214: Pragya Sarana

Saunak’s home was nothing as simple as a tent or a hut. Nor even was it a cavern dug into the mountainside.

No, it was the glowing disk. The one that pulled all the lightning from the area. A disk that encircled the top of an Imperium construction spire like a crown, not unlike the ones Vir had seen at Mahādi. Unlike those, the cylindrical black tower almost looked alive, covered with glowing lights of various colors.

“There is but one safe route through the Lightning,” Saunak shouted over the cracks of deafening thunder. His automaton had lowered him to the ground, and he now walked beside them. “Follow closely, or you may perish. You have been warned!”

Vir shielded his eyes. The lightning flashes were so close and so frequent, his ears rang and his hair stood on end. The residual heat hit him in the face like a Fireball spell.

For all his gains, there was little he could do against a lightning strike, other than to stick close to Saunak’s automatons and shore up his Prana Armor. Luckily, they’d slowed to a crawl to allow Saunak to keep pace—it seemed not even he dared riding atop his machine’s shoulders in this storm. Unluckily, that also meant a slow slog through the lightning field.

Shan sidled up to Vir, eyeing the storm warily as the lightning’s intensity and frequency increased. Strikes touched down mere paces away, surrounding them in a rain of death. Several struck Saunak’s Automatons, though they hardly seemed to notice, dissipating the prana and energy into the ground below.

They were halfway through when the situation went from bad to worse. Lightning began arcing from nearby rocks.

Vir’s skin tingled and Shan shivered. They each Blinked away right as a bolt struck where they’d been, lancing at the Automaton’s leg.

“Enough of this madness!” Cirayus roared. “I’ll not suffer your suicidal antics. We’re leaving.”

“Irrational!” Saunak said calmly. “I haven’t even reset your Artifact yet! You’d be better served threatening me with bodily harm!”

“If such threats would work on you, I would already have!” Cirayus roared back.

“Saunak!” Vir shouted over the thunder. “Is there another way through? Can you do anything about this lightning?”

Saunak rubbed his chin, frowning. He sighed. “Very well.”

The demon brought out another tablet from his white coat, this one black. His fingers played over it, and a pulsating surge of Ash prana shot out, bound for the tower.

The glowing green ring winked out, and the lightning halted immediately. The dark storm clouds burned away in moments, leaving a still, lifeless landscape.

Vir, Cirayus, and Shan all stared.

“What?” Saunak asked. “You’re the first guests I’ve had in a century! Can’t you allow an old demon some theatrics?”

Yep… He’s definitely insane.

— —

The rest of the journey proceeded without drama or mortal peril, and soon the group arrived at the base of the tower. Saunak’s spire sat on a rock island surrounded by a circular chasm on all sides, with only four great bridges connecting it.

It’s Imperium, Vir thought. The architecture bore a remarkable similarity to the spires he’d seen at Mahādi, though this building felt rougher. More ancient. As if it hailed from an older era of Imperium advancement.

Vir followed Saunak over the bridge, which was wide enough for both massive Automatons to walk side-by-side.

Like the roads at Mahādi, the bridge looked pristine, and with Prana Vision, Vir found countless preservation inscriptions running over it.

Peering over the Imperium metal guardrail, Vir found a dizzying drop below. Yet what lay at the bottom wasn’t an abyss of black as he’d as he’d expected, but magma. Deep and glowing red. Threatening to consume whatever pitiful soul fell in.

The green ring above the spire blazed into existence once again, and lightning started ravaging the ground around the spire. Thankfully, the bridges were excluded from its zone of destruction.

“Still don’t have a clue what the Imperium intended with this weather controller ring, but it does make an awfully effective defense against Ash Beasts, let me tell you,” Saunak said, cackling, marveling the ring far above.

It was too bright to view directly, so the thaumaturge wore the pair of dark goggles he’d kept draped around his neck.

So that’s what they were for? He brought them along just for this?

