Chapter 370: Before We Proceed


    T grumbled as she and Terry waited outside of the testing room while Mistress Elnea and Master Simon performed the first two tests with Kit.


    They had asked T to make a request of Kit, then leave the room so that they could test Kits sapience and individual identity.


    The request?


    Kit, do as you wish.


    To be fair, T had also topped off the pouch, magically speaking, as there was no reason to tempt Kit into devouring things that she shouldnt, but aside from that, she hadnt done anything to influence the oues.


    Ten minutester, Master Simon came out and invited her back inside, his face was slightly pale, Well, its confirmed: Ive been living inside a sapient creature.


    T and Terry reentered the room to find Kit resting on the floor in the middle, in the form of a pouch.


    Mistress Elnea smiled to T, Well, that was definitive. Kit is both sapient and has a unique identity.


    Oh?


    Yes. And the woman didnt borate further.


    After a long moment, T decided to move on. Alright then. So, we just have the final test remaining?


    Mistress Elnea nodded, and T saw a pulse of something moving starward from the woman. Long ago, we acquired a minor arcane holdwell, more than one, but thats not the pointand while weve stripped it of all that we can, the inscriptions which purify the power from the core vestige are all but gone. We do not have the knowledge to restore them. She held up a hand to forestall T, Yes, we are aware of Mistress Hollys auto-inscriber, and for reasons I wont get into,her eyes flicked to Master SimonIt cant work. We have others, so this isnt a unique thing, but it is an opportunity for me to pay the debt to you for my participation in this process.


    T frowned, How can you have more than a few? How do you even have one?


    Mistress Elnea grinned. Well, one of our number was in a position to usurp a newly founded arcane city, and after defeating the warriors defending the city, he demanded that all vestiges be left behind when he banished the poption, giving them their lives.


    Ts eyes widened, remembering an offhandment that Rane had made on their first caravan trip. <em>Master Grediv said he wasnt going to destroy another arcane city for one of his family He actually did that? Rane wasnt just trying to impress me, and Master Grediv wasnt just making up stories for Rane?</em>


    I see you understand what that means. Mistress Elnea misinterpreted Ts shock, though she wasnt wrong about Ts understanding. So, that has allowed us the opportunity to be studying arcane holds. Our progress hasnt been very fast, partially because they did their best to sabotage or obscure all the magics within everything that they left behind. They are rather effective in that regard, unfortunately. Now, I believe that I hear theming.


    A momentter, the doors opened, and two men came in carrying an ornate door between them. It had heavy magical devices mped all the way around it, creating and projecting a stabilizing of power around the contained magical item.


    Against that wall, please. Thank you.


    They obeyed, setting the door against one wall, removing the inscribed devices, bowing, and departing.


    Mistress Elnea took a moment to inspect the door before nodding to herself and turning to T, Now, on one hand, you might be thinking, This is insane! This is far too valuable. You are correct. This hold is almost incalcbly valuable <em>except</em>, she smiled, except that, as I already said, it is on itsst legs. It is effectively worthless to anyone but you, or someone who has a storage like yours. I know of no one like that. So, my payment to you is something of effectively no value to me but of incredible value to you. Do you ept?


    Would you offer three as payment instead? T prodded, only half-joking.


    No.


    Then, I ept the one. Yes. T grinned. Howrge is it?


    It is a minor hold, but it was for a Major House. They were attempting to establish a foothold in the new city. Sadly, the arcanes destroyed any evidence of which Major House they were from before they left, likely to hide their shame, and the conqueror of the city didnt bother to get details of the local politicalndscape before he took his plunder and obliterated the rest.


    T nodded along, but t had already taken a look.


    The hold wasnt within anyones aura anymore, and so t and T had a clear look at the expanded space, resting just stoneward of superficial.


    So, it is a spherical linked space that


    <em>-It has a two-mile radius.-</em>


    Ts eye twitched, and Mistress Elnea nodded. I see that youve already seen for yourself. Yes. It is a small hold for a Major House, but if the information you shared with us upon your arrival back in the humannds is still urate, this should be a substantial increase to your own storages capacity.


    T was at a loss. Cant someone with a still unbound dimensional storagebine it with their own? Master Jevin did something like that for Kit and me in Makinaven.


    Unfortunately not. Holds are not designed to be moved. Those devices that the porters took with them are required to stabilize the dimensional integrity of any hold entrance for transport, and even then, we cant move them faster than a walking speed. What that means in rtion to your question is that their magics are entirely different from our own dimensional storages. We cantbine them safely. That is, except She trailed off meaningfully.


    Kit. Kit ate arcane holds. They were aware of artifacts like Kit, and they knew how to get the most out of them.


    Mistress Elnea nodded. That is what your memories implied, yes.


    Alright, then, whats the test?


    Kit needs to consume the hold from the outside. That will show that it isnt about being physically present at the core of the hold.


    Because Kit wont be able to be present at the core if unmoored.


    Precisely. All defenses, both passive and active, have been disabled. There is nothing resisting Kits absorption save the act itself.


