; what are you working on now? You said you've found Tarda many alternate sources of magic, but surely there's only so many. What's the great Isaac Cromwell next going to force to reveal its secrets?"

>>27973849
I just don't know what else to say to him at the moment.

Maybe we should go lie down for a nap in the tavern? See if Tarda needs anything?

>>27973849
"If you've got a mechanical heart, does that mean you can make mechanical limbs?"

"Ah, that's terrible." You say. "At least the rules of nature aren't so picky as the rules of magic, and you're still here to join us today."
"Not quite." He says. "The rules of magic are the rules of nature, in a large part. Certain metals are magnetic, for example. That's a rule of nature. Living creatures have lifeblood. Sapient beings have soulforce. Those are also rules of nature. Once I've looked into why, then we can really start to abuse it, as we do with magnetism to create engines. The electric variety, understand."

"Wait, if you've got a mechanical heart, does that mean you can make mechanical limbs?"
He stares at you. "I didn't make this. My sister had it made for me. By the very same natural philosophers who smashed it in. It was almost funny, if you consider the irony. I've made improvements, but for the most part I need it to live, so I haven't tinkered at all. Despite the constant urge."

You chuckle.
"Tell me, what are you working on now? You said you've found Tarda many alternate sources of magic, but surely there's only so many."
"No, no, that's not it at all." He says. "Constellations are not sources of magic. They're... Hm."

>Field too long! Mostly because of ol' Isaac's ranting.

>>27974223
He spends a few moments trying to compose his words.
"It's like the certain *conditions* one needs in order to do something. I don't quite understand most of it, but if we continue with the analogy I'm using, it would be like... Wizards search to find natural lodestone instead of producing their own magnetic metals. But in this case, they wait for certain astronomic 'conditions' before working most of their magic. I'm not sure how or why stars serve as conditions, but I have a strong feeling it has to do with what Tarda calls 'ley' magic. I think it may have something to do with stars. Maybe different 'flavors' of ley energy per star..."

He trails off, and then grabs a paper and starts to write.

You just chuckle, wave at him, and head out to meet with Tarda.

In Tarda's lab, you find her with the remnant heart, slowly murmuring to herself as she focuses.
"Don't stand near me. your soulforce will fuck things up. Stay behind me."

You do so, and watch as a small sphere starts to form around it, of something amorphic and transparent.
Eventually, she sets it down. The heart is now in a sphere of what looks like rigid glass. Except it made a 'thunk' when she dropped it.
"Alright, what did you need?" She asked, with a grin. "I'm getting this thing tamed. It's a lot rowdier than I thought. Sorry for putting it in you in the first place."

>>27974250
Maybe it just needs some smooth and gentle words from yours truly.

Actually... We should stick out head outside and tell/yell at Steve to stop and see if he does.

>>27974250
"Tamed? What makes it wild?"

"And quite frankly, how would you like to help me test out all of my body's functions?"

>>27974250
"Just thought I'd come by and see how you're getting on with the heart."

"Ever done any hand-to-hand combat, Tarda?"

>>27974250
Ask if it's still possible to control Steve.

>>27974250
"No need to apologize, it did save me at the time after all."

"Do you think shouting at it loud enough would work? It's got to be acclimitized to me. Wait, what would happen if we put it in Steve? An autonomous remnant?"

>>27974250
"On the one hand, uppity heart. On the other, dead. Sometimes you have to work with what you've got."

"On one hand, uppity heart. On the other, dead. Sometimes you have to work with what you've got."
"Good point. I no longer feel remorse for causing you incredible pain." She says.

"What do you mean, tamed? What makes it wild?"
"The degenerative nature." She says. "When a remnant- or minion, if you prefer- eats another, it gains its power. But it also gains all of that body's instincts, directives, and ownership. With all of this power in one place, I'm surprised it hasn't exploded yet."

