Exploratore Fullofaudes led them to the Exploratores HQ and stopped. He looked up into the air, focusing on a seemingly empty location high up in the sky.
“Here we are. We’ll have to request you leave your hidden companion behind. And a word of advice? Invisibility isn’t that useful if you aren’t hiding your mana.”
Ateia and Taog’s eyes widened slightly. The drone-golem NSLICE-00P ordered to watch the pair did not respond, but also stopped moving, maintaining its place up in the sky as NSLICE-00P ordered it to comply. Exploratore Fullofaudes nodded and then led the pair inside.
The two were led up to a large office, with beautiful carvings along the door. They opened the door and stepped inside. The office was richly adorned, with silk curtains, cushions made from the finest monster-wool, a shelf full of artifacts, treasures, and trophies, and another filled with bottles each worth more than several Exploratores’ yearly incomes. And sitting behind a magnificent desk was Magister Exploratores per Utrad Vibius Vatinius Balbillus himself. He wore fine silk clothes underneath the Exploratores cloak and insignia, and had goat horns coming from his forehead. He gave them both a smile with slanted eyes.
“Exploratore Ateia Niraemia, at your service, sir.”
“Exploratore Taog Sutharlan, here as you ordered, sir.”
“Welcome, welcome, have a seat, you two.”
Ateia and Taog sat as requested. Magister Vibius nodded and reached under his desk, pulling out two pouches. The coins inside clinked together as he placed them on the desk.
“First things first, I owe you two my thanks. I’ve heard you’ve been hard at work cleaning up my province while I was occupied with the front.”
Ateia nodded.
“Just doing our duty, sir.”
Magister Vibius’s grin grew.
“Perhaps so. Still, good work is to be rewarded. Consider this the Imperial bounty for that situation in Khalbuldor’s dungeon.”
Ateia and Taog glanced at one another, then slowly took the pouches.
“Now then, I hear you’re on a mission for an Amiciti Populi Elteni? Why don’t you tell me more about your quest, and I’ll see if I can help.”
Ateia and Taog glanced at one another and frowned, but then slowly started to speak. They were on guard, but Magister Vibius didn’t ask them any pointed questions or probe into NSLICE-00P. He simply stated what he already knew about their mission and asked what they had done so far and what other information they’d like to share. Eventually, Ateia and Taog started to relax.
It was at that point that Magister Vibius’s smile dropped.
“Now then, let me explain why you two are here. Exploratores Ateia Niraemia and Taog Sutharlan, we need your help.”
Taog raised any eyebrow at that.
“Forgive me, sir, but what do you need our help with? Surely we aren’t the most experienced Exploratores you have?”
Magister Vibius shook his head.
“No, but due to recent events, I know you are trustworthy, and that makes all the difference. Do you know what this is?”
Magister Vibius reached into his desk and pulled out a box, covered in glowing magic symbols. He channeled his mana through them in a specific fashion and unlocked the box. He then opened the lid to reveal a dagger, covered in red engravings. Even from across the desk, Ateia and Taog could feel heat emanating from the dagger. Ateia frowned.
“I mean, it’s obviously an enchanted dagger of some kind, but I can’t tell more than that.”
Magister Vibius nodded and rested his elbows on his desk, crossing his hands in front of his face.
“What do you two know about the Cults of Mana?”
Taog frowned.
“Not much, just that they’re some strange folk who worship the Lords of Mana instead of the Aesdes. Crazy wizards trying to access the Source more directly or something like that?”
Magister Vibius nodded.
“Well, you’re not wrong, but that is merely what the public has been allowed to know.”
Taog raised an eyebrow.
“Allowed to know?”
Magister Vibius smiled at him for a moment.
“Indeed. The public, the Legion, even the Exploratores. They’ve all heard the silly little tales of the silly little cultists. But they would not find it so silly if they learned the truth.”This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it
Ateia’s eyes widened slightly.
“Magister?”
Magister Vibius rose to his chair and turned towards the window behind him, his back facing the pair. He paused for a moment before speaking in a soft voice.
“What if I told you that the Empire is now under the control of one of these cults?”
Ateia frowned.
“That’s impossible. The Emperors would never allow it.”
Magister Vibius nodded.
“A true emperor, yes, and I cannot speak for the Southern and Eastern Courts. But the Northern Court has lacked a true Emperor for some time now, ever since General Priscillianus killed Emperor Herius and Herius’s son got himself killed in Turannia of all places. The man sitting upon the throne now is but a puppet, appointed by the South and the East and helpless before the whims of his own court. He no longer has any real power.”
Taog furrowed his brow.
“What about the Exploratores, or the Inquisitors? Surely they wouldn’t let some cult infiltrate the court?”
Magister Vibius shook his head.
“Ah, you still believe the Exploratores have power, do you? I hate to burst the young folks’ bubble but the Exploratores as a whole don’t have any real power. We occupy a transient place in the Imperial hierarchy, where we don’t report to anyone but the Emperor but also don’t truly command anyone. Our mandate and jurisdiction is vague and constantly shifting. As such, our power is entirely dependent on our ability to convince the powers that be to let us act. So for the most part, we only end up acting as is convenient for said powers. And if the powers themselves are corrupted? Then best of luck taking them down as an Exploratore. Even the Hero of Elteno just got lucky, he was in the right place at the right time. I have no confidence even he could replicate his own feats on demand.”
