The Deadman

He sat on his desk with a pen and a paper. And started with a letter to address the Magi-clans that are watching the chaos from their safe places.

Hail Lords,

I write to you now as the Commander of the Commission Against Supernatural Entity. You know me as Simone Wyllt. I have spoken to you all before the Convocation of Lady Gia Silvia, a former member of the Commission and once a stout ally who had become a center of the world – for her ideals and bullheaded stubbornness. Her character has always been a mystery even to me.

She is a woman, who despite the chaotic nature of our world, and preferences. From a woman who had lost his family to the greed of a few Clans, now to a woman who holds a dominant force on this planet, armed with the latest technology and even more so – the magic to counter our curses and hexes. I have once spoken extensively regarding her. I recall being called paranoid for worrying about a woman who dawdles in technology despite her bloodline of a Magus.

And now she dominates our commerce and businesses. We are that of a leech to her success and yet we know too well how grand her vision is for the world. As she said, we will be fighting on this planet, while she will go to the stars. It does not matter if we reject or persecute her. For finds our council unimportant, irrelevant to the goals she could achieve by her own will and power.

She has gathered allies. Tempted the world to side with her.  And now we are forced to acknowledge the world has advance to a point where we can question whether our practices, histories will be relevant to the world.

You all saw her magic. That magic of hers that shortens the distance of spaces, creating faster networks and  allowing one to travel through locations. We have not made any progress on deciphering her spell, and there are only a few users of the spell.

All attempts to replicate it lack something vital. We don't know what that is because years ago and even now we believe that our spells are gospels, sacred chants and litanies that must not remain tarnished.

And where are we now? Look at our tardiness? The world is burning, and the machines we sought as crafts of those who are embraced by the world’s warmth have now taken us to this level of deplorable laziness. The world has surpassed us. We, the so-called guardians of the side of the world, are now cowering behind our sanctuaries, our places of safety, hoping that the magic-less world can win against her. I believe that some of you have joined her and I respect your choices. I respect those who have picked a side and those who refused to be told to pick a side in this conflict.

We are masters of free will and through the ages have guided humanity as the wise man, the wizard behind the king. And sometimes leading to their demise, hoping we can stir the world into directions that we dreamed. Being Shepherds of humanity, that was our role, and now we are simply watchers.

I write this letter in hopes to inform you of what I have learned through our friends, allies, and informants who have risked their life to inform the world of the plans of Lady Silvia.

It seems she’s planning to redo the experiment again. This time she plans to use a bigger machine to pry open the barrier separating the realms.

This friend of mine’s name cannot be told. But I assure you that the words of this friend are something I trust the most. I have feared the intervention of this man, but it seems we have some luck.

Of course, the worries about this conflict might not move you. However, I have been informed by this old friend of a creature that will come again at the end of the century.

A Magic Eater, the one we call the millennium bug has come again and this time it plans to eat every magic we all know. If we are fortunate enough, we can make use of the scraps to wield our magic. The Arcane is what makes us relevant, it is the advantage that separates us from other organizations.

It is through this that we remain in the eyes of the world. It takes a strong belief to deny it, but attached to this letter will be the information that I got from my old friend. Information that an Outsider has come to inform us.

From what I heard it seems we need to act upon this. If the Lady of Wisteria, the Madam of the LORES Consortium can open that gate, this Magic-Eater will surely come and eat again. We had a hypothesis, that back then in 1997, during the time where the cult was active, that the souls sacrificed in the name of summoning a demon had gone awry, and this is what attracted this being to our location. As my friend puts it, we are a lamp in the middle of the darkness of the universe, and a predator has come to notice our existence.

The incidents back in 1997 and the following have made us noticeable. The only light in the dark. And now this creature wants to eat everything, and when there is no magic left to eat, the creature will be able to see the inside of our world. And what will be found inside?

Human souls. Delicate souls that are called by this Outsider, one of the most precious energy and once the magic-eater gets a taste of human soul. There is a chance that it will be hungry and if the gates of hell are open, it can take a peek inside of hell and notice the souls inside as well.

My friends and allies. Colleagues who might not agree with my methods of bringing CASE into the light. We have always believed that we are superior to the Nonmagi. And perhaps there is an objective truth to it. We mastered the ability to live longer than them, and yet they themselves have managed to create a method to live longer.

Turning themselves into artificial beings. We do not interfere with their side of the world. But let me remind you that it is our duty to keep the souls of this planet alive. Just as our ancestors have slain great evil, and even manifested strength to push back the demons back to hell.

