Beyond?

“And here is our greatest exhibit. Being birthed from fire it is also consumed by fire. A magnificent piece of art from ancient times. Please don't be disturbed by the noise. It's a part of the piece and contributes to the atmosphere. Just listen and try to take in the entire scene.”

-Guide through the Museum of Pain.

***Free City States of Nict, Capital, Palace***

***Azir***

The huge dragon unfolds its body which was resting inside the sphere like a cat. “It has been a long time since I went to sleep and now the seal which protected me is broken! What does the world outside look like by now? Since I am awake I may as well go for a walk.”

Serenzar raises a trembling hand to point at the creature. “That can't be! Who... What are you? Where is the Emperor's heritage?”

“The Emperor? Ah... there was such an insignificant creature... once. He created me from his flesh and blood to be reborn as the ultimate being. Then he transferred his soul and his memories to me in hopes of being reborn. But that was long ago and it didn't work as well as he intended, so he had to end his life in his own body and simply sealed me here. Call me the deformed Sage. I've shed my human heritage to become so much more! Even though the Emperor called me a failed experiment, but maybe it didn't fail. I am never absolutely sure if I am not him after all.” The dragon slithers closer, moving through air like on solid ground. I recognize the mana reshaping around the monster's feet, forming gravity controlling spells.

My friends also reach the door and stop there, frozen in place, watching the impossible scene.

The dragon places its head closer to the ground, spreading its leathery wings, and focuses one eye on Serenzar. “Ah, Serenzar. You didn't grow much since I saw you the last time. Such a disappointment. The emperor was hoping to establish a new breed of dragons. I think I'll carry on his ambitions. Being the only one of my kind could become lonely.” The eye flicks towards Jeremiah. “And Jeremiah didn't walk down the right path either. What's that leash? Are you some kind of pet? But that female at your side isn't bad. Maybe I should take her for myself. Or that black haired one? Oh, the golden lass isn't bad either and she has scales. Maybe I should start a breeding program? There seem to be many candidates. Are there more on the surface? It could be possible to revive the species after all.”

My hand wanders to my gun as the dragon sets its eyes on Stella. She is currently in her newly developed fighting form and it seems like it's especially attractive. “Who do you think you are!? Big fucking lizard! Who says that you can simply do as you please! The stupid emperor destroyed a world to create an abomination like you? At least he could have cleaned up his own mess!” The room turns completely silent. Did I really say that just now?

Chuck calls out from behind me. “And don't get in our way! We still have business with Serenzar!”

Serenzar turns around, screaming at us. “Such insolence! Do you have any idea how long I planned to return? And then there is nothing here but this!” He gestures at the dragon.

“Hey.”

I shake my fist at Serenzar completely forgetting about the lizard. “I will gut you and make you eat your own intestines! All you've done so far is causing trouble!”

“Hey!”

The woman at Serenzar's side pulls on his arm. “Dear. You've seen that there is nothing interesting here. Can't we call it a day and go home?”

“DON'T IGNORE ME!” The dragon roars and it's pupil focuses on me. “And you are? A Zait? Another failed line of the emperor's offspring.”

I feel the gigantic lizard trying to probe my mind, but I brush the attempt aside. I feel that the dragon has immense powers, but his attempt is crude and feels like he is just swinging a club. He obviously lacks fighting experience. But what do I expect from something that slept for the last few thousand years.

Tilting its head, the dragon looks confused. “Now this is interesting. Maybe I've misjudged you. Your soul seems to be special.”

An ice shard shoots out at the dragon's eye and the lizard closes his eyelid just in time to avoid being blinded. The ice shard shatters without doing much damage.

“Don't interrupt my wife when she is speaking, don't you know who we are?” Serenzar shakes his fist at the monster. “I am Serenzar Draco and I don't know what you are, but you are not my father! My father died of old age on his deathbed. You may have a few of his memories, but you are not him!”