“And the Inquisitors?”
Magister Vibius shrugged.
“An Inquisitor could help. But Inquisitor is a special role, appointed by the Emperor with a clearly defined mandate. Without a strong Emperor, you will not get many Inquisitors, and it is all too easy for those in power to adjust that mandate to exclude themselves.”
Ateia and Taog fell silent. Magister Vibius sighed.
“I’m sorry to say this, but the Empire is much weaker and much more corrupt than anyone believes at first. All some cult needed to gain influence was a few key connections and an excess of Idrint. And the Legion? The Exploratores? We’re struggling just to keep up with the new dungeons, monster waves, and barbarian incursions, so what can we do if our own leaders have turned against us?”
Magister Vibius turned to face them once more, looking them in the eye.
“But it doesn’t have to be that way.”
Magister Vibius took a seat and pointed to the dagger.
“Magister Caelinus became aware of these people some time ago, and recruited me to investigate. We’ve been moving slowly and carefully ever since, finding allies, building support, and weeding out their agents wherever we could find them. We’ll never be completely free of them, but we’ve cleaned out Utrad’s leadership at the very least. This province is run entirely by people who still believe in the Empire, or at the very least are not actively working to subvert it.”
Magister Vibius’s face turned dark.
“But that will not be enough. The Northern Court moves against the Magister, and he cannot defy appointments from above. They will send their agents into positions of power and work to undo all that we’ve done. In fact, they are already here.”
Ateia and Taog’s eyes widened as they looked at the dagger. Ateia spoke softly.
“You mean, that guy in the dungeon?”
Magister Vibius nodded.
“There are…rumors circulating in certain circles. An uptick in mana storms and rifts, more corrupted dungeons on the outskirts of the Empire than have been seen in centuries. And rumor has it…that someone is behind it. That there are dark rituals being researched that can break down the very walls of the world, or that could even corrupt a dungeon by force.”
He pointed to the dagger.
“Now I am sure. This dagger is something we picked up from a purge of the cult a year ago. It is not of this world, and resists the very power of the Aesdes themselves. We, thus, couldn’t identify it, other than that it likely comes from the Realms of Mana, and one opposed to the Aesdes. And then, mere days ago, a second dagger was found, identical to this one. Found, in fact, in the pockets of a man secretly assaulting the Mines of Might with untamable Adamant Bull Worms.”
Ateia and Taog’s eyes went as wide as they could go. Magister Vibius nodded.
“That’s right. I believe that man you encountered was attempting to corrupt the Mines of Might, which would have devastated Velusitum and destroyed Utrad’s primary source of Mana Iron. You and your friend put a stop to the plot, and for that you have our sincerest gratitude.”
Ateia trembled.
“How…how is this possible? If this…cult is opposed to the Aesdes and taking over the Empire, why haven’t the Aesdes done something? Couldn’t they have…sent a message to the shrines, or something?”
Magister Vibius shook his head.
“The Aesdes are fair but they are distant. They do not interfere directly in the affairs of the living, they focus on maintaining the world itself. They would not oppose such a cult directly. At most, they would empower a hero or two to oppose them.”
At that, Ateia and Taog glanced at one another and Magister Vibius smiled slightly.
“I see, you two understand now, right? You’ve seen and heard of this cult’s doings, and now, you find yourselves directly opposed to them. They will not take your interference lightly, unintentional as it may have been, and likewise you cannot leave them at large if you wish to protect the Empire and its people.”
Ateia gulped but slowly nodded.
“No, I suppose we can’t.”
Magister Vibius nodded back.
“And neither can we. Now that the Cult has moved against Utrad, Magister Caelinus must move against them openly. And it is clear the Northern Court is in their grasp, and can no longer be trusted.”
Taog looked him in the eye.
“What are you going to do?”
Magister Vibius met his gaze.
“Protect Utrad, and the Empire, from all its enemies. Foreign…and domestic.”
Taog’s mind raced. He thought of the cult. He thought of what Vafum and Agedia had said. He thought of Turannia’s comitatenses being called to Utrad, ignoring the incursions into Turannia.
His eyes narrowed.
“You…you’re planning a rebellion.”
Magister Vibius smiled at him.
“Clever, Exploratore Taog. But not exactly. If the Northern Court is under the control of treasonous cultists, then it is the duty of the loyal to oppose them, is it not? Magister Caelinus has no ambition other than to protect the people he has been charged with. Join us, you and your friend. Together, we can destroy the cult and restore peace and prosperity to the Empire.”
Taog rose to his feet, pulling Ateia up.
“Taog?”
“I’ve heard enough. Stories about cults or no, we’re not getting caught up in a rebellion. Our friend isn’t going to care either. We’ll go on our way then, and pretend this conversation never happened.”
Magister Vibius shook his head.
“Ah, I’m a bit disappointed. You don’t seem to understand the situation, do you?”
Taog pulled Ateia to the door.
“I understand just fine.”
Magister Vibius grinned and snapped his fingers.
“Do you, now?”
Suddenly concealed Exploratores appeared in the room and knocked the two teens to the ground. Magister Vibius sneered at the two.
“After all, whoever said you could leave?”