"Hmm..." You say. "Is it possible to control steve?"
"Not at all." She says. "Not without your heart. Even if you yell at him to stop, he'll keep on going until he dies or until his owner gives him a new owner."
She points at the heart. "And that's his owner."

You nod.
"You know, I've been thinking. How would you like to help me test out all of my body's functions?"

She eyes you. "You're ...passable, but I'm sure you would have already tested everything with that tavern owner. Or maybe the little girl, if you're int-"
"Ever done any hand-to-hand combat, Tarda?" You ask, interrupting her.
"Oh! That's what you meant." She says. "I have, but I'm not really that good at it."

She raises her fists, tucked close into her body. "That was also sixteen years ago. Might as well try it."

Rolled 50

>>27974389
Left jab followed by a sweeping kick from down low.

Rolled 33

>>27974389
>She eyes you. "You're ...passable, but I'm sure you would have already tested everything with that tavern owner. Or maybe the little girl, if you're int-"
giggity

Rolled 7

>>27974410
>>27974389
I'll support this.

>>27974389
"Ever done any training?"
We should be strong but gentle. If we are going to wrestle then we should overpower her without hurting her.

>>27974389
"Miriam's totally not into me."

Probably too scared of E.E. taking offence at his employees getting loyalties higher then his.

Rolled 60

>>27974497
Also roll.

>>27974497
Yeah, this. I'm not expecting her to put up much of a fight.

"Can this new body still be trained and made stronger?"

>>27974389
"Miriam is too busy scolding me to actually notice me, and even disregarding what Ann's father would do to me, I'm not into little girls."

>>27974389
"What should I be expecting from Kaedri? Blasts of magic and explosions?"

>DC: 50. Success! Exactly!

"Ever done any training?" You ask.
"Some. Most of it was training my body so that I could take on a monster without magic. Master's orders. Had to strangle the croaking little thing. Let's start."

You throw a left jab, and she knocks it away, dancing away from your sweeping kick. She hops backward on her heels, greatly exaggerating the motion, before springing forward. You're gentle, so you don't hurt her *too* much, but you're easily able to catch her in the lower stomach. She 'whuffs' and falls to her knees, trying to catch her breath.

"Gimme a second." She pants, pushing herself to her feet again. She starts taking deep breaths.

"Can this new body still be trained and made stronger?"
"Not really." She says. "Not for the most part, at least. You're set to your current template. You have to train slowly and gradually. Don't push things much. Otherwise your lifeblood will tell something's off and make changes to set you back on template."

You begin fighting again, and the first thing you notice is something crashing into your shoulder, jarring the joint. Tarda springs back again, and the two of you start fighting in earnest.
Tarda is much more scary than you'd thought. She moves closer and further, moving sinuously. She doesn't have much range, so she's trying to keep her distance and leap in when you aren't looking. Her fists hurt more than you thought they would, and she knows how to use them.
You normally wouldn't have messed with her. She would have won.
But you're younger and stronger than you once were. But you also have the hard-earned reflexes and memories from the fifteen years after.
You're strong and fast, and Tarda simply can't keep up with you. Soon enough, she has a bad bruise forming on one cheek, and she's sitting back, leaning on a nearby chair.

"That was enlightening." She says. "You happy with your new body?"

>>27974688
"Very, thank you. Oh, and I haven't touched Miriam or Ann."

>>27974688
"Very, very happy."

>>27974688
Heck yeah, this is awesome!

Magic is a pretty cool thing. It's a shame I'll never have the use of it.

I don't suppose it would be possible to turn the youth spell into a rune? Or something similar?
A healing rune might be nice

>>27974744
It's not really a spell, and certainly not one that would be simple enough to use with the runic project.

>>27974688
High-five!

You were pretty good, Tards. Sorry about that bruise, though.

>>27974688
"I once heard a veteran guardsman say that if he took what he knew now and put it in a body 20 years younger, he'd be an absolute monster on the battlefield. I guess I'm living his wish."

So we were 46 before, I guess we're 31 now?

