Reinventing Magic: An Inventor's Tale-Chapter 86: Back to the Sacred Mountain

The dimly lit chamber reeked of iron and despair. Flickering torchlight cast long, jagged shadows across the stone walls, where the faint echoes of muffled screams lingered like ghosts.

King Julius Ardania sat on a gilded chair, his sharp features illuminated by the erratic glow. His piercing blue eyes, cold and calculating, watched with detached amusement as one of his men delivered another blow to the bound figure before him.

The man’s cries were raw, desperate, but Julius’s expression remained unchanged—a mask of regal indifference.

"Enough," the King said, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. The torturer immediately stepped back, wiping bloodied hands on his tunic. Julius leaned forward, his gaze narrowing as he studied the broken man.

"You’ve served your purpose. Dispose of him. Ensure Marcus doesn’t find out. We can’t have the Duke suspecting we’ve eliminated one of his lords."

The prisoner’s head lolled forward, his breathing shallow. Julius waved a hand, and two guards dragged the man away, his boots scraping against the stone floor.

The King leaned back, his fingers drumming rhythmically on the armrest of his chair. His mind, always sharp, always scheming, was already racing ahead.

’So, the Duke’s flying vessel came from that brat, Kael Bryndis. No wonder he slipped past my spies back then.’

The thought irked him. Julius had always prided himself on being several steps ahead of his enemies, but this young Baron had slipped through his grasp once.

He had ordered surveillance on the Valtieri family, yet even his most seasoned informants failed to comprehend the magnitude of what was happening within the Bryndis domain.

He recalled the spy’s report: a flying vessel soaring over Bryndis, a woman who could transform into a suit of metal, and a province that had transformed from a backwater into a thriving city. Roads paved with a strange material called ’cement’, buildings with designs that defied convention—it was as if Bryndis had leaped centuries ahead in mere months.

Julius’s lips curled into a faint, predatory smile. ’This boy is no ordinary noble. He’s a threat—or an opportunity.’

The King rose from his seat, his dark robes sweeping the floor as he strode to the window. Outside, the sprawling capital of Ardania stretched before him, its spires and rooftops bathed in the pale light of the moon.

But Julius’s mind was far away, fixated on the Bryndis domain and the enigmatic young Baron who had somehow outmaneuvered him.

’How to bring him to heel?’

The King’s lips twitched into a faint smile. He had faced countless obstacles in his rise to power, each one more daunting than the last.

But this young Baron—this boy—was different. His inventions, his innovations, were unlike anything Julius had ever seen. The flying vessels alone could shift the balance of power in the kingdom. If the Duke gained more of them, Marcus Marveil would become an insurmountable threat.

Julius’s smile faded, replaced by a cold, calculating glare.

’No. I cannot allow that.’

He turned abruptly, his robes swirling around him like a storm cloud. His chamberlain, a thin, wiry man with a perpetually nervous expression, stood nearby, waiting for his master’s command.

"Chamberlain," Julius said, his voice smooth but edged with steel. The wiry man scurried forward, his bony hands knotted together like gnarled roots. "Prepare a summons. I wish to meet this Baron Kael Bryndis. Personally."

The chamberlain bowed deeply, his voice trembling slightly. "At once, Your Majesty. Shall I send it with the royal seal?"

Julius waved a hand dismissively. "Yes, yes. Make it official. And ensure it’s delivered with all due haste. I want the boy here within a month."

The chamberlain scurried away, leaving Julius alone with his thoughts. The King’s mind raced, considering the possibilities. He could offer Kael wealth, titles, even a position at court. Surely, the boy would see the advantage of aligning himself with the crown. And if not...

Julius’s eyes narrowed. Well, there are other ways to secure loyalty.

---

Gorath, Dwarven Kingdom

The grand halls of Gorath buzzed with restless energy as Kael made his final preparations for departure. The dwarves, though prideful and unyielding in their traditions, could not hide their awe as the Skyward Sentinel hovered above their city, its smooth, seamless plating shimmering under the torchlight of the cavernous expanse.

King Duraz himself stood at the forefront, his imposing frame clad in ceremonial armor, the golden sigil of the Dwarven Kings gleaming against his broad chest. Beside him, a handful of elder councilors murmured among themselves, struggling to fathom the marvel before them.

Durnek Ironflare, however, was not one for silent admiration. The stout dwarf stomped forward, his soot-streaked hands planted firmly on his hips as he craned his neck to get a better look at the hovering construct.

"By me beard an’ the ancestors before me!" Durnek bellowed, his voice echoing off the stone walls. "How in the King Duraz’s name does this blasted thing stay afloat?! That ain’t no ordinary runework, nor is it somethin’ our finest enchanters could dream up!"

Kael smirked, knowing full well the engineer’s fascination would only grow. "Anti-gravity magic," he said simply.

Durnek’s thick brows scrunched together. "Anti-wha’ now? Ye makin’ words up again, lad?"