The dragon rolls its eyes. “Of course I am not him. The old Emperor was just a human who decided to become more. I am more! I am born from his blood and flesh to carry on his will. I am the one who'll conquer the world in his place. My mind is above you insignificant creatures. Now be gone!”

The dragon raises its paw and brings it down on Serenzar and his men. But before it can finish the movement an enormous fist made out of fire impacts the dragon's jaw and sends him flying through the cave.

Chuck steps over us. He changed into a fire avatar to battle the enormous creature. “Don't underestimate the Great Shaman!” Another blow sends the lizard flying once more. “Do you think I would let history repeat itself?”

As if on command everyone starts fighting. Spells fly everywhere and I hurry to strengthen my shields.

Louise drops herself to the ground and starts emptying her rifle into the dragon, taking careful aim at the eyes. Raising my hands I dispel several incoming spells and advance towards Serenzar.

We meet amidst the fighting groups, hurling spells at each other without caring much about our resources. The whole place is filled with energy, so there is no reason to hold back.

I concentrate myself on Serenzar while his aide is battling it out with Stella. A grin appears on my face when I realize that my opponent is a decent mage. Unlike Jeremiah he seems to understand the importance of being able to counter and deflect spells properly.

He casts a fireball which is imbued with some kind of curse. I dissect his spell into its parts and use my barrier to reflect the components of the spell back at him. The outcome of this strategy returns a weaker result, but is harder to counter.

Serenzar catches the fireball component and deflects the other wild magics. A part of the curse runs amok and the red spark of energy which is carrying the curse hits one of his men. The victim drops to his knees and starts ageing rapidly. Within moments the soldier is just an old man.

He tried to weaken me with a very underhanded method! I am in the process of casting a life draining curse to answer in kind when something hits me and sends me flying. A scene of a burnt dragon swinging its tail at a group of warriors flashes past my field of vision.

The world turns black for a moment and when I open my eyes again I find myself on the ground.

A heavy pressure is holding me down, but then I realize that it's only my own imagination. Something is trying to exert its mental power over me.

Looking up I find everyone on the ground and the dragon is looming above us.

“I must admit that this situation... surprised me. There must be a lot of hatred between your factions.” The dragon licks over a deep wound on his snout and I realize that it's healing rapidly. Is it indestructible?

“Bastard lizard! In how many pieces do you need to be cut in order to die?” Chuck complains from under the dragon's claw, where he is held like a cat's toy.

The dragon shakes his head, pitying the Great Shaman. “It doesn't really matter. My body is fed by the energy vortex above us. As long as it exists I will always be able to heal myself.” The dragon chuckles. “Oh, don't worry. It's indestructible. That means as long as you don't destroy the planet, I can't die.”

“Monster! What are you after?” Jeremiah gasps on the floor. Ivy is lying at his side, trying to get up but failing.

“Isn't it obvious? I want power! I want immortality! I want the world.” The dragon answers. “When you entered this cave I was still too weak to take on the world. I needed more time and you came at exactly the right moment. Meddling with your mind worked very well, Jeremiah. You did well in keeping prying eyes away while I was developing. I think I'll grant you a quick death in exchange for your excellent service.” The dragon raises its claw above Jeremiah.

“Did you fucking lizard lose your mind?” I scream out, fiddling with the cartridge on my belt. “How do you even intend to leave this place after growing so large? Seems like the only thing that grew was your body! Your brain has to be the size of a peanut!”

The dragon bears its teeth at me. “Insolence! Of course I am not bound to one shape! The emperor wanted to enjoy his many wives. Watch and shudder in awe!”

The dragon starts changing, shrinking and taking the shape of a middle aged man with a long beard and leathery wings on his back. The tail on his behind looks offensive to me. After years of living on this world I see having a tail as a female attribute. It's like having tits! At least he thought about summoning a robe to cover himself.

The deformed sage nods proudly. “What do you say now? Fool!”

