155. Arming The Clone Army (Patreon)

The specialized clones were invaluable. Lukas hated that the mid-tier abilities only allowed one of them to exist at once, Super Clone being an exception. When he willed it, the journal listed them all.

Specialized Clones:

Merlin: Arcane Chronicling: Tier 1 | Rank 9

Eins: Arcane Smithing: Tier 2 | Rank 2

Morph: Biomancy: Tier 3 | Rank 0

Oberon: Dreamfire Core: Tier 1 | Rank 5

Bowie: Joybringer: Tier 2 | Rank 0

Ace: Luck Thief: Tier 2 | Rank 0

Before resummoning Oberon, Lukas looked over the available mid-tier abilities.

Please pick one of the following:

Dreamfire Copy: Oberon may create a fragile but sentient copy of himself out of Dreamfire. Most detection abilities and spells will fail to see through them. He may instruct them through a telepathic link, sharing senses, and casting spells using them as the point of origin.

Mimic Magic: The clone will gain the ability to mimic magic and enchantments using Dreamfire. They won’t be as potent as the original, but will remain effective until the energy fueling them runs out. 

There were only two options, but both were extraordinary. In most circumstances, Lukas would’ve picked Mimic Magic. He imagined it was how the Shamin created fireballs and crystal javelins. They weren’t powerful, but mixing them in with illusory attacks would give Oberon combat potential. Casting spells regardless of the necessary affinities was an incredible boon.

However, given their current requirements, Dreamfire Copy felt more valuable. While walking to Weaver’s Tavern, he studied Oberon’s final memories more closely. It wasn’t clear who had killed the clone. They had pursued him, ignoring illusions and seen through Shade’s Mantle. The killer found Oberon despite several Shadow Steps. Somehow, they had tracked the clone. Lukas didn’t know whether the attacker picked a random target for the gold and got lucky or they had specifically picked the clone and knew how to eliminate him. It was likely his old paranoia getting the best of him, but erring on the side of caution was the secret to survival.

Dreamfire Copy’s ability to escape most detection abilities and spells made it valuable. He recalled struggling to identify the original Shamin. She had successfully fooled Lukas’s senses and he hoped the copy would do the same. If Lukas understood the wording correctly, the mid-tier ability wouldn’t create a clone. Instead, it would be akin to a construct that looked like a person and followed Oberon’s telepathic instructions. Being able to see and cast spells through them made it extraordinary enough to be a Shard ability all on its own.

Is it me, or are the newer Specialized Clones more powerful than the early ones? Is Shadow Clone or the rest of the Pillars’ current power a factor in how they start off? Or it could be the power of a draconic shard.

Even though he didn’t like the clones having minions, Lukas picked Dreamfire Copy. Super Clone was already bending the rules, and it felt necessary for the possible looming threat. For the time being, he decided not to make mountains out of molehills. He entered a dark alley and summoned Oberon. 

“Good choice, boss,” the clone said. “Mimic Magic felt more like Merlin’s style.”

“I thought so too,” Lukas replied. “I’d like you to distract our pursuers. Send your new copy shopping. Perhaps in the Shadow Seekers guild house. I’d also appreciate it if you could ask them and the shadier information brokers about the dark side of Tortuga.”

“Specifically about hitmen and assassin guilds?”

“Exactly.”

“Consider it done.” The clone made a handful of elaborate but unnecessary hand gestures before exhaling a puff of Dreamfire. It solidified as an exact copy of himself. It exited the alley first and headed toward the Shadow Seekers’ guild house. Oberon wobbled for a moment, closing his eyes and clutching his temple. “By your left testicle, boss. That’s rough.”

“Massive magic drain?” Lukas asked.

Oberon shook his head. “No. It's cheap given the utility and power. Sharing senses with something is overwhelming. I got an instant migraine.” More Dreamfire flowed from his fingers and nostrils, changing his face, giving him facial hair, and making him rotund. The clothes cloned from Lukas’s outfit grew brighter and expanded to accommodate Oberon’s new body shape. “I’ll be fine, though. Want me to give you a little Dreamfire mask?”

“Go for it.”

Lukas felt no changes but was confident in Oberon’s ability and exited the alley before him, continuing toward Weaver’s home. The journal’s familiar buzz drew his attention. He summoned it.

Merlin: Boss, while you’re at it care to upgrade me too?

Lukas: We don’t have an essence picked out, and you’re working.

