Mark of the Fool

Chapter 359: Usurpers

Oh come now, Carey, dont be so silly! Carey admonished herself. This was examined by Professor Jules quite thoroughly, no doubt with upmost care and caution as per usual. What are the chances that youa studentwould notice something that she did not.

She chuckled her own silliness.

Uldar brings low those with too much pride, she muttered to herself.

She looked at the other students, still gripped by the giggles. All of her highly qualified colleaguesmany of whom were upper years and far more skilled than herhad handled the dungeon core.

Ofcourse they wouldve noticed such a thing.

It was a mana richcross between a creature and a device, it would be only natural that would have mana pathways.

Her laughter drew the eye of the closest student, a thin young man named Nadir. Well, what has you giggling to yourself? he asked.

Oh, pshah, its nothing. Absolutely nothing of relevance, she said. One has to laugh at oneself sometimes.

Well, once youre done with your private joke, weve nearly got the machine prepped. Youll want to hook up the core any second.

On it, on it, sorry for the delay! she said, her having a little bit of a singsong note in her amusement.

By holy Uldar, I do so hope they dont think Ive lost it, she thought, returning her attention to the core. You know what, I should try and map out these pathways as best I can so I can know best where to attach the apparati. Uldar guide meIm sure the others would be able to do the same. It would be no good to embarrass myself.

Humming a little tune, Carey separated her mana out into agile little portionsas shed learned to do through her alchemy classand slipped her mana into the dungeon core.

She gasped.

Oh, it did not like that.

The little mana left inside the core rushed at her, trying to push her out. Jumping back in surprise, she nearly dropped the core.

You alright over there? Nadir asked, his eyes narrowing through the lenses of Youve been acting a bit funny He glanced down at the core. this is a new experimental subject, if youre feeling off

Oh, Im fine, just dandy, she said. Just felt something from the mana within the core.

Right, its mana was moving around a little bit when I was handling it too, he said. Youre sure youre alright with it? If its too much

Im fine, Carey insisted, flushing with embarrassment beneath her mask.

Her fear of monsters invading the encampment was not exactlysecret among the other members of the expedition, to her humiliation. The last thing she wanted was to be treated like she was some unhelpful coward.

She turned back toward the core, anger burning in her chest.

The Heroes might battle your kind in their own way with their own power, but I am also a child of Uldar. Of Thameland. Im a member of the London family. You shant scare me again! she thought.

Squeezing her mana back through the entrances, she sought to map out its inner pathways. The core fought her with everything it hadbut what it had wasnt much. Its inner mana was nearly spent, and its attempts to drive her away were so feeble that she couldve overrun it while asleep.

Reaching deeper into the core along its inner pathways, she felt like shed hit the centre. The core had grown more and more frantic, but there was little it could do.

Oh, pipe down, you! she thought. Its been ever so trying, dealing with you, now how do I reach the other side of you

She froze.

A connection was forged.

Mana flared.

Images pushed themselves into Careys mind, causing her to shriek and drop the core. A heartbeat later, the images disappeared, leaving her shocked and breathing hard.

The dungeon core lay on the stones at her feet, unharmed, but paler than it had been a moment before. All the other researchers stared at her, their eyes wide through their lenses. Professor Jules rushed across the room and seized Carey by the shoulders.

Whatwhat did you do? the professor whispered. I felt a surge of mana She looked down at the core. Did youdid you do something with the core?

I Carey murmured. I dont know. I was experimenting with the pathways, trying to find the best entrance to attach the mana

Wait, back up, Professor Jules said. You felt the pathways?

Er, yes?

Professor Jules looked at the rest of the research task. Youre all done for the day. Pack up and clean up the laboratory. Nadir. Go get Alex Roth, then find Watcher Shaw and tell him to contact Chancellor Baelin. Its an emergency. Go. Now!

Uh, yes! Nadir immediately rushed for the door.

Professor? Carey murmured. Whats happening? Whatwhats going on? What did I do?

Carey Professor Jules turned back to her, her eyes growing gentle and her voice growing soft. It would appear thatyou momentarily took control of a dungeon core.

Careys thoughts froze.

Waitcontrolled a dungeon core? That didnt make any sense. Why would a mortal be able to control a dungeon core? They were the enemy. That didnt make any sense. Only Ravener-spawn could use dungeon coresright?

what? Her mind whirled. What does this mean, Professor?

Idont know yet, Carey, I dont know, Professor Jules said.

It struck the Ravener like a bolt of lightning.

All seemed to shake around it and its thoughts fell into chaos. Many of its guardian monsters looked toward it, sensing the distress. Some looked for hidden opponents in the cavernsbut there was nothing they could do.

This enemy was too far for them to strike.

Much too far.

Nothat was not right.

The term enemy had become enemies.

Now there was not one Usurper.

There were two.

The situation had degraded: two usurpers meant either that another mortal had accidentally taken over a dungeon core oreven worseit meant that the first usurper was communicating with others.

Telling other mortals how take more dungeon cores.

Things needed cutting off before they degraded even further.

And now, certain criteria had been satisfied.

First, it would make more hunters: it did not matter if the first pack were still hunting or if they were dead. The Ravener had refrained from making too many hunters at once, to avoid them being discovered.

Its assassins greatest strength lay in mortals not knowing of their existence.