I smile. “I am glad that you seem to lack distrustfulness.” His new form is much easier to wound! I pull my pistol and aim it at the deformed sage's feet, flipping the settings to fully automatic. A single ongoing boom accompanies the release of thirty manatite tipped bullets.

Originally I intended to use it as a weapon of last resort against Serenzar, but the shitty lizard seems to be the greater threat.

Ever since I had to experience the effects of manatite on my own body, I became charmed by the stuff and put extensive research into the matter. The greatest problem was finding a proper supply of the stuff, but after I mugged a few nomads I found out where they are mining the stuff.

Manatite is a piezoelectric crystal, which reacts to small changes in its structure by creating an electric current. It's enough to disrupt the flow of mana and works in a similar manner as the inhibitors from Quinn.

We are lucky that most of the stuff exists just as fine sand or powder. Bigger pieces of manatite would be able to penetrate almost all forms of magical defence. The nomads will probably curse me a few generations to the future because I robbed their mining operation of several big crystals. They wouldn't have been big enough to create a dagger anyway, but they were just right to add manatite tips to my bullets.

The recoil pushes my hand upwards, spreading the expensive poison bullets across the sage's entire body. A mana shield appears in front of the sage, but the manatite does its job in disrupting the flow of mana. The bullets punch right through and turn the sage's body into a bloody wreck.

“Aarrgh!” He screams and tumbles backwards.

I use the chance and get to my feet, throwing the gun at him, hitting him at his shoulder.

He doesn't fall and tries to retreat towards the mana stream in the centre of the room. “What's this! Manatite? It doesn't matter! The vortex will heal me!” Waving his hand at me, he unleashes a torrent of arcane missiles, even though the manatite in his body should stop him from casting spells! It seems like powder works better in that regard.

I continue running and rely on my connection to the mana net. The marbles which I spread on my way down here did their job without problem.

-Administration mode!-

A thought activates the casting assistant and transfers all powers of the mana net to me. The mana net isn't just a simple spell of mine. It's able to take over and infiltrate all the mana in the world as long as there is someone nearby to support the spell.

It would be correct to call it a world enchantment! It's growing with each person who is using it and the one who controls it has all the knowledge and computation power of the people who are using it!

The remaining marbles release from their cartridge at my belt and spread around me. They automatically cast a counter-spell for each arcane missile.

I reach the reincarnation of the emperor just when he attempts to draw power from the mana stream. Tackling him I plunge both of us into the torrent of energy and use my ability to shield myself from the energy. From somewhere I can hear Stella screaming my name.

“What?” The sage tries to shove me away, but I don't let go. “How can you follow me without burning to a crisp!”

Grinning, I reach for his head. “I am a Zait! I don't have power, I control it!”

The sage tries to hit me with a mental attack, but my mind slips away without problem. The mind eels on my old world were much better at this.

Relying on the assistance of the mana net, I start casting a huge and complex spell. The mana net itself starts spreading throughout the mana stream as both of us are carried upwards into the sphere of energy.

The sage tries to change his shape, but the manatite inside his body prevents that. Both of our minds start clawing at each other like wild beasts. In the meantime the mana net continues to work its spell.

The sage's body starts healing faster and faster. “Why are you doing this? What's with this healing magic?” He asks baffled as my spell starts taking effect.

I don't answer and concentrate on our mind duel instead. Somehow he gets past my defences and pain stabs through my entire being. Then I realize that he hit me with his fist!

To repay him I start beating him physically with all my strength, cursing at him with every swear word I know of. Upon running out of appropriate curses I even resort to using my old language, which sounds quite sinister in itself according to my mother.

Blocking a bone shattering kick with my right, I place a perfect uppercut on his chin and watch him spit teeth and blood. His tail wriggles around my hand and tightens with unbelievable strength. It feels like something breaks, but I am not idle myself.

Reaching for the multi-tool on my belt I will it into a sword to cut off my opponent's tail. The magical circuits which I gathered from the other weapons do a fine job in penetrating his hastily erected barrier.