Merlin: Everyone but me is running low on magic. They’ll need a resummoning or time to recover soon. As for an essence, I have one picked out. I just dropped it in the storage.

Most clones had a discretionary fund. He didn’t want them to be caught empty-handed when out, especially while disguised as him. The journal’s storage often contained a decent quantity of coin as well, but retrieving it in public wasn’t always an option.

Essence of the Draconic Scribe

Lukas: Where the hell did you get this?

Merlin: It started off as an Essence of the Scribe. Since you had it set aside for an Escape Portal, I thought you wouldn’t mind me borrowing it and a couple of other test pieces.

Lukas: You recalled Penelope’s upgrade ritual? Or was it Minerva’s leather?

Merlin: Neither. I put together an experimental ritual using a shard of Dracosteel Ore, a blood sample from Shae, and a few other things. The first couple of tests failed. We lost the shards, but I gathered valuable data. This one worked out, but it might also have been lucky.

Lukas: I’ve given you the freedom to experiment. But I’d appreciate it if you keep me in the loop in the future. I could’ve replaced a Spellweaver with Ace for a luck boost.

Merlin: I appreciate it, boss. The journal won’t let me check the possibilities. Please check if it's compatible?

Lukas did as requested. Arcane Chronicling had started off as one of the least consequential specialized shards, but it had proven itself invaluable in recent months. Initially, he only used the clone for designing wards, enchantments, and spells. Now, Merlin had taken the bulk of the Fortress’s construction out of his hands. Lukas was happy to invest in the clone. The returns were more than worthwhile. The feat of upgrading an essence crystal deserved reward and attention.

The Essence of the Draconic Scribe was the side of Lukas’s eyeball. Lukas saw flaming silver writing within. It contained the familiar arcane signature of draconic presences. 

Arcane Chronicling has progressed to Tier 2!

The clone’s ability to absorb, preserve, and reproduce memories and all knowledge has significantly improved. He has also gained an affinity for all draconic magic and dragonfire. He has no dragonfire of his own, but will have an easier time constructing spells out of them, and detecting and understanding draconic energies.

Please pick one of the following:

Silver Dragonfire: A silver dragonflame will awaken in the clone’s heart, fueling his magic. It will significantly improve his conjuration and shaping capabilities. Arcane constructs may also be granted life with greater ease. Silver dragonfire may easily emulate other attunements, but not other types of dragonfire.

Magic Binding: The clone will gain the ability to bind spells and enchantments of increasing complexity to items, people, and surfaces. The spellforms will exist in the arcane plane, remaining invisible to the physical senses. They will persist even after the magic is spent and will slowly regenerate unless dispelled.

Arcane Mind: An artificial magical brain will be born within the clone. Its inhuman processing power will assist in information processing and analysis, and also spell formulation. The clone may feed the brain additional magic to temporarily overclock it for a while, but exhaust it for twice the duration. Alternatively, he may project it outwards for scouting and channel magic through it.

That’s interesting.

Magic Binding felt like a significantly stronger version of one of Spellweaver’s passive abilities. Attaching spells permanently to objects, places, or people was an incredible boon, allowing for an easy way to enchant or ward almost anything. Lukas couldn’t help but feel amazed by the power that came with the draconic prefix. Whatever ritual Merlin had conducted had taken the essence to incredible heights. The ability would grant him incredible support powers ranging from enchanting to trapping.

Meanwhile, Arcane Mind would make Merlin significantly better at what he already did. If Lukas understood the description correctly, it would grant him a magical artificial intelligence that reduced the load on his brain. The wording made it seem like a computer, which Lukas loved. The ability didn’t provide immediate tangible bonuses like Magic Binding, but the ability to create powerful spells on the fly meant Merlin would also have a powerful combat presence, slinging shadow and lightning spells with ease.

Finally, there was the option that intrigued but also worried Lukas the most. 

Lukas: Are you seeing this, Merlin?

Merlin: I am, boss. It’s suspicious. Nothing connected to silver dragons went into the ritual. I don’t know where this came from.

It’s a gift from Lady Silverspine and a gesture of goodwill after taking the Dracosteel Obelisk.

Lukas’s jaw clenched; he struggled not to yell out obscenities in public.

The Great Silver Dragon believes she owes you personal thanks for the requisition. It will grant you or your clones access to a third dragonfire and strengthen the clone’s link to her.

Merlin: As powerful and incredible as my own dragonfire would be, I don’t think I want that. If you ask me, boss, this feels like a trap. She knows for sure we’re getting close to severing her connection to the journal. This must be her way of cementing her hold.