    Both Master Simon and Mistress Elnea pulled outrge Archival tes that seemed to be equipped with powerful detection scripts. Master Simon spoke up for the first time in a while, Would you be willing to withdraw your aura from Kit for the test? Your magics are obviously still present, but we should be able to see through those, if you allow.


    Alright. That makes sense to me. T picked up Kit and tossed her at the closed door, pulling back her aura at the same time. Eat up, Kit.


    Kit pped against the door, sliding almostically down to the floor.


    There was a beat of startled silence from the humans in the room before Kit expanded on the ground underneath the doorway.


    The holds door dropped downward, vanishing in an instant, and T and t watched in fascination as the connected space dropped to hang stoneward of Ts sanctum.


    From there, it looked as if there was some sort of pulling force, tearing apart the lower expanded space and drawing it starward to be added to Kits own containing volume.


    The process wasnt instantaneous, but it was rtively quick, taking less than five minutes to fullyplete.


    When T pulled her attention back to the superficial, the two other Mages were enraptured at whatever information their devices had been able to glean.


    Mistress Elnea chuckled, Well, that answers the question rather thoroughly.


    Master Simon nodded slowly. The magics to consume and incorporate what is devoured are integral to the storage artifact.


    T looked between the two. So, Kit wont be locked to a particr size if I bond with her, or unmoor her?


    The Paragon shook her head, Not in the least. Moreover, thatrge of a meal should help pacify the storage artifact, making it easier to achieve a preferable oue to your bonding.


    Okay, thank you. Before we proceed, I still do have a few questions.


    Mistress Elnea nodded, Now would be the time. Ask away.


    T obliged, Right now, I can ce Kit on a wall, and she stays there in whatever form that she chose to take. I can then walk away. I could, in theory, walk to another city, and so long as I got back in enough time to keep her full up on power, shed be fine.


    That sounds about right. Whats the question?


    After we bond, could I do that, leave Kit on a wall here in Bandfast, then go to Alefast?


    The woman considered for a long moment before shrugging. I dont see why not. Most unmoored storages are not able to do so, but thats because they dont have anything to leave behind save a tear into an extradimensional space. Leaving such a tear would be unwise. In this case, Kit will be manifesting a physical form in order to open. So I dont see why you couldnt leave her anywhere that you would have before. You will have the obvious additional benefit of not needing to return quickly to refill her reserves either.


    T nodded. Then, since I am soulbound to Kit, in the situation that I just described, could I open another door in Alefast?


    No. That is a rule so universal it might as well be considered aw. No dimensional storage can have more than a single opening at a time.


    She nodded again, having expected the answer. I cant say Im surprised. Now, in the same situation, could I, while in Alefast, call Kit to me, thereby closing the opening in Bandfast and allowing me to open the singr exit in Alefast?


    Mistress Elnea frowned. Not in that manner, but if Kit were to close, thus losing her physical form, you could open a new door wherever you were, more urately, wherever you held sway.


    T straightened, eyes widening, as a smile spread across her face.


    The Paragon held up a hand. Hold on, now. The issue, there, is that while the expanded space is unmoored from what we consider the physical, it still exists, and thus still has to travel to you. So, unless you had a means of crossing the intervening distance in a manner that didnt cause magical resonance, and-or was quite rapid, it would take a bit before you could actually open a new entrance into your sanctum.


    Ahh, I see. Thats fair, I suppose.


    <em>-Maybe we can figure something out with reality nodes or maybe the void? Maybe both?-</em>


    <em>Yeah but thats going to be a bit before we can actually understand those at a level deeper than: Bow shoot arrow far.</em>


    t chuckled inside Ts head. <em>-Thats fair. Were just barely scratching the surface, here.-</em>


    So, with it unmoored, I wont have to toss or pick up the physical form, will I just be able to manifest it anywhere around me?


    Mistress Elnea waggled her hand. Anywhere within your aura, most likely. I would be careful attempting to open it within objects, but every Mage with a newly bound storage finds it fun to refill a waterskin from the inside at least once. Just be smart about what you do, and how you do it. There are a few other things that most people enjoy figuring out and ying with, but Ill not spoil those for you.


    Ill keep that in mind.


    Was there anything else?


    To confirm, once I bond Kit, you will help solidify the teleportation functionality, so that those within my sanctum can escape back to a city at need?


    Yes. Well have to take a few measurements after the process isplete, but it shouldn''t be beyond myself and my team to get the process working by the end of the day. She gave a nod to Master Simon, Especially if Master Simon will join us. His growing expertise on the oddities of your sanctum will be invaluable.


    The Fused had been taking notes as the two women talked, but at this direct address, he bowed, It would be my honor.


    Mistress Elnea smiled at Master Simon before turning back to T, Please consider my and my team''s assistance with that problem the valuable to me portion of my repayment, and thank you again for allowing me to participate in this process.


    You are wee. T tilted her head to the side, Is there any danger of people with gates moving around inside Kit causing me damage over time?


    Mistress Elnea shook her head immediately, Only if it goes to the point of a breach. Kit will be much more durable in that regard, as all soulbound items are much more durable. Remember, also, that Kit is not the expanded space; Kit is the housing and connection to that space. Having a breach in existence in your stomach would hurt you quite a lot, and thats about what a breach in Kit would be like for the artifact.