>>27974925
We were 35 before, we're 20 now.

>>27974688
"do you enjoy my disturbing lack of bodily scars now?"

>>27975003
Smile at her, "I don't know, I think I'd need someone to learn under."

>>27975003
"That sounds kick ass! I was going to suggest something similar to that, actually. Back when you were doing the ritual? It would have been the ultimate vengeance if you used his heart as the powersource to fix me."

>>27974925
>You're in your mid-thirties. And saying you're any younger wouldn't quite count, because, well, you're not actually younger, you just look and act that way. It's semantics.

>>27975003
>Fuck, forgot half a post. Repostan!

"Very, thank you." You say. "Very, very happy."
"Yay, you beat up a five foot nothing wizard. How joyous for you." She says, and claps.
"You were pretty good, Tards." You say. "Sorry about that bruise, though."
"Is your skin made of stone or something? You aren't bruising anywhere."
"Heh, something like that." You say. You've just learned how to take hits. The hard way. "I once heard a veteran guardsman say that if he took what he knew now and put it in a body 20 years younger, he'd be an absolute monster on the battlefield. I guess I'm living his wish."
"I guess you are!" Tarda responds. "Then again, now that I know how, I plan on looking more into things. That could've gone really, really bad if I made a mistake, though... But it shouldn't be hard to make soul containers for everyone. Make a single universal soul container, use it as a tool to cast the ageless ritual on someone, and put their soul back. Should be easy."
"Magic is a pretty cool thing. It's a shame I'll never have the use of it."
"For now, at least." She says. "That totem that your galdian friend used suggested that kind of thing is possible. I'll need to look into deluran witches after this... I could also dissect people with the Talent to figure out why and how in only a few months. But I know you won't like that."

Then she rubs her nose. "But I suppose your new body is good enough, for now. Tell you what."

She grins. "If you help me defeat Kaederi, I'll keep him alive if you want. Until I can extract his talent and give it to you. How's that sound?"

>>27975087
"Acceptable."

>>27975087
Hell yeah! But I'd need a teacher...

>>27975087
"That soul container sounds exactly like what Kalderi's using to do his shit."

"Is it really wise to hold a wizard hostage? They might magic themselves out pretty quickly."

"If I'm a wizard, does that mean I have to stop doing all the interesting things and lock myself away to do nothing but magic? Because that doesn't sound like fun."

>>27975128
>That does sound like fun.
Look on the bright side! It's only a few dozen years of our biological immortality!

>>27975141
I'm trying to make Tarda feel bad

>>27975160
Why though?

>>27975087
"That does sound very tempting, and hey, it's not like he's going to need it at that point anyway."

>>27975182
Because it's fun? And teasing is what friends do?

>>27975087
He's undoubtedly scrying us, so stare off into space smiling, hoping that we're looking right into his scry-view

>>27975257
>Roll it while I write this post. Taking first only.

>>27975257
This, and just say "I know you're watching."

>>27975087
"You teach me wizard shit I'll teach you combat shit. Fair deal?"

Rolled 22

>>27975264

Rolled 91

>>27975264
rollan for stare

Rolled 62

>>27975264
100, suckas

>>27975274
Why would she want to learn combat shit?

"Hell yeah!" You call, and look out into the distance. It makes you feel rather stupid. "But I'd need a teacher..."
Tarda winces.
"I uh." She says. "I don't think I'm ready to be a Master. I'm, um, not that good."
"I thought you were Third Wizard."
"I am, but the Second was, um." She says. "Different. Very different from me."
"How so?"
"She had me punch out a troglodyte for my coming of age ritual. I was bruised, bitten, and beaten by a monster my size before I could kill it. She was *insane*."

Then she sighs, and closes her eyes. "Five years. I'll keep a note up, jot it down, and keep it in mind for five years. Give me that and you'll have your Master. I need five years of preptime. If Cromwell's still around, you'll be the weirdest wizard ever seen."
You nod. and then she meets your eyes.

