Shadow Clone Sorcery (Book 1 complete!)

Irma failed to conceal her excitement when she found out someone had accepted her job listing and that her new assistant would be accompanying her. She had charged the Union with the job, not just the Shadow Seekers. The request went out to several guilds, and a few answered.

A pair came from the local chapter of the Aquila guild. One was a burly man carrying nothing but a monstrous shield that looked more like a vault door. It was at least six-and-a-half feet tall, matching his height and four feet wide. He wore little armor, leaving most of his torso exposed. Epaulets covered his shoulders, connected by crisscrossing leather bands. He wore heavy vambraces and also heavy leg armor. Each piece appeared bulky and heavy.

Meanwhile, his companion barely reached five feet and wore so many layers of clothing that their shape, size, and danger were almost impossible to determine. The bone staff with the bright orange stone in the center suggested the person was a mage.

A small local guild had sent a swordsman who wore baggy trousers and a leather vest that seemed ill-suited for the local weather. He spoke quietly with the second Union enchanter, a rotund man with a giant pack, sent on the quest. A sword hung from each of his hips, and he had several slung across his shoulders.

"You're the guy from the Iskander chapter, aren't you?" The other Shadow Seeker sent on the job asked. She was a tall, scar-covered woman of indiscernible age. She wore leather and light fur-lined armor. A giant axe hung slung across her shoulder, and hatchets from her hips. The woman also had chains of varying sizes wrapped around her wrists, waist, and across her shoulders. "Call me Chopper."

"Oh, good. We're using pseudonyms?" The clone smiled. "That makes this so much easier. Call me Zwei."

"I'm the vanguard. Shield boy over there is probably the same. His companion is probably arcane support." Chopper nodded at the swordsman. "I'm guessing the rearguard, but I can't place you. What's your role?"

El-Prime had resummoned him with all memories, magic, and training benefits refreshed, keeping the mage specialization and Spellweaver ability. Low body mass gave him speed. A light Steel Weave granted extra protection. He reported to the rendezvous point with a Stalker clone watching from the shadows.

The guild didn't care if he used a pseudonym. In fact, they encouraged it when working with outsiders. Neither El-Prime nor Zwei knew their reasoning, and didn't care enough to find out.

There'd be trouble if he suffered serious injuries and needed to dispel himself, but he hoped nothing of the sort would happen. Zwei had permission to sacrifice El-Four if the situation demanded it. The companion clone had Alter Metal Mass. The ability, combined with Shadowsteel and storm energy, proved a potent combination. None of them could wait to test it in combat.

"Scouting, reconnaissance, and any role that might need stealth or information gathering," Zwei answered. He played his cards close to his chest as instructed.. "I'm also a mage, but my offensive options are limited."

"Well-rounded team."

"Don't tell me I'm late." Irma sounded excited as she approached. It was the first time Zwei had seen outside of her workshop. She looked younger in the early morning light. Grey streaked her hair, and her skin wrinkled around the corners of her eyes. She looked to be in her forties, but Zwei knew better than to make assumptions based on appearance. Magic and the Body Pillar changed the rate of aging, after all. "Preparation and getting the equipment together took longer than I thought it would."

"A wizard is never late nor is he early; he arrives precisely when he's meant to," Zwei said, taking a part of her load and carrying it to the approaching pack animals. "I know you're not a wizard, but it should also count for enchanters as talented as yourself."

"I like that. Was it something your former master used to say?"

"Oh, no. The saying came from someone much wiser. A wordsmith of legend, but that's not important right now. The beasts" Zwei lowered his volume. "Are you ready for this? The Shadow Seeker suspects the Aquila or our sword-wielding friend's masters might have plans to claim the resources for themselves. Your colleague there..." He nodded at the other enchanter. "...might be working for them. It's not for sure, and Ogden seems like the overly cautious type. But it's best if you stick with me while on the road and especially after we find whatever it is we're looking for."

"Is this serious or the usual Shadow Seekers paranoia?" Irma asked.

Zwei shrugged. "We can't be sure, but it's best to err on the side of caution. I might not have been with the guild for long, but in my experience, they have good reason for their suspicions."

The rest of the party gathered around the pack animals and put an end to their conversation. Besides the enchanter's equipment, everyone had brought supplies for the journey. Irma and her colleagues' belongings took priority. The Aquila mage's essentials followed, and then camping sets. They didn't want to overload the beasts, and most ended up carrying their own food.

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Daylight hours were short, and the mountains' shadow extended them, so they didn't waste much time and started their journey as soon as everybody was ready. They used the gate next to the Shadow Seekers' fort to head up into the mountains.

"Our first checkpoint is the entrance into the Wulf cave system," Chopper announced. She had claimed the role of expedition leader, and no one seemed to protest. The Aquila guild's shield master walked with her, talking quietly, and the mage followed. Zwei found the difference between how everyone treated the Shadow Seekers in the Gray and Iskander jarring. Respect and fear seemed to trump all animosity in the mountains. "We're not going to stop until we reach our destination."