    T nodded, considering. Alright, then. I just have one more question, then.


    Oh? What is that?


    A grin spread across her face. How many more of these, useless holds do you have, exactly?


    * * *


    Mistress Elnea did not, in fact, have a long line of useless-to-her holds that she was willing to give to T. She did have others that would degrade within the next decade, but the Paragon insisted that such things should be discussed <em>after</em> the bond with Kit waspleted.


    That left T with a single critical thing left to do before truly starting the process.


    She sat in the center of the room, Kit just before her, a copper and a silver coin in her two hands.


    I know we tend to understand one another just fine, but I dont want any room for doubt. T took a deep breath. If you want us to continue as we are, take this coin. She pressed the silver coin to the outside of the pouch. If you want to soulbond, take this coin. She touched the copper coin to Kits outside as well.


    And, for the first time that T could point to without quibbling, Kit responded.


    The copper coin vanished from Ts fingers without a trace.


    Ts whole face blossomed into a grin, and she immediately began the process to create a full-powered blood-medium Archon star. With her increased throughput and control, it would only take a few minutes.


    Terry trilled happily from the corner where he waited on a pillow, beside a trembling chicken.


    The chicken didnt run, so Terry didnt give chase.


    It was a delicate bnce that was currently distracting T.


    <em>Right.</em>


    Thank you, Kit. Lets get this done.


    Mistress Elnea and Master Simon got to work, the testing rooms own magic allowing for the quick creation of the spellforms needed for the merging and bonding.


    This was, after all, a rathermon procedure for those advanced to Refined.


    True, T could have just given Kit a bloodstar to enact a soulbond, but that would have been the wild way of doing it. It also wouldnt have allowed for the unmooring to take ce at the same time, at least not easily.


    Doing it this way, with the proper spellforms and a Paragon in the wings would allow Mistress Elnea to assist at need, both other Mages to monitor the progress, and merging with the unmooring magics to ur at the same time.


    Mistress Elnea once again sent a message through the Archive, and it only took a couple of minutes for someone to arrive, carrying an iron strongbox.


    The Mage in question bowed to each of them, hesitated briefly to stare confusedly at Terry and the terrified chicken, then departed.


    T moved closer as Mistress Elnea examined the exterior of the box. What is it?


    A cheshire core. When T made no indication of understanding, the Paragon continued, There is a forest far to the east, across the ins outside the woods that surround us. In that far forest, there exists a species of feline predators that hunt with nigh impunity, shifting in and out of reality at will, even seemingly able to do so with just parts of their bodies. When they are in, we sometimes find a core within, which contains magic allowing the unmooring. It is not a full set of their magics by any means, but it allows us to aplish what we need for this.


    T nodded. Interesting to know. Thank you.


    Soon enough, the great spellforms were in ce, and at the center were three open circles, perfectly sized for their would-be upants.


    After Mistress Elnea and Master Simon did a final onceover, they turned to T, Master Simon speaking up once again, Its time, Mistress T.


    T turned to Terry. Are you going to be alright in that corner?


    He squawked, slowly running one set of talons down the still trembling chickens back.


    Are you going to be able to keep the chicken from interfering?


    Terry practically cooed as he pushed down a little more firmly, and the chicken pulled in on itself.


    Okay, then. T turned back to the two other Mages. Alright, lets


    Mistress Elnea was regarding Master Simon with a look of bafflement, And you allow your children in the same area as that avian?


    Master Simon shrugged. Hes really quite friendly to anyone who isnt prey.


    The older woman raised an eyebrow. I see.


    T smiled. Hes a wonderful flock mate and looks after the kids quite well.


    Mistress Elnea seemed ready to argue, but Master Simon was already nodding, He really is quite intelligent and kind when he wants to be.


    Finally, the Paragon just shook her head. Well, far be it from me to doubt the two of you. You know him better than I do.


    T didnt dy any further, walking to the center and setting Kit down in the designated spot.


    She, herself, sat down in thergest circle, and the cheshire core was already waiting in the third open space.


    <em>Was that there a moment ago?</em>


    <em>-I think so. I didnt really notice it, though.-</em>


    <em>Fun unmooring magics for the win!</em> T chuckled wryly within her own mind.


    She couldnt actually recall anyone cing it there either, but that wasnt really the point of the moment.


    Mistress Elnea and Master Simon took their positions and indicated that they were ready to proceed.


    T closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and pulled the now full-powered bloodstar stoneward, out of her finger and into her aura that was projected in that direction.


    It came with no resistance, and after she maneuvered it a bit, she pushed it back starward, into the superficial in front of her.


    To those watching, it likely looked like an exceedingly magical drop of blood simply popped into existence in front of Ts chest.


    She nodded onest time. Im ready.


    With a thought she moved the blood-medium Archon star into deliberate contact with Kit, activating the merging magics around her at the moment of connection.


    The whole world went white, as she slipped into the all-too-familiar void of a merging.