The demon spun a full circle on his heels before waltzing over the bridge with a skip in his step.

Cirayus hung back and placed a hand on Vir’s shoulder.

“Do you see, now? He’s not right in the head,” Cirayus said, leaning in close to Vir’s ear. “Saunak’s sanity left him a long time ago. We cannot trust him. We’ll get him to fix the Artifact, and then we’ll be on our way. Understood?”

Vir nodded slowly. There was so much he wanted to learn from Saunak about Imperium creations… But Cirayus had a point. The risks seemed to outweigh the benefits.

“Don’t tell him anything. Don’t even let him suspect who you are.”

“I’ll be careful,” Vir promised.

They followed Saunak across the bridge into a cathedral-like entrance that stood a hundred paces high, and easily sixty wide. Metal catwalks ran along the sides of the great room, suspended fifty paces in the air. They resembled piers, except instead of ships, they were clearly designed to berth something else.

Saunak’s Automaton walked over to the railing and settled against the wall. The glowing blue eyes dimmed to nothingness, and the gargantuan machine stilled.

Its cousin did the same, taking a position opposite it, like stone sentinels that guarded the entrance to Saunak’s home.

They would make for effective guards, Vir thought.

“Welcome Pragya Sarana, my sanctuary in this stormy realm,“ Saunak declared, his arms outstretched. “Come in, come in! Make yourselves at home.”

Saunak strode up to a door at the end of the Automaton garage.

“It’s quite comfortable, I promise,” he said. “You’ll find nothing but the best amenities here.”

Like the ones at Mahādi, the door dematerialized, vanishing without a trace to leave behind an archway tall enough to accommodate Cirayus.

Vir paid careful attention to Cirayus, hoping for a reaction. While he’d seen these doors before, he was nearly sure it was Cirayus’ first time.

To his chagrin, the giant’s eyes merely widened slightly, though the slight hesitation in his stride told Vir it wasn’t that Cirayus wasn’t impressed; he was simply very good at masking his emotions.

The door opened to a great hall with a ceiling that soared twenty paces high. Though they were now within the spire’s thick trunk, light trickled in through blue-colored stained glass windows that ran up the sides of the wall.

They’re gorgeous, Vir thought in awe.

As usual for Imperium creation, prana patterns swirled along the ornate patterns etched into the glass, augmenting its beauty. At least, Vir assumed it only resembled glass—the panels may very well have been made of Imperium metal.

“Now, I believe refreshments are in order. If you’ll just follow me up the tower, I’ll have you sorted,” Saunak said, acting every bit the part of the gracious host.

Cirayus halted, blocking the way for Vir and Shan. “We’re not here for your hospitality, Saunak. Fix our Artifact, and we’ll be gone.”

“And deprive me of the only company I’ve had in the last century!? Are you mad, Cirayus? Know that I do you a favor—a large favor—by resetting your Artifact. The least you can do is regale me with tales of the Demon Realm. What all has transpired in the century I’ve been gone? What do people say about me now?”

Cirayus snorted. “They say little of anything. The Realm has forgotten you, Saunak. They believes you dead. As had I.”

“Oh, Cirayus. You’ve missed me!” Saunak said. “How sweet of you.”

Vir couldn’t fathom how the mad thaumaturge had come to that conclusion, but this was the same demon who’d turned on a lightning field for fun. Who knew what went through that mind of his?

“But this is no place to chat. Follow me, if you please.”

Saunak took off down the hallway, which ended in a cylindrical tube that stretched up to the ceiling. Like the walls, it too was made of a translucent material, allowing those on the ground to look into its hollow interior.

Cirayus stroked his beard. “A lift, is it?” he asked.

“Think so,” Vir said quietly, impressed that Cirayus had immediately recognized it for what it was. He then lowered his voice to ensure Saunak wouldn’t hear. “Every spire at Mahadi had a central lift—Ashani called them elevators—which ferried people up and down its entire height.”

“Quite handy, I’d imagine.”