Kael chuckled. "It cancels out the force that pulls everything down—gravity."

The dwarf scoffed, though his eyes gleamed with interest.

"Bah! That sounds like a whole load o’ nonsense. But I’d be a blind fool if I said I ain’t curious! Ye’ll be lettin’ me tinker with it, aye? A craft like this—bah!—it’s got the makings o’ legend!"

Kael laughed as Alice stepped beside him, her silver-gray hair gleaming under the dim torchlight.

"Master, the Sentinel is ready."

Kael nodded, then turned toward Lucien and Isolde. "Aboard the Skiff. We’ll be bringing only the dwarves who volunteered first. Seventeen for now."

He then faced King Duraz, bowing slightly. "Your Majesty, it has been an honor to stand within Gorath. Once I return to Bryndis, I’ll send the Sentinel back to retrieve the rest of those willing to join."

King Duraz crossed his arms, stroking his long, braided beard as he regarded the young baron.

"Ye’ve done right by us, lad. That’s somethin’ I won’t be forgettin’ soon."

Kael inclined his head in gratitude. With a final glance at the gathered dwarves, he turned and ascended the ramp of the Sentinel. As the construct roared to life, lifting higher into the vast stone ceiling of Gorath, Durnek let out a hearty laugh, clapping a stunned councilor on the back.

"Bah! I always knew we dwarves were meant for the skies!"

The Skyward Sentinel soared high above Gorath, its sleek form cutting through the clouds like a blade. The hum of the mana engines reverberated through the cockpit as Kael adjusted the controls, his fingers dancing over the various levers and dials.

"Alright, everyone, hang on tight!" Kael called out, pushing the mana lever to its limit. The Sentinel surged forward, the arcane energy pulsing through its veins, propelling it toward the Sacred Mountain.

Astra stood at the edge of the cockpit, his silver-gray hair untouched by any breeze. The reinforced glass of the Sentinel’s front shielded the interior completely, allowing no wind to pass.

His gaze remained fixed on the horizon, unwavering and unreadable. Alice, her spirit crystal pulsating faintly, stood beside him, her expression neutral but attentive.

"Full speed ahead!" Kael commanded, his voice filled with determination.

The Sentinel’s engines roared in response, and within the hour, they reached the outskirts of the Sacred Mountain.

Upon landing, Kael turned to Lucien, Isolde, and the dwarves. "Stay inside the ship. We won’t be long."

Lucien hesitated before bowing slightly. "My lord, why must we remain behind?"

"We should be at your side, My Lord. Why do you wish us to stay?" Isolde asked.

Kael met their gazes, his tone firm yet understanding.

"The dwarves must not be left defenseless, and I trust no one more than you two to ensure their safety. This is an order."

Lucien straightened, then gave a solemn nod.

"As you command, my lord. We shall guard the ship and our new allies."

Isolde sighed but inclined her head respectfully.

"Alright then, we will stay behind."

Kael smiled before leading Astra and Alice towards the ancient ruin. The entrance, obscured by centuries of overgrowth, responded the moment Astra stepped forward.

As he registered his mana signature, the hidden door groaned open, revealing the long-forgotten corridors of the ruin. The walls, adorned with intricate runes and ancient mechanisms, whispered the tales of a civilization long past.

The trio moved swiftly, their footsteps echoing through the vast chamber. Their objective was clear—the Eldersilver, a material crucial for them to forge the Astral Nanites.

As they neared the core chamber, Kael hesitated. He turned to Astra, his gaze scrutinizing.

"Astra, before we leave, I need to examine your matrix. I’ve noticed that every time you overexert yourself, your system starts slowing you down."

Astra’s glowing eyes flickered slightly—a rare moment of contemplation. Though he was bound to logic and duty, he knew Kael’s knowledge surpassed even that of his long-lost creators. The intricate nature of his matrix had always been an enigma, even to himself.

"You don’t have to worry," Kael continued, his voice even. "I was the one who repaired Alice’s matrix. When I found her, her systems were barely functional. She only awakened after I recalibrated her core. You can trust me."

Alice nodded in silent affirmation, her silver-gray hair shifting as she turned toward Astra. There was no deceit in Kael’s words, only the unwavering certainty of an engineer who had mastered both magic and science.

Astra studied him for a long moment before giving a slight nod.

"Proceed."

Kael motioned to a capsule next to the console, its glass surface flickering with residual mana.

"Step inside. I’ll begin diagnostics."

Astra complied, his movements fluid and precise. The capsule sealed with a soft hiss, arcane circuits lighting up as Kael accessed the ancient system.

Lines of intricate code and glyphs filled the console, displaying a network so advanced that even Kael marveled at its complexity.

"Fascinating," Kael muttered. "Your creators were leagues ahead of modern magic engineering, but there are inefficiencies—overlapping sequences, conflicting subroutines. I can optimize this."

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