Lukas: It would be incredible to do the same as Mira, but you’re right. More power in exchange for greater and strengthened control. That’s what it is. I don’t like that she’s specifically targeting you.

Merlin: I was born from your soul fragment. When you dispel me, and it rejoins the rest of you, her link to you will be reinforced. I bet her link to the journal will also be improved.

Eins: What if this is her way of making the connection unbreakable? What if the journal lies to us?

Dishonesty is beyond my capabilities. My creator ensured it. 

Eins: How do we even know that’s the truth?

Lukas preferred Arcane Mind. Its similarity to Dragonfire Core’s mid-tier ability Dreamfire Copy also surprised him. He liked the idea of Merlin projecting it outside of his body, and casting spells through it would allow him to cast spells from safety and out of sight. 

The conjunction abilities followed. Lukas started with Mind and Soul.

Please pick one of the following:

Shadow Dragonling: Merlin will gain the ability to summon a draconic familiar made of shadows. It will be able to use the same shadow-related abilities and spells as its summoner, using his arcane stores. 

Attunement Library: The clone may access attunements of all the spells you or your other clones can access. He may also establish a temporary link to another entity, accessing their attunements or granting them one of his. 

Twinned Spell: Merlin will gain the power to double the effects of a spell or cast it twice simultaneously while splitting the effects between separate areas or targets. He will only suffer the mental stress of a single casting and expend magic one and a half times as much.

Lukas dismissed Twinned Spell straight away and considered Shadow Dragonling for a moment. He didn’t like summons but was starting to change his mind regarding familiars. Assistant Spindle was an incredible boon, and he loved the concept of Mira’s summon. The Shadow Dragonling likely wouldn’t be as potent or smart as her creation, but it would still be useful.

The familiar would likely enjoy the benefit of Shade’s Mantle, Shadowsteel, and Shadow Illusion. If Essence of the Dusk Spider granted Lukas Shadowsilk as he hoped, the familiar would have little trouble producing the same.

In the end, Lukas settled on Attunement Library. Merlin would never need Assistant Spindle, allowing him to cast almost any spell and make construction of and upgrades to the Shadow Fortress a breeze. The conjunction abilities were all incredible. He believed the power of his Soul Pillar and the draconic essence were responsible.

Afterward, he moved on to the Mind and Heart conjunction.

Please pick one of the following:

Storm Wyrmling: Merlin will gain the ability to summon a draconic familiar with stormfire in its lungs. It will have the ability to use all of the same draconic and storm-related abilities and spells as its summoner, using his arcane stores.

Spell Sculpting: The clone will gain the ability to sculpt its spells to avoid affecting selected targets. Beneficial magic will avoid enemies. Harmful spells will avoid allies.

Memory Mastery: Merlin will gain the ability to erase or alter memories or knowledge from a target’s mind. He must be in physical contact with his target, and the time required will vary with the magnitude of the memory and its importance to the owner.

Merlin: Another familiar option? Is the essence causing this?

Lukas: Is Silverspine responsible for this?

Lady Silverspine is not. Fracture only allowed her to influence the Silver Dragonfire option’s existence. The familiars are a result of the essence’s draconic magic. 

Eins: I’m not convinced. Not one bit. The scaled bitch and her little minion are trying to pull the wool over our eyes. For all we know, she’s the reason Merlin’s ritual succeeded, and using the essence has already fucked us over.

Lukas: I wouldn’t be sure of that. The essence had a draconic presence, but the energy felt primal and more akin to dracosteel.

Merlin: I don’t like Spell Sculpting. It feels unnecessary. I shouldn’t have any trouble doing that myself. It will require precise spell scripting, but that’s within my capabilities. 

Lukas: I don’t like Memory Mastery. It feels too much like Mind Magic. That only leaves Storm Wyrmling.

Merlin: Are you sure? Memory Mastery will allow me to do what Minerva used to do for you.

Lukas: It doesn’t feel necessary anymore. Your memories don’t affect me the same way.

Merlin: That’s because I’m the one who deals with them. But fine. I like the idea of a familiar. Maybe check with the spider first.

The tavern stood before him. He set aside all other concerns for the time being and stepped through the doors. The familiar fabric barmaid and handyman smiled and waved at him. 

“I’m here to see Weaver,” Lukas said.

“Master says that you can let yourself through,” the barmaid told him.