He tries to use his wings to gain some distance, so I follow to stop him from escaping.

Another slash cuts into his left wing and he screams. “Imbecile! You can't kill me! Why are you fighting?” A kick sends me tumbling and his fist impacts my chest, pressing the air out of my lungs.

Finally the mana net finishes the self sustaining omnidirectional seal and a fine grid of energy starts appearing on the surface of the sphere which is encasing us. I bring my knee up and into his guts as a goodbye present, then I teleport out of the sphere just in time before the sealing grid encloses it completely.

I reappear on the ground right next to Chuck. The world is trying to spin out of my field of vision, so I have a hard time staying on my feet. Looking down on him I try to joke about his beat up state. “You don't look well. Did you run out of coal to fuel your avatar?”

Chuck looks up to me in amazement. “I wouldn't talk if I were you. You don't look well either. Your left horn is missing.”

Feeling for my horn I find out that he is right. And it hurts like hell! Can I trade this feeling for a few broken bones?

Searching my surroundings I find Serenzar a few feet away. He is still on the ground and doesn't look healthy either. Apparently I wasn't the only one who encountered the dragon's loving paw. I already start thinking about various punishments when a black haired beauty appears out of nowhere at his side. She kneels down and hugs him. The next moment both of them are gone. “Damn! I thought I am the only one who can teleport blind!”

“Please! Lie down, Azir!” Suddenly Stella is at my side, trying to push me down with a frightened face.

“I am fine.” I try getting her off of me, but she doesn't retreat.

Suddenly her expression turns vicious. What did I do?

She reaches for my hand. “Then your hand isn't broken?” I try to protect my arm, but she is faster than me and gets a hold of it and pulls.

“A scratch.” I hiss through clenched teeth.

“And your horn is also fine?” She grabs the stump, pressing her finger onto it.

I start wriggling, trying to get out of her grasp. “I can still stand. There is no need to overreact!”

“So I suppose those aren't four broken ribs!?” She jabs a finger into my side and I topple over in a foetus position. “Sorry, five...”

“Let me go back to battle the dragon!” I fight back tears while one of the Eddin who accompanied us starts healing me.

Stella kneels down and rips something from my chin, but compared to her earlier attacks it feels like nothing. She has a small grey scale in her hand and presents it to the Eddin who is working on me. “Can you heal those too?”

The man looks uncertainly at her. “I think it would be best to see a specialist about mana exposure regarding those.”

Really? Am I turning into a lizard too? Fuck! I reach for my tailbone, luckily there is no tail. Whew! I can deal with a few scales, but not a tail.

“I want to go home.” Karsen hobbles closer, supported by Tanja. “Today I got sliced to pieces and a dragon stepped onto me. I've had enough!”

“Let's listen to the music for a little longer.” I cough and look up to the mana sphere.

In the meantime Adala walked up to Chuck to help him up. “I don't want to! What did you do to him.” She looks up with a horrified expression on her face.

Above us the mana net finished weaving the seal and a tight grid of solid energy is encasing the sphere, fed by the six mana streams. Inside it is the deformed sage, caught in a repeating cycle of being burned away by the energies of the mana stream and being reborn again from the ashes. He is screaming and wailing as soon as his body is able to, but then the healing stops and his body starts disintegrating again and again and again...

“I cast a high class healing spell on him. It's self-triggering and draws upon the energy of the target. While it does so, it disables your ability to use magic in order to avoid any interference. This makes him unable to protect himself against the mana stream's energy. I also added the mana stream as a secondary source of energy to ensure that he doesn't die by chance. The seal around the sphere is just to ensure that he stays in there... as long as the stream exists.”

“You mean forever!?” Jeremiah gasps and I turn to find him carrying Ivy in a princess carry. She has a big bump on her forehead and her leg looks broken.

I look up to the vortex of energy and squint my eyes. “Didn't he say himself that the vortex will exist as long as we don't destroy the planet?”

.