I do not ask your allegiance to the Coalition or the Wisterian Islands. I ask your allegiance in hopes to stop this dangerous monster from damning all souls in this blue planet of ours into oblivion.

Because I know the truth. And this horrible truth is that we are divided when the world should know that we are facing a monster that threatens our existence.  If we do nothing, all life on this earth will die.

The threat we face is more than enough to send shivers in my spine. Perhaps, you will think of this letter as nonsense, clearly a clever persuasion method of mine to trick you into siding into the side that will stop Silva. dilemma. I have attached the information needed to this letter. If you want to join me, then meet at Snowdonia. I shall stand before the lake where the late king threw his sword away.

Simone Wyllt.

***

After writing the letter. Simone handed it to his assistant and had it copied and sent to the Magi-Clans allied with CASE. As he was about to leave his domain, he saw Leona approach.

She wears high tech plate armor consisting of a combination of materials like ceramic, titanium, and advanced polymers, providing protection against bullets and other high-impact projectiles.  Included in this armor are built-in sensors and communication systems, as well as advanced cooling and ventilation systems to keep the wearer comfortable. Designed to be lightweight and flexible, allowing for ease of movement and dexterity. With active camouflage that makes her less visible to adversaries. The difference is that there are runic writings. Enchanted with powerful defensive spells to provide additional protection beyond the physical properties of the materials used. The runes imbued with magic create a variety of effects such as increased durability, resistance to elemental attacks, or the ability to deflect spells. But the devastating thing about this armor is that it also has the ability to absorb and store magical energy, potentially allowing the wearer to unleash powerful counterattacks against their enemies. Additionally the armor may also have the ability to repair itself with magic over time.

It was a masterwork created especially for her. A combination of Magi-Science, appropriated by Leona from the armor of the Hellrunners that have been confiscated.

Leona confidently strode in front of Simone. “It seems that your ‘old friend’ has been stuck in odd places today.”

“That he is. Are you going to accompany me there?”

“Of course. Or are you in such a state where you want to be alone, my Dear Simone?”

“Stop that.”

She laughed heartily. They entered the VTOL and waited on the aerial vehicle, passing through landscapes and crossing bodies of water.

“When you live long enough you see so many strange things. Back then the television, the computer, and the plane were the most amazing technological wonders. And now we are on the verge of a turning point. So many things have come and passed. Friends and family passing away.”

Simone’s face wilted. His aged face showed exhaustion. A tiredness that not even sleep could fix. Leona took notice of his face and smiled beautifully.

“You have grown into a fine specimen, Simone. How unfortunate that you refuse my requests.”

“It is not right.”

“And I always liked that dogged stubbornness of yours. Oh my, why am I so unfortunate not to find a man worthy of my love?”

“Didn’t you have one?”

“Don’t mention that fool. If he loved me truly, then he would have accepted the surgeries and extended his life. Clearly, he didn’t want me.”

“I disagree.”

Leona looked away. “I have grown tired lately.”

“You don’t show it.”

“You can only do so much in a hundred years. I will tell you this now. When she spoke of wanting to go to the stars. It excited me. I was tempted to do so. Before I die, I want to see the landscape of the red planet. I want to see humanity spread among the stars.”

“So why haven’t you?”

“She risks too much on a goal that will harm the world. That is not a price I can agree with. And now her actions might have led to a cosmic creature trying to eat us whole.”

“Do you think they will fight with me?”

“Let me tell you this, Simeone Wyllt. The Clans are greedy. They are full of self-interest. But they are not cowards. And although they are so full of suspicion. They know when to act.”

Simone looked at the location.

The snow-capped peaks of Snowdonia loomed high in the sky as the magic clans gathered. The air was crisp and cold, but they were bundled up in warm clothing, their breath visible in the freezing air.

The leaders of the various clans stood in a circle, their faces etched with determination. Simone met their eyes and leapt from the VTOL and stood before them.

"We are here today because our world is under threat."

"We will fight alongside you, brother. Our magic will be a powerful asset in this war."

"And we will lend our strength and our magic to the cause. We will not let  this evil destroy our homes."

“We will fight as well.

The rest of the leaders of the Magi Clans also pledged their support, and the circle of leaders broke apart as they began to strategize and prepare for battle. The magic clans bound by the Nonmagi Pact now head to fight a war.