Black Magus

Iris Cole.

***

"Alright, before you all drink the sap and begin training, there are a few things we have to finalize. Iris?"

I perked up, ready to respond, only to be flagged by a data packet downloading into my archives. It opened the millisecond I accepted, showcasing a vast world of towering mountains and deep vales overlooking two super-continents connected by a land bridge, with a few exotic islands sprinkled around the seas.

"Okay!" I hopped in front of the Troupe, throwing tech blasts at everyone to craft proper desks and illusory screens before I switched operative modes. With the application of the bardic perks I received growing up, I always felt a coldness creep into my vocal transmitters whenever I switched; and it always matched the sudden giddiness of conducting Legion business.

"Project Darkroom," I announced, pacing across the room with great poise. "Placeholder nomenclature is thus: The Noctis Halls. Descriptor: the Abyssal anvil that forges Noctis Legionaries beneath the hammer of war. It is a spatially distorted and temporally dilated chamber that mimics the worst conditions found across the Mortal Plane. Arcana fills the realm, creating Extreme Mana Zones and Catastrophic Arcane Territories throughout. The seasons change on a weekly basis and the apparent gravity increases by .2G per month. All to promote a habit of using mana molding at all times.

"The slaves of Nydorden Halls liberated through death. Those felled from the battles in Shujen and the Kasian Empire. All who were whispered words in Deep Abyssal before Grand Master Amun killed them now take up residence in this expanse. They are ruled by the first proxies, Sir Doyle Wolfgang and Lady Olga Godzuik; alongside the first undead, Abyssal Abbot Zaraxus and Lady Lana. They all boast military-industrial empires akin to ours. Eager, they are, for our blood."

Malicious grins answered the challenge from all around. I loved it. So I began pacing with fervor to egg them on more. "The Noctis Legionaries should fear the Darkroom more than anything in existence. More so than dragons, demons, or even the Gods, they must fear the Darkroom. It is for that reason that the recruits must live, grow, train, die, and learn through four maddening phases of training.

"They will be locked in a cycle of reincarnation in every phase. The first phase, however, takes after Etan's world to strip them of their magic. Leaving them with just enough to stand without collapsing. For three months, they will undergo relentless physical training and combat conditioning while hostiles swarm them in waves, depriving them of sleep, food, and morale until their fear of death and suffering is vanquished. This is the War Phase.

"The next phase also lasts for three months. Magic and Martial Training. If they haven't already, recruits will take this time to master the four requirements: Manipulation, Mana Molding, Martial Combat, and Flight. So too, however, will classroom studies begin as well as courses to develop mana tolerance, fortify wells, develop spells, and train with basic equipment. The third phase consists of Battle Drills- mastering war and cross-training. Again, it will last for three months. It is in this phase where legionaries can test for licenses to use more advanced equipment and take specialized courses for their class; as this is the most relaxed phase to make the drop of the last phase harder.

"The Abyssal Phase removes the recruits from their reincarnation cycle, yet it keeps them from dying outright. Unlike the War Phase, recruits will regain their magic and will use the skills gained to engage and destroy the magically inclined and technologically advanced empires of the Darkroom. Our training will be the same, omitting the Magic and Martial Training. Instead, we are to replicate what we've accomplished on our worlds to fulfill the following tasks. First, to give structure to the Darkroom's administrative processes and training regimen and to second, make the training as challenging and traumatizing as possible.

"We will start with the first point. Any ideas?"

"What of recruiting?" Etan asked. "Standards, preliminary education, transportation? Data analysis?"

"That's done at the discretion of the Legion's Imperator," I answered. "Generally speaking, we have no recruiting standards. If they're so vile or old that they have to be turned into devils or raised as undead, then so be it. In any case, their first step will see them transported here for reception."

"In that case, I would like to propose a method of gathering information on the recruits before the training begins, but after they arrive. A walk." Etan smiled knowingly.

"Ugh." Blude rolled her eyes. "Again with the walks."

"Specifically, a night march across the barren, soundless surface of Mani." Etan continued in stride, ignoring Blude entirely. "A march of madness, wherein their only order is to walk. What they would not be told is that the task to complete is forty-eight hours of movement. The clock shall tick forward only whilst they move at a walking pace, yet it should go no faster should they run. Their destination only reveals itself once that time has elapsed. Our instructors will not guide them. Nor will they grade the recruits on how fast or slow they accomplish this timeless task. They will only observe.

"Do they complete their vague orders with haste, or do they take their time? Do they go in the directions their instructors look, down the paths paved by others, or do they make their own way? How do they react to the unknown? What would they do when not observed or when powerless? These observations can tell us much about a person without even speaking to them."

