Velusitum was a flurry of activity, on the verge of total breakdown. Legion soldiers under Dux Augustalis ran up and down the streets, loading supplies into wagons and knocking on the doors of notable citizens. Civilians loaded up into wagons of their own, or else locked themselves in their homes. Alarms were ringing out and criers tried to explain the situation. Dux Augustalis tried to keep a wrap on things and evacuate calmly, but word had gotten out, and now the general public was panicking and attempting to flee the city.

But that didn’t matter to NSLICE-00P! She walked down the street, focused on her destination as Ateia and Taog frowned at the chaos all around them. Ateia tilted her head.

“I get the soldiers, maybe the governor and stuff. But why are the normal people running away too?”

Vafum heaved a sigh.

“You haven’t read up on many rebellions, have you, lass?”

Ateia frowned.

“Why do you ask?”

Vafum’s eyes narrowed.

“The Empire’s response to rebellions is always harsh. Anyone even remotely involved will be punished. Anyone who failed to report or resist the rebellion will be punished. The Empire might even just punish the entire city to set an example. The point is, anyone who stays behind risks being punished, regardless of if they were actually involved or not.”

Ateia furrowed her brow.

“That doesn’t seem right. Why would the Empire do punish people who weren’t involved?”

“Because it sends a warning. Don’t let your local leader rebel or you’ll be punished too. Makes people think twice about lending their support. When it comes to rebellions, the Empire wants to make it absolutely clear