“They were. Most were broken, but I got to ride on one that worked. It’s an incredible experience. You don’t even need people to power it!”

Cirayus grunted, though Vir couldn’t tell if he was impressed or not. The giant had withdrawn within himself ever since they’d met Saunak.

They stepped onto the platform, and Saunak played over a table on a post in the corner. The lift hummed to life, propelling them upwards.

The wild-haired man turned, grinning in anticipation.

Cirayus crossed his arms and frowned, but otherwise had no reaction. He kept his eyes on Saunak at all times.

Vir, who had already experienced such lifts, said nothing either. Only Shan yipped, running around in circles excitedly.

Saunak’s grin fell. “I didn’t expect the wolf to have the most pronounced reaction. What’s wrong with you two? Don’t you have an ounce of curiosity in you? I danced for ten straight minutes when I got this thing working!”

He’s… like a child in some ways, Vir thought. Saunak reminded him a bit of Ashani. The goddess had been ancient and wise… but also innocent and playful. Vir sensed a kindred spirit in Saunak. Is that what drives him to pursue magic with such fervor?

Saunak’s eyes lingered on Shan hungrily.

“Quite the interesting pet you have there. How did you tame it, if I might ask?”

Vir debated replying, but recalled Cirayus’ words. It’d be difficult to divulge Shan’s secrets without also telling Saunak about Mahadi… and Ashani. He wasn’t about to give this demon any more information than was absolutely needed.

“I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to say,” Vir said tersely, glancing up at Cirayus.

“I’ve instructed the lad not to tell you anything he doesn’t have to, Saunak. You’ll find that trying will prove unfruitful.”

“Tch. You’re no fun at all,” Saunak muttered. “No fun at all.”

The lift ascended slowly, but too slowly. The ones at Mahādi had whisked him up with blazing speed, and Vir suspected this could as well. Thanks to the glass-like tube, he had ample opportunity to study each floor as they passed.

Well, at least he isn’t trying to hide anything, Vir thought.

Most floors were white spaces with glowing floors, walls and ceilings, like Janak’s lab. That, however, was where the similarities ended. Where Janak’s home had been pristine and clean, Saunak’s was a sprawling mess. The only clean areas were the floors; every other surface had been piled high, either with stacks of papers, schematics and blueprints, or Thaumaturge apparatuses Vir couldn’t identify.

Sphere-base Automatons trundled around several floors, though they were nothing like Ashani. Their limbs were bare metal, and most lacked heads, let alone faces. Their motions were stilted and stiff, and it was obvious they were far more basic than Ashani—and likely far older, too.

Together, the space felt more lived in and lively than any Vir had seen in the Mahādi Realm. It looked right, making him wonder if all Imperium labs had been similar in their heyday.

They finally reached the top of the tower near the lightning ring. The spacious room they stepped out into spanned the entire circumference of the top of the tower, partitioned by stained glass windows that ran to the rather low ceiling. Except, instead of being opaque, the ceiling showed an image of what lay above—the glowing ring, which not only painted a fantastical picture, but also illuminated the room with its brilliant light.

Despite that, where the entrance inspired awe, this space felt more cozy. The luxurious rugs, gold accents, and chandeliers completed the picture, making for a homey, yet exotic-feeling space.

Saunak guided them to a long dining table next to windows that ran from the floor to the ceiling. Vir found himself irresistibly drawn to the windows and the stunning view beyond, paying the table full of fresh fruits and salivating dishes only a cursory glance.

Shan, however, eyed the food hungrily.

Outside, the storm raged as heavily as ever, though not a single sound made it through.

“Imperium magic,” Saunak said. “There are no windows in this tower. Everything you see is a projection of the outside.”

“Incredible.” It wasn’t Vir who spoke, but Cirayus. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

So, his placid facade finally cracked, huh? Vir thought with some satisfaction.

Saunak nodded. “It’s quite something, isn’t it?”

