Sworded Affair

Chapter 50: Red Like Roses

"The emergency national census has been concluded," Tom reported, as casually as though he were commenting on the weather. "Of Great Britain's former population of sixty-seven million, just over eleven million were recorded by the rites of divination. After application of statistical attrition to account for deaths whilst the census was underway, we arrive at a figure of just under eight million, which amounts to twelve percent. This number is expected to fall another two thirds by the end of the year."

"Four percent, then?" Amal concluded. "Better than some places, worse than some others. Our population distribution has always gravitated towards the South, yes, but we never urbanized to the same degree as China, nor are we like the desert nations such as Egypt, where the bulk of the population gathered near the few sources of water available. How are we looking in-house?"

"The Empire survived the terminus in far better shape," Tom quickly reassured him. "Far greater self-defense capabilities combined with a general distaste for city life left over seventy percent of citizens alive. When filtering for the magically awakened, and excluding friends and family, this number stands well in excess of ninety percent. This is only for Great Britain of course, the ambient mana remains too unstable for an accurate count overseas, but we're expecting similar numbers to trickle in a few months from now."

"That sounds very impressive, until you remember we were only ever one in ten thousand of the total population," Amal shook his head. "Still, over three thousand practitioners and half that in support staff? I'll take it. I have a good idea of what my orders are as well, but I'll ask you to spell them out for me nonetheless."

"Indeed," Tom cleared his throat. "Given the near-total breakdown of modern technology and society, there is no longer a rationale for maintaining any holdings in Lower Swell. All Masters are requested to settle their own affairs, ahead of a convocation at Stonehenge, come the Summer Solstice.”

"About what I expected then," Amal grunted, waving a hand to shatter the light binding himself and his student. "So be it; not like I have a reason to protest, after my greenhouse went up in flames. Say, Tom, you look like you're getting on in years. Want a top up?"

"That would be very helpful," Tom agreed. "All of this traveling has been rough on my back!"

Nodding, Amal retrieved the single item that he kept on his clothes; everything else of value stayed in a pocket dimension, but this, no mere storage item or inventory could ever hold. A perfect crimson sphere, no wider than his thumb and as light as a matchstick; a very innocuous image for something he'd spent over a century making to earn his Mastery.

"Regrettable," Amal shook his head, leading the way out of the house with Tom following a step behind, just like in the good old days.

He picked a slow, meandering route, gradually winding his way towards the village square as he took in his final moments of his home for the past two decades.

"I tried to find another apprentice here, you know, back when I first arrived," Amal confided. "It had been a few years since your trials, and I was starting to miss teaching. A few even had the talent to practice, and age isn't truly a barrier for me, as you well know. But nobody was interested; the only ones living here prize a quiet life too much, alas. Better a peaceful, painless death, compared to what the demons would do to them in my absence."

Finally arriving at the center of the village, Amal raised his hand with a sigh and spoke a single word.

"Nigredo."

The world died. Not the entire world, of course, but anyone observing Lower Swell at that moment would be forgiven for their mistake, given how everything within a two mile radius simply ceased to exist. Every tree and each blade of grass, every insect and animal and human beings too; even the houses and concrete weren't spared, collapsing inward into so many piles of dust. The only survivors were Amal himself, staring at the Philosopher's Stone in his hand that now glowed like a star, and Tom; the latter discarding a paper talisman as it burned itself to ash, having fulfilled its purpose by blocking a single application of Instant Death.

"Fifty years for you, and fifty for me," Amal decided, as twin beams of gold enveloped the twin survivors. "The rest to the stone, for when it's needed."

Hair turned bright blonde, losing the grey of age; backs straightened, knees and hips clicked into proper places, skin smoothed and eyes returned to sharpness that any eagle would envy. As this reversal ran its course, Tom coughed violently, spitting out a globule of diseased flesh, its existence no longer tolerated by the world itself.

"Carcinoma," Amal diagnosed with an expert's eye. "Lung cancer. I always told you not to smoke so much, Tom. That could've been bad, given another five years left unchecked."

"I'll visit the doctor for checkups more often," Tom conceded, chastised.

It did not miss Amal that his student said nothing about quitting smoking, but he dismissed the thought, having bigger things to worry about right now.

"Well, best get a move on then," Amal stated cheerfully, his mood much improved with his body back in the prime of his life. "We've got twenty or so hours of walking to do, Stonehenge awaits!"

"Can't we just use my van instead?" Tom replied reflexively, before remembering that it didn't exist anymore.

"Last one there's a basilisk egg!" Amal laughed, breaking into a sprint and leaving his student far behind him.

"Oi! Cheater!" Tom howled as he did his best to follow.

—

"I'm still not sure what to do with you," Emma admitted as she shook off the remnants of sleep, staring down at her updated status page.

Emma Knight - Level 9 Revenant

Race: Undead {LOCKED}

Alignment: True Neutral

Anima: 500

EXP: 2070/3000

Abilities

Summon Unholy Sword {Epitaph} (Cost: 50% current Anima)

No Pal of Mine: Capture the soul of the slain, creating a simulacrum identical in strength and fully obedient. Maximum 1 active per 10 levels, rounding up.

The Leech King - Level 8

Sir Bearington - Level 4 (1 hour cooldown)

Earthbound Immortal - Level 13

Weeping Scar: Wounds inflict periodic poison damage until they are healed.

Oversoul: Become intangible and possess the body of a living target. Only works on those with a lower level than the user, with effectiveness varying based on willpower.

Traits

Arcanivore: Enemies restore Anima when wounded or slain.

Wolf, Ram and Heart: All attacks imbued with Death magic, significantly increasing damage dealt.

Circle of Life: Increased affinity with animals. Decreased affinity with humans.

One with Everything: Damage reducing Anima to 0 stops at 1 instead. This effect cannot activate more than once an hour.

Inventory

Tea Kit (4/5th Bundle of Holy Tea Leaves, Kettle, Teacups, Matches)

Add-Ons

Music Player: Most of YouTube’s hits, all in your head.

Fast Travel

Academia Mortalis

Main Quests

404 - Answers Not Found

Objective: Discover the cause of the mana surge that brought about the Apocalypse

Reward: ???

Blood Borne

Objective: Find your Mother

Reward: ???

Cum Laude

Objective: Reach the 10th floor of Scholomance

Reward: ???, Save Point, Quest: Magna Cum Laude

Pending Choices

[Choose one of the following four options:

1) Weapon Enhancement - The Core: Embodying the concept of the sword, this blade is unbreakable.

2) Weapon Enhancement - The Fringe: Leaves novices dead and masters deadly. Summon cost reduced to 25% of current Anima. Can summon and maintain a second blade.

3) Weapon Enhancement - The Extreme: This blade can cut through anything, but a single blow in return will destroy it entirely.

4) Ability - The Extinction (Cost: 99% current Anima): Call down a meteorite to impact a location within line of sight. The user selects the size of the meteorite, up to a diameter in meters equal to the user's current Level. This ability has a 1 month cooldown.]

"Oh well, I'm sure something will force my hand eventually," Emma shrugged. "That's been the story so far, so why change what works?"

Raising herself up, a whispered command to the Earthbound Immortal saw their impromptu shelter collapse into the ground, revealing the sky, thankfully bright and clear of hail.

"Let's try and finish this today," Emma declared. "This ravine can't be that much longer, surely!"