But such secrecy mattered less now.

And so did subtlety in general.

As another batch of hunters shimmered into being, sliding from the Raveners deep black surface, it reached deep into itself.

Down toward the monstrous forms held within the deepest part of it.

There. One was available to it now, triggered by this emergency. It would cost an immense amount of mana to craft, and it had not produced such a creature in several cycles.

But it did not hesitate, pouring its power into the form. It would take time to craft such a fearsome beast, but once completed, the Usurpers would know the meaning of terror.

For few Ravener-spawn were as terrible as the creature it now forged.

A Petrifier.

Carey looked petrified, sitting in her chair in Jules office.

Do youneed a drink? Alex asked, gripping his knees to steady himself.

Hm? Oh, yes, I would like that ever so much, she said, looking toward the door. Will Professor Jules be back soon?

I think so, Alex said, rising from his seat. Before shed departed, Jules had given Alex permission to fix Carey anything from her cabinet. She said shed be back with Baelin, and apparently hes already on his way.

Goodgood. She nodded, shifting uncomfortably in her chair.

Bottles and cups rattled as Alex prepared tea.

IProfessor Jules youd also controlled the core? She looked up at him.

Yeah, Alex said, putting the pot on the heating plate. When I was experimenting with it in the field. Wedidnt exactly make that public until we found out more. but I guess we found out more pretty damn fast.

She gave a laugh tinged with hysteria. By holy Uldarso the two of us then. Wait, the two of us? What about Professor Jules and Chancellor Baelin?

Alex paused, about to place the tea leaves into the infuser. She didnt tell you that part? I guess she didnt have timeCarey, they couldnt do it.

She looked at him sharply, her eyes very wide. Alex, youre not making any sense at all. I did it so it should be terribly easy for wizards of their caliber.

They cant even attempt it.

Alex explained the Professor and Chancellors experiences.

Whatthenwhy you and I? she asked.

IIm not sure Alex said.

Right she murmured, falling silent.

The only sound in the room was the bubble of water coming to a boil. As that bubble rose into a sharp, hissing whine, Alex poured the water and placed the infuser into the cup, covering it with a saucer to let it steep.

He waited quietly, his eyes fixed on the cup.

His mind, however, was anything but quiet. The young wizard was frantically noting similarities between he and Carey and contrasting them with their teachers.

They were leading him in some fairlydisturbing directions.

This completely destroys the theory that only Heroes or even Fools can do it. Completely destroys it. So think, what do you and Carey have in common? She and I are both wizards, he thought. And thatsimportant. Hijacking a core requires maqna manipulation. That means mana. That usually means wizard. Okay. Okay, what else do we have in common? Well theres the obvious

He picked up the saucer and stirred the tea. Cream? Sugar?

Sugar, Carey said. A lot of it.

Right, he said, spooning a couple of scoops into the tea.

His mind kept working.

Right, theres the obvious similarities, Alex thought. Were both young, were both Thameish and were both followers of Uldar. but by the Traveller, why in all the hells would a belief in Uldar be the criteria to activate a dungeon core? Or even being Thameish? What in all bloody hells does that even mea

Youre not being sensible! Professor Jules voice boomed from the hallway.

Alex and Carey jumped, looking at each other and then toward the door.

There was a deep voice that said something in the hall, but even Alexs sharp ears couldnt quite pick it out.

You have to think of Professor Jules voice boomed before falling low. Perhaps shed started speaking quieter.

What certainly wasnt quiet was the sound of boots and hooves coming down the hall. They sounded like they were in a hurry and

Thoom.

Alex and Carey jumped as the door banged open and both Professor Jules and Chancellor Baelin swept into the room, shutting it behind them.

The ancient wizard looked serious, while Professor Jules was agitated.

Alex slowly handed Carey her tea, and she took it with a trembling hand.

Alex, Carey, Professor Jules said. I want you off the expedition until further notice.

Alex gasped.

Carey yelped, nearly dropping her tea.

Hold on, dont panic. Baelin held up a hand. You are not being removed from the expedition.

Baelin, Professor Jules said. This is too strange. Too many unknowns. Too many possible dangers. Think about it: about a dozen students handled the living dungeon core today, and the only ones thatfound its mana pathways are our Thameish students? Baelin, this quite frankly stinks, and until we find out more, I think our students should be out of Thameland.

And I disagree. Carey and Alex are two valuable members of the research team, and they are grownadults, not children to be hidden.

And we are dealing with forces were just starting to understand here, Professor Jules said. Listen to me. First we find out that the dungeon cores have a nearly apocalyptic reaction with chaos essence, then Alex gets attacked while just outside of Greymoor in an event that looks suspiciously like a trap, then we find out that the dungeon cores can be controlled by seemingly only Thameish students?

Or followers of Uldar, Baelin noted calmly.

Followers of Uldar? Carey cut in. Wh-why would that be the reason we could control dungeon cores? Theyre ourtheyre our gods eternal enemies.

Baelin looked like he was about to say something, then thought better of it. Before we get too hasty, Vernia, why do we not ask the students in question what their choice would be, considering everything?

Im staying, Alex said without hesitation. With this discovery, I want to dive deeper into this as much as I can.

A moment of silence hung in the air.

Then all three other wizards looked at Carey.

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