This glance isn't a normal one. It's stern and serious. The way she changed like that is rather strange, in fact. Her voice carries a tone of steel.
"I hope you do realize that if I do accept you as an apprentice, it would mean you will have to do a great deal."
"Like stop doing all the interesting things and lock myself away to do nothing but magic? Because that doesn't sound like fun."
"No, your life is your own. You don't have to do any research if you can help it. Most Masters insist on that kind of thing, but... I don't care." She says. "I mean that you'll have to... take care of a great many things. You'll have to safeguard all of our knowledge, from the outside world and from being destroyed. You'll have to make sure no cataclysm destroys the world. And I'll have you serve my every whim now and then."
Then she gives you a little grin. "And if Kystara returns in truth, you'll have to rank at least Third wizard at least once. Or you'll owe me. Are you okay with these terms?"

>>27975315
"Deal, but can I still punch out a troglodyte?"

>>27975315
"Serving every your whim. That almost sounds like some kind of perversion"

Rolled 26

>>27975315
I hardly think that's fair. You've got third wizard covered for the rest of history.

>>27975315
"Insane? sounds like she knew how to teach."

"Sounds like I'm already stopping one cataclysm at the moment anyway."

>>27975315
Well as a question to the rest of the players in this quest: Is this the ending we want? Mal wants us to go back and chill out in his country/kingdom, and this seems to be mutually exclusive. There's also the succession war that Ann, Dalton and Marcus are involved in.

>>27975315
"Err. It's a lot to think about..."

"I hardly think that's fair. You've got Third Wizard covered for the rest of history."
"Nah, I already decided that I'm not keeping my title when i die, whatever the Council wants." She says. "So you've got to beat me once or twice. Even if you have to distract me somehow. Or I'll tease you endlessly."
You sigh. "Well, it sounds like I'm already stopping one cataclysm at the moment. Can I still punch out a troglodyte?"
"If you really want." She responds. "I mean, it's not like I can stop you if you want. Though I do want to see you fire a blast of lightning at one until it dies. That's one thing I'd like to see. And I'm not talking your piddly little 'lightning' rune. I want to see the clouds roil from called weather."

She grins.

"Er... It's a lot to think about..." You say.
"Don't worry, you have five years to figure it out." She responds.
As soon as she says this, your spine tingles powerfully.

"It's done." The faceless Rebel says, suddenly behind you. "Mudimuna is completely charged."
Tarda grins widely, almost ecstatic.
"Are you ready for the most outrageous hour of your life?" Tarda asks you. "The Indomitable Project is complete. And you're going to be the one to use it."

>End of session!
>My twitter is at @futureexabyte
>The IRC is #Exabyte on Rizon
>Also, I'm not sure if I'll be here tomorrow, as I was yesterday or the day before. I'm trying not to take too much time off, though.
>One thing I am rather sure of is that Ascent Quest will end at thirty threads or less.

>>27975593
That's a lot more threads then I was expecting! I thought Kalderi was the final boss. Huzzah for more threads, at least!

Thanks for running.

>>27975593
Thanks for running, Exabyte.

>>27975619
I think he means it'll be finished in two threads at max.

Anyway, take as much time as you need, Exa.

Didn't the other wizard imply that he still HAD all the other kysterian's inside his domain?

Rolled 8

>>27975762
Exa has said that there is nothing keeping us on the rails, we could have packed up and left if we wanted. E.E. Is still out there, and mal has some cool sisters we could go hang out with, I'm sure other plot hooks...

>>27975853
Yeah, I do want to see Galdia to be honest.
Also figure out the dragon-dome and why it's important.
Also maybe deal with failure.

>>27975893
I want to tickle the big dragon's belly.

>>27976197
I want to ride one of Mal's Tarrasque's

>>27976252
I want to overthrow our homelands government and rule it as a techonwizard king

>>27977521
That's a pretty great idea.