The First Archmage

(Gavin)

"Can I see it?"

I look at the ancient magician, who's looking at me like an eager child awaiting candy, having not told me what he wants to see. Again. I know I have Telepathy, but I'm not constantly using it.

"See what, Tristan?"

"The Violet Dragon."

"I'm still working on improving its creation utilizing our newfound knowledge of the runes."

"Please?" He asks. "Its existence is incredible. I want to see it with my own eyes."

I sigh, then summon the Violet Dragon, allowing it to take its natural position around me. It watches him intently, and Tristan reaches out, as if to stroke it. The Violet Dragon snaps at him, and he pulls his hand back.

"Am I correct," he looks at me. "In my assumption that your Violet Dragon is akin to a creature on its own? Complete with its own sentient force?"

"In a sense," I nod. "It's merely an extension of myself and my power. It'll react immediately to anything it deems a threat – or anything that tries to get too close to me. That's simply a product of its design."

"Can I see your Black Hole?"

It's been a month since I brought Max and the ancient magician to the headquarters, and while they each have their own home, we still remain near each other, helping each other. Max has helped train Ryan, while Tristan and I have separated out the runes and discovered that there are a total of five distinct languages.

The last two that I were missing were Nakim Runic Language, which is best for manipulating time and space, and Kurew Runic Language, which is best for mixing different things together.

Things like elements, Resources, and Runic Languages. My 'adjustments' to the Violet Dragon are utilizing this newfound knowledge of ours, with what limited runes we've figured out or acquired from the Runic Languages' Levels. This will be our first attempt at actually using the runes, instead of simply reading them.

I dismiss the Violet Dragon, and it fades away.

"No," I state. "The Black Hole is a powerful Tier VI magic that might as well be Tier VII, and is dangerous to be around. It is a purely offensive spell that can and will suck up everything around it unless it's contained, and I don't intend on doing what's necessary in order to keep everything around us from being sucked into it and eliminated."

The ancient magician looks disappointed, but accepts that answer.

"Told ya!" Ryan yells from the firepit he's currently attempting to build a mundane fire within.

"Alright," I say. "Now can everyone kindly shut up so I can actually concentrate? I'm attempting to do a Long-Distance Telepathy through the Boundary of Sages, and had almost succeeded when you guys interrupted me."

"Sorry," Tristan says, and I sigh.

"You didn't know," I say.

Then, I return to concentrating in the space two hundred yards from our buildings that I had rested at, pushing with all of my mental might to breach the Boundary of Sages. After several long minutes, I finally manage it, finding my mind wandering around through the next area… and then the next… and then I finally reach the one I was looking for, my mind popping into Michael's head.

Long-Distance Telepathy is now Level 6!

"Michael?"

"Whoa!" He sounds surprised, though that's understandable, since a voice suddenly started speaking in his head. "I'm now even hallucinating Gavin's voice in my head. I guess that means I'll have good dreams tonight."

"Dream about your boyfriend, Michael," I state. "You're actually hearing me. I was trying to find either you and Warren or my brothers."

"Huh?"

"Have a little bit more mental strength than that, Michael," I tell him. "Are you still interested in being a part of the Order? I know you've found a people who are accepting you."

"I am," he states. "I'm part of the reason you wanted to do it, and I want to help you with it, because of everything."

"What about Warren?"

"One moment," he says, remaining silent for about thirty seconds. "Do you already have a headquarters or something?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, cool," he says, then falls silent for about twenty seconds. "Yeah, Warren says that he'll talk to his father when you're ready to bring us to it, wherever it is. It'll be tough for his father to let him leave again, but if it's to a place you're protecting… I think the old Fairy will relent fast."

"Alright," I say. "It'll be today sometime."

"Cool!"

He's probably wagging that tail of his in his excitement.

"See you," I say, then leave his mind and immediately start searching for my brothers'.

Long-Distance Telepathy is Now Level 7!

Still no luck. I continue pushing.

Long-Distance Telepathy is Now Level 8!

Long-Distance Telepathy is Now Level 9!

Found them.

"Dylan," I say.

"Gavin?"

"Indeed," I state. "Are you guys wanting to stay there, or move to the headquarters?"

"We can move to the headquarters," he states. "Do you have one, now?"

"Indeed."

"How long before the move?"

"Depending," I answer. "On if we're going through a Rift or if this spell succeeds and allows me to take others along with it. By the way – they're runes from other Runic Languages."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive, considering that I acquired all four of the other Runic Languages."

"Damn. I was hoping Eli was wrong."

"You owe him?"

"Yeah," he answers. "I can open a Rift there to transport us, our property, and the apprentices we've acquired. All I'd need is the location, which I can scry for, I think. Give me about five minutes."

"Alright."

Roughly five minutes later, he finishes what he's doing.

"I think I have it," he says. "Hold on a second… and… there."

Rift Sense is Now Level 7!

I glance over at the Rift that formed. The others wouldn't notice it, but I can see right into it. It's roughly five feet in width and eight feet at its peak, slightly curved at the top. It seems to link directly to my brothers.

Dylan's head pokes out of it.

"Oh, hey, Gavin," he says. "I wasn't expecting to open a direct Rift. That's rare. Might as well get everyone moving before I lose hold over it."

His head retreats into the Rift as Tristan stares at it.

"Did someone that looks a bit like you just look at us through a Rift?"

"My older brother," I state. "You'll see my identical twin at some point, though we aren't really identical anymore, due to the differences in our Stats and my Species."