"The entrance comes with protection from the elements and beasts," the shield-bearer said. He glanced at his Aquila colleague. "The non-combatants won't survive the night if we get stuck outdoors. So, no slowing down. If you need to relieve yourselves, hold it or play catch-up."

"Is he threatening his guildmate?" Zwei asked, Irma, keeping his voice at a whisper.

"Threatening?" Irma chuckled. "You Iskander types are too soft. We call that friendly, matter-of-fact banter around here." She paused, glancing at her colleague. "The soft don't survive the Gray, let alone the mountains and cave systems. Acquiring our own materials and field missions hardens us artisans. You tourists…" Irma nodded at the layered Aquila mage. "...are either too confident or wary to the point of it becoming a detriment. Caution keeps you alive. Fear gets you killed."

The ascent was swift at first. Pack animals approaching and leaving the city using the same path had trodden it earlier in the morning or late the previous evening. The vanguard pair led the party with the Aquila mage following close behind them, with the other enchanter. Then came the pack animals along with Zwei and Irma. The swordsman brought up the rear, whistling. He carried a long walking implement that also looked like a long sheathed sword.

Before long, the paths widened and the snow deepened. The few paths that remained were narrow, carved into the snow by lone travellers or parties walking in single file. It slowed their progress as the vanguard waded through. The shield-bearer used his door-sized implement like a plow when it got too deep. He claimed not wanting to tire out the pack animals in case they needed to run.

Zwei and Irma used the time to discuss the theoretical aspects of enchanting. It was the perfect opportunity for him to pick her brain and learn things she usually didn't have time to discuss at length.

"Just because the metal contains fire-attuned magic doesn't mean that you have to use it for fire," she said, eyes trained on the mysterious mage. "Think about all the applications of fire. You can use it to fuel or trigger reactions or fuel functions besides setting a sword ablaze or heating up a piece of metal. The inter-district rail system is heavily reliant on fire-attuned metal. It propels the mechanism that spins the wheels and controls the brake system."

"You're one of the system's designers, aren't you?" Lukas teased.

"How did you know?"

"You sounded a touch too proud there."

"I didn't design the system. That was the city planners and tinkers. The main driving mechanism and control system were partially my design. It was a team effort with several Union enchanters." Irma appeared embarrassed. The cold air had turned her pale cheeks rosy, and they reddened further. "It was a lifetime ago. I got the job thanks to my late master. It helped get my name before the city's rich and powerful, and paid for my workshop. The rail is a part of me."

The party spotted a field of Sylicites during their ascent. It sat far off the path with the signature crystalline back formations jutting out of the snow. Some of them trembled, vibrating so subtly that Zwei barely caught it. They stood out to his arcane senses like lighthouses on a foggy night. Trees seemed to grow out of an especially large specimen's back. It sat near the center of the field with the rest lying in concentric circles around it. More flora grew between them, making them look like natural formations.

The party didn't have to go out of their way to avoid the creatures. Someone had already traversed the nearby path and left a chalk warning on a large boulder. Unlike what they had seen thus far, the nearby woodland was unmolested. No owlbears had ripped down branches. Scratches didn't cover the bark. The trees grew straight upward, unaffected by other beasts and training adventurers. Zwei understood why the locals valued the Sylicites and actively maintained the ecosystem.

Not long after passing the giant crystal-covered tortoises, the party encountered their first threat. It was the snowmen again. Fortunately, it wasn't an entire tribe. It looked like a hunting party of just under a dozen.

"Stay with the beasts!" Chopper ordered, dashing forward. It wasn't clear who she was addressing. The chain wrapped across her torso unfurled when she grabbed her axe. She cleaved through the first snowman and tangled the second, releasing a deafening battle cry.

The shieldbearer retreated to the mage just as the staff started glowing. Shade's Mantle manifested around Zwei, and he launched sound magic-filled Shadowsteel spikes. They shot through the light fog and got one of the snowmen that managed to make it past Chopper. Only the enchanters and the swordsman didn't act.

It all went by swiftly. The mage didn't get the chance to finish her spell. Chopper took out more than half of them. The shieldbearer dealt with a couple. He knocked one down with the giant barrier before twisting something in the back, separating it into two. He wielded a half in each hand, using them as bludgeoning, crushing, and smashing implements. The downed snowman's head turned into paste. Another had its neck broken with a surprisingly accurate jaw.

Zwei's projectiles killed one and downed another. Meanwhile, the swordbearer took out a specimen who tried to take them from the rear. He didn't draw any of his weapons. Instead, he thrust his narrow walking stick like a fencing sword and drove the tapered tip into the snowman's right eye and through its skull. The creature died instantly. He returned to his ax posture soon after, like nothing had happened.

The clash barely lasted a couple of minutes, and their climb continued straight after. In fact, they hastened their ascent, eager to get away from the corpses as soon as possible. The blood and gore were bound to attract scavengers. Further combat would only slow them down, and they needed to beat the sun.