Chaos had broken out in the cavern. Bass and Elder Wyrmkin warriors fought each other while simultaneously trying to fend off and put down the mutated phaser. The clones were working to destroy or at least damage the ritual laboratory. Explosions shook the cavern as Penelope fought the Shamin somewhere out of sight. Dust and stone chips rained from above. A couple of big chunks of stone had also broken loose from the ceiling but had mostly landed in open areas and the settlement’s kitchen.

Meanwhile, Lukas silently moved between the totems. Each of them appeared to have a separate, unique bundle attached to them. He wished to cover his bases and check all items attached explicitly to the ritual laboratory, examining each one individually. Each visit allowed him to unravel layers of intricate defenses. There was no guarantee the clones would succeed; Lukas needed to lay the groundwork for Penelope to do her job upon arrival.

The dome kept drawing his attention. Its energy was familiar. Lukas, or at least one of his clones, had spent the last sixty years bathed and surrounded by the Great Silver Dragon’s energy. The dome’s energy carried several similarities but was also unique. It felt older and more raw. What Silverspine radiated was refined and processed, much like magic steel. Meanwhile, the serpent’s energy reminded him of a rich vein of arcane ore.

Lukas needed a way to deactivate the defenses altogether. Simple spells and shard abilities seemed to function, but he could manipulate or play with the Shade’s Mantle. Most intent casting felt impossible, and the magic seemed to fight him. Lukas doubted he’d get anywhere if not for his newest shard ability.

Spellweaver has progressed to rank 3!

Your instincts regarding a thread’s purpose and power have improved.

When Lukas reached the next totem, he didn’t find precisely what he wanted. However, the thread resonated with him. It connected to the dome.

Are they drawing magic from it or trying to harmonize with it? Or maybe both?

It didn’t matter. He severed the thread. The journal hummed, but Lukas didn’t check it. He sprinted to the next target. It seemed he had done something right during his work, and he was glad he didn’t hide as initially planned. It was reckless and impulsive and unlike him. He blamed the young body and its hormones. It made him want to take things into his own hands and get involved in the same way it made the clones want to pursue Kat, even though they knew the relationship would never last.

A rock fell in Lukas’s path as he jogged to another totem, forcing him to skid to a halt. “Frar.” The haste spell refreshed, and he dashed to the side, avoiding the debris that followed. He wasn’t sure whether it was his unraveling of threads or the Shamin and sorcerer’s battle above, but everything was starting to come apart.

Maybe it's for the best. No one can disturb or reach the serpent if paths are blocked. Given how big that thing is and how powerful it feels, it can dig or magic its way out. Assuming it ever wakes up, that is.

Little explosions rang around the ritual laboratory before merging into a big bang. Lukas felt El-Two die. When he looked over, he found all the biomass containers smashed to bits, biomass, and fluid spread everywhere. They splashed all over the alchemical solutions El-Three had poured out. Everything sparked for a moment. Elvis saw it in time and dove out of the way, throwing himself flat on the ground. The other clone didn’t react in time.

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

El-Three died next, caught in the following blaze.

The journal vibrated again, a sense of finality about it. Lukas didn’t need to check it to know.

The tremors that followed knocked the remaining Elder Wyrmkin down. Bass took them out. The mutated phaser was already dead. Its head lay on the ground, separated from its body, ripped clean off.

“Eliminate all stragglers!” The familiar roared at Elvis, not bothering to check on the fallen clone or his ‘shadow construct.’ “Capture one if you can. I’m going back to Penny.”

Lukas resummoned the downed clones as soon as Bass left the cavern. “You heard the cat,” he said. His minions didn’t need telling twice. There was no time for jokes, protests, or opinions. They sped away with the unsaid instruction of hunting for valuables fresh in their mind.

There was no telling if things were over. Instead of fleeing, Lukas took cover and checked the journal.

The ritual laboratory is destroyed. There is no danger to Lady Silverspine’s slumbering cousin, and there is no risk of her awakening.

Your quest is complete!

You may pick a journal upgrade and any of the following:

* Ranks for any of your abilities

* A portal scroll to a new location

Hell no! I’m not trusting Silverspine’s portals. She might throw me into a warzone or force me to do another job straight away. How many ranks of Shadow Clone can I get?

Three.

That’s it? This was a much longer and harder job than the last.

Each tier demands double the mastery of the last, and every pillar and shard’s needs vary. Spellweaver will gain seven ranks. Alter Mass will gain enough mastery to reach the next tier and then another rank afterward.

Altered Mass. Pump up Altered Mass.

Are you sure?

Is it going to knock me out?

Not with me involved. Please pick your essence.

Lukas only checked with two of his growing collection of essences. He already had plans for most of the rest. He believed them better invested in his other shards.

Altered Mass has progressed to rank 9!

Slider limits and alteration speed increased.

Alter Charge

* Significantly extend the range of your mass slider on the low-mass end of the spectrum.

* Burn extra magic at the extreme ends of the slider to spawn waves of repulsion or extraction.

* Offensive and utility minor abilities available.

Alter Metal Mass

* Significantly extend the range of the mass slider on the high-mass end of the spectrum.

* Burn magic to alter the mass of metallic objects you’re touching.

* Defensive and utility minor abilities available.

Lukas had long decided what he intended to do with Altered Mass. In fact, he only checked with the Essence of Repulsion out of curiosity. Lukas wanted to upgrade the ability using the Essence of Steel, expressly for the defensive abilities. He needed tougher clones who survived longer, despite their low or high-mass state. The possibility of repulsing shadows from a conjunction ability gave him pause, but there was no guarantee of his getting what he wanted.

Meanwhile, Alter Metal Mass was going to give him the ability he wanted: to alter the mass of objects. He didn’t like the limitations of his abilities, only things made of metal, and he was touching, but Lukas was sure that would change with time and future upgrades. More importantly, he looked forward to whatever minor abilities would come with Essence of Steel and the conjunction abilities afterward.

Alter Mass has ascended to the second tier. It is now Alter Metal Mass.

Alter Metal Mass has progressed to rank 2!

Mass alteration magic lingers in objects for a second after release.

The product of the rank update surprised Lukas. If the duration increased enough, he could foresee a brilliant tactical use. He didn’t have enough time to think it over and immediately moved on to the minor abilities. He worried that something big was coming and desperately needed all the gifts the upgrade had to offer.

Give me something big and good.