"I agree." I nodded slowly. "In that case, that will be the first Night in the Administration Phase of Reception. As for the rest, the GM has compiled a course akin to the many variations of 'boot camp' or 'basic training' documented on the Net. The first item on that list- what will be the Second Night, is the Soul Screening."

At this, the Guild Master- my dad- stepped forward. "I'll need to look into the eyes of the recruits to read their souls. My blessing, Telin's Sight, will let me see their potential classes while the Void Devil's Eyes will show me their deepest desires. That will facilitate their placement in the Legions and allow for tailored lessons, aided with tomes and grimoires for them and their instructors. More so, it will allow them to be more organized. As Iris stated, while those who are wicked have a place in the Legions, there will be some who are so vile or decrepit that they'd be better off dead. Even they, however, would be given a choice. A gamble. A roll of a cursed die to decide if they become a devil, undying shadow, or any type of undead." He playfully tossed a 20-sided die in his hand while smirking at the lot of us. Then continued.

"Everyone else will be given a list of occupations and Legions to choose from based on their traits, qualities, ambitions, and the paths available to them. They can be trained at their discretion, and the instructors should be aware of those choices to guide them properly."

"Of course." Etan nodded.

"To make that easier, I could make a Brood for the Darkroom. I mean," Reina awkwardly giggled. "I was going to anyway, but I can make a few observers and seers in here, with a bit of your… um. Blood."

"That's fine." The GM shrugged, then turned back to me. In turn, I designed a many-eyed archway to mark the gate to the administrative moons in orbit of the Darkroom and added the file to the project.

"A divine arch of birch, filled with our magic. Inscribed with the words: 'This archway; Beith, serves as alpha and omega, the death of your life as a mortal of the Planes; your birth as a Noctis Legionary."

"A bit theatrical," Geri murmured, and was countered immediately by Rickley.

"Gotta give 'em inspiration. Something poetic, so they can remember it with awe. We're making demigods here, after all."

Rather than respond with words, I responded with a simulation of the room I'd been working on and proceeded to ignore their initial reactions in favor of scrutinizing what I saw before I gave the GM the final approval.

A snap, and gone was the nigh-invisible divine tree dominating the distant horizon. In its place was a quaint campsite set up beside a towering cliff face of pale stone, the aforementioned archway carved into its center. Geri made no such mention of theatrics as we crossed it, arriving at a landing that opened to a starry expanse of emptiness sitting between the grand foyer to our rear and the black sphere pulsing in the far beyond.

Together, we designed and wove the moons orbiting the Darkroom one by one; going through the process just as the future Legionarres would in order to build the best infrastructure to support them, the Eternal Emperor's undying angels and living devils.

On the outermost moon, in the 3rd Reception Phase, we elected to have the recruits arrive during the night to hear a preliminary briefing before being issued basic uniforms. Their first night of sleep would see them rise to a busy schedule that would last throughout the next five days- from an outsider's perspective. They would perceive much more time, however. In addition to briefings and lessons on ranks; chain of command; parade and drill; and Legion structure, they would be faced with and observed by many of Reina's children and my devices to build profiles for each recruit. Highly extensive profiles. Their fingerprints would be copied; retinal scans would be archived; visages would be rendered; and their voices would be analyzed; their gaits recorded; dental records would be formed, complete with plans for future treatments or operations. And the same was true for their medical, psychological, and genetic records.

With the procedure, the moon, and our profiles formed, we moved on to the 4th phase. The Moon of Medicinal Witchcraft. There, the most troublesome aspects of their records would be corrected or outright treated; again, with abilities or devices suitable for their paths. However, we soon decided that all recruits would join them, even if no such ailments were present, as it presented the opportunity to teach basic classes in anatomy, first aid, medicine, and witchcraft. It was also here where they would decide upon their preferred manner of critical healing- Reina's Life Center, my augmentations, the various divine powers of the Legions, or no such treatments at all, preferring instead traditional witchcraft, medicine, or technology. So too would they decide their preferred domain during this phase- choosing how the GM would guide and watch them during their adventures.

The recruits would not decide their afterlife in the 4th phase, however. Not yet, at least, for choosing how or even if they would be resurrected, raised, or reincarnated came only with a high enough rank in this meritocracy. However, they would receive the option to change their afterlife preferences with each promotion.