Vir had to agree. Volcanoes erupted in the distance, spewing ash high into the air, while Ash Beasts battled in the valleys in front of them. Forests ran all the way to the horizon. Wilting forests.

It was then that Vir noticed the windows were actually magnifying the image wherever he looked, allowing him to witness scenes from hundreds of miles away. The effect was so subtle that Vir almost hadn’t noticed.

A black blur in his peripheral vision caught his attention, attracting his gaze to the nearby mountains.

He watched in horror as a black mass emerged from between the jagged. Where it moved, nothing remained; only bare, barren rock. Trees shriveled before his eyes, disintegrating at an unbelievable pace. The beasts that battled there simply disappeared.

“Prana Swarm!” Vir shouted in panic. “We’re not safe here!”

“Nonsense!” Saunak said casually, swirling a glass of wine he’d obtained from who-knew-where. “Watch!”

The Swarm was enormous. In just moments, the forest they’d crossed earlier had been annihilated. The Swarm covered ground with astonishing speed, rushing at them with a vengeance. Then it arrived, and with Prana Vision, Vir saw only blackness outside.

One moment, all was dark, but then it was gone, as if it had never existed. The Swarm had attempted to consume the tower, and it had failed, moving on to more palatable targets.

Vir’s knees quivered, forcing him to grab the headrest of a chair for support. We just… endured a Prana Swarm attack? And we survived?

“My friends, you are currently standing in the safest place in this entire realm,” Saunak declared proudly.

Vir could now see why. The ravaged landscape outside felt like a realm away from this position of absolute security. It was a little like watching a monsoon pour from inside the comfort of a warm home.

A luxury Vir had wished for as a child.

“Now, while I’m sure we could all stare at the scenery for hours, why don’t we eat? I’m famished!”

“Your own Imperium servants,” Cirayus scoffed. “Out here in the Ash. When we banished you, we hadn’t intended for you to find a life of luxury.”

“Ah, but you hadn’t intended anything at all, had you? You lot condemned me to death out here. That I not only survived, but thrived should be of no consequence to you, yes? Or don’t tell me you’re still upset over her?”

“Her?” Vir asked. “Who’s he talking about?”

Cirayus pursed his lips, staring daggers at Saunak. “Later, lad. Why don’t we take our gracious host up on his offer to dine, for now?” he said in a cold, even tone.

“An excellent suggestion!” Saunak said. “My automatons have so kindly prepared our meals, after all.”

Vir glanced at the table. Three cushioned wood chairs had been placed—one of which was oversized, as if made for Cirayus himself.

“One tends to collect things over the years,” Saunak said with a shrug. “I can’t promise the chairs are comfortable, but the food, at least, I have some faith in. Ah, don’t worry. I’ve prepared a feast for your wolf as well.”

The giant settled into his chair, leaning Sikandar against the table beside him.

He took his place and began heaping contents onto his plate.

Vir reluctantly left the window to settle in beside Cirayus.

“I don’t understand,” Vir said. “How did you come by all of this? How did you control this tower? I don’t know much about Imperium magic, but I doubt they’d simply leave the place unlocked for the first stranger who comes along to claim.”

And if Saunak had indeed unraveled so many of the Imperium’s mysteries, what else did he know? Could he guide Vir back to Ashani? Was he in possession of powerful Artifacts? Saunak sounded like a trove of potential treasure. His ability to control Automatons alone was incredible, and Vir suspected that was barely scratching the surface.

“It’s not poisoned, for Yuma’s sake!” Saunak said between mouthfuls, rolling his eyes. “Don’t let this one corrupt you, boy. Cirayus is as paranoid as they come.”

“Paranoia keeps you alive in a realm like this,” Vir said, filling his plate. “I’m surprised someone with your recklessness has survived this long.”

Saunak laughed hard. “Cirayus, look at him! He’s nothing like his father. You’ve corrupted him!”

Vir froze, and Cirayus tensed. All joviality evaporated in an instant.

“How do you know who I am?”