He nods, and I wait for my brothers to start bringing people and things through. I manage to confirm the existence of an additional twelve members to my Order, excluding the two of them. Including myself, Tristan, Ryan, Max, Michael, and Warren, that means we have a total of twenty members to the Order.

Five more in order to complete the Quest.

I think it says something about me that a thousand Experience seems 'small'. Considering that, I look over at my apprentice. He's gaining Experience at a decent rate, though nowhere near my absurd level, which was affected by my Bloodline's bonus before I ever had access to it.

If I truly am dying within the next few years, I want to leave behind an heir. Ryan's a bit like a mini-me, complete with the pranks and everything. At least I'm powerful enough and have enough Stats that I catch them before they can really annoy me, though Tristan isn't so lucky, and the rest of my Order probably won't be.

But then, he's only thirteen. If he can get over his obsession with big boobs, he'd be fine as he ages and matures. He would make a fine heir, and be fifteen or sixteen by the time it happens. He's already an adult, which means that there would be no issues there.

However, my brother's fine as well. Looking at Eli as he runs back through the Rift to grab more books, I think about him. If he were to pass through a Natural Rift, he'd receive an Experience Bonus as well, just weaker. Instead of receiving triple to all, multiplicative, like my apprentice and myself, he'd receive double, multiplicative, according to Tristan.

He's several years past adulthood, being eighteen and nearly nineteen. He's already past the inappropriate part of the teenage years, and has matured a fair bit. He's also got the same bonuses as me, otherwise, due to his Bloodline.

If possible, I'd like to give the reward to one of the two of them. To Ryan or Eli. Even though it's a tiny amount of Experience for me, it would be a massive amount for either of them, allowing either of them to advance a few Levels in pretty much anything except their Bloodline.

Speaking of Bloodlines…

"Hey, Dylan!" I wave him over as he returns from the other place. "Do you or Eli know how to awaken Bloodlines?"

"No," he answers. "Father never taught us, since it was 'restricted' by the order, and we know what he told us about it being some monsters' Bloodline we get, but rather, just a random place's peoples'. Why?"

"So neither of you have it awakened?"

"No," he answers.

"Okay," I say. "I think I'm going to see if Christopher will tell me."

"Uh… what?" He asks. "You really want to go after him?"

"I'll get Michael and Warren here, first," I say. "But before I do that, I want to try something."

Focusing on the runic formation I've been working on the last few days, I trigger the spell, appearing in a spot twenty yards away.

New Skill!

Teleport: The ability to teleport between two locations.

Barely touched into my Aether and Mana for that. I Teleport to over the ocean two thousand miles away. Not much more of a difference in that power.

Then, I teleport into Jozan. A bit of a difference, there, but I expected that, both due to the distance and due to having to pass through the Boundary of Sages. It's warded against Teleportation magics. Or at least, magics that bend space.

I return home and rest for a few minutes, recovering some of my spent Resources. Teleporting into Jozan increased Teleport to Level 2. I'm not surprised by its low increase, considering it's a Tier VII spell. However, with my powerful bonuses to Leveling things, I'm sure that going to Warren and Michael will increase it a bit more, and bringing them with me will again as well.

I put a hand on Ryan's shoulder, then Teleport us into Jozan.

Teleport is Now Level 4!

"The fuck?"

"Hey, Bert," I wave to him, then Teleport Ryan and myself back to headquarters.

"Bert?" Ryan asks. "That was fucking terrifying. Was that a Dragon?"

"That was an ancient Scaled Wyvern," I state. "Anyway, things are sufficient now, so I'll be heading out. I'll be returning with two more members for the Order, then we'll get your buildings arranged."

I Teleport to Warren, startling him. He was snuggling Michael, a pair of bags on the ground under the hammock they're cuddling on. Michael's ears twitches, his eyes remaining closed.

"Hello, Gavin," the beastborn says.

"You two ready to go?"

"Yeah," he opens his eyes, then extracts himself from Warren and climbs off the hammock, picking up both bags. "Come on, Warren. Wait – how did you get here? You just… appeared."

"I can instantaneously transport myself between two locations," I state. "Thanks to the help of Tristan Lightblade and reading the Grimoire Warren's father possesses."

"How many of his Grimoires do you have?" Michael asks.

"Five, including the copy of Warren's father's that I made," I answer. "You two ready?"

"How does it work?" Warren asks, floating off the hammock before hovering in the air next to Michael.

"Like this," I place my hands on them, then Teleport us back to headquarters.

Taking along two passengers wiped out most of my Aether and Mana. However, it brought Teleport up to Level 10 of Tier VII, automatically bumping it to Level 1 of Tier VIII.

Title Earned!

Pioneer of Tier VIII Skills: The first person to ever achiever a Tier VIII Skill, your powers are vast, your abilities, incomparable to nigh all mortals.

That's a Tier II Title. If I'm the first to hit Tier VIII, that means that if I reach Tier IX and Tier X, then I'll probably receive a Tier III and Tier IV Title, respectively. That's useful information to know.

Achieving that puts me at twenty-nine total Titles, so two more, and I'll receive the third Title for earning Titles. Hm…

Is there a bonus for reaching the fourth Title Hunter Title?

+0 INT!

Thanks, Stem.

+0 CHA?

The fuck is that for?

I forgot you knew.

You know you can talk to me telepathically, like most Divine do.

Oh, right.

"Alright, people," I look around. "Let's get your housing situation sorted out."