Despite all that would happen, the phase would only last for a mere eight days from their perspective. Yet, the assessments would continue. The next moon- the 5th Phase, was overseen by Etan. On a particularly dull moon, he designed everything from team exercises to dreams and nightmares meant to assess the recruits' mental stability. How they led others; how they panicked; went off the rails, dealt with stress, or coped with trauma; everything was documented and more, offices were constructed to interview and screen recruits in order to determine their intellectual capabilities, emotional ranges, personality types, morals, and learning styles; all in just 48 hours.

In the 6th phase, the recruits would spend a tenday gaining an understanding of their current physical capabilities. To accomplish this, we made a variation of the assessment given by the Guild Association; established a means for recruits to pick and begin training in a favored fighting style, armor type, and weapon; and then posted combat drones of various makes throughout the world to teach the recruits how to use and care for their gear.

The 7th Phase was much the same, albeit with a focus on magic and crafting. On this moon, we devised ways to test recruits in the four requirements. It would start by recording the recruits' mana tolerance, pores, and wells, as well as their spell casting capabilities in several categories; spell power, range, accuracy, casting versatility, and more, for five days. On the other five days, their knowledge of crafting, alchemy, smelting, forging, and enchanting would be assessed.

The 8th phase saw their profiles be finalized and initialized on the Net, permitting them to step on the closest moon orbiting the Darkroom. There, they would receive full-body measurements and be granted the opportunity to customize the features and aesthetics of their field gear in favor of their class and abilities. Contrarily, they received extensive classes with their dress uniforms, to teach them how to maintain and repair their gear.

While that tenday would end with the issuing of their field uniforms, the caveat was the limitations imposed on the gear. Dubbed the 'Locked Set,' the equipment billeted during this phase was to be made of ordinary materials, plus faerie flax. They'd have no connections to the various networks and boast no enchantments other than what was necessary to survive within the Darkroom; but not thrive. Only when they began their Magic and Martial training would their gear be upgraded to fit the standard suite of enchantments. Only when they graduated would their gear be upgraded to hold Noxweave, connecting them to the networks and permanently tying the pieces to their soul.

Before any of that, however, they got to feast upon the magical victuals of Sam's Kitchen, stock up on equipment, and rest as much as they could before their instructors organized them in front of the Darkroom. There, they would straddle the Darkworld's gate and watch the previous graduates emerge gloriously. Only then, would they cross into the void to begin their training.

"Alright." I sighed as the cold giddiness faded in the background of my default settings. "The regimen inside is already established. As is the occupational training post-graduation, dubbed the Brain Phase. So, any ideas as to make this the worst place imaginable? I'm going to install a small country of war beasts once we're in there."

"Me too. But with my Children." Reina added.

"I figure sis and I can make the seasons really swing."

"Or make it gradual." Geri shrugged. "Start really fucking cold and end really fucking hot."

It took not long to agree upon changing the seasons sequentially with the passing months and agreeing to compete in installing some sort of war machine to terrorize both the inhabitants and the future Legionaries. It was only a matter of finding territories in the ever-shifting environment. A task made all the more difficult by our overlapping niches.

A task made all the more difficult by the denizens of the Darkroom.

"As I've said," the GM spoke up once the project was realized. "The civilized denizens of the Darkroom are the beings I've killed down below, uplifted by those above. The orcs of Kasia, uplifted by Lana. The goblins of Kasia, uplifted by Olga. Those I killed in Nydorden Halls, uplifted by Doyle. Those I killed in Shujen, uplifted by Zaraxus. For several centuries now, they've been here, thriving. Growing stronger as we have, waiting for the arrival of my Legionarres, for their curse has left them in a loop of reincarnation. Between my Underworld and this expanse, they cycle like a clock. The denizens who die within are reborn at the start of every month; always.

"So too, however, has their curse blessed them with arcana. And so too has their curse left them tainted, capable of Usurping Life and Strength from the creatures of their realm. Then they were placed here, in the Darkroom, where one year within equates to one day outside. And here, like anywhere else, they built cities, empires- militant superpowers with the advanced technology I gave them. And now, their sole purpose is to wage an eternal war against those who invade their realm- those who enter the Darkroom.

"They will show you no mercy. Yet, they cannot steal life from you or anything foreign to the Darkroom. That said, their Usurped energies do not return when they respawn. Thus, they have to regain their strength by Usurping Life from the many lesser creatures, if not their comrades.

"Thus, it goes without saying." The GM flicked his eyes between us, showing a malicious smile while the incorporeal vines of the divine tree uncoiled to bless us with their sap. "The weakest creatures will be the first ones you face in this War Phase. But don't let that fool you.

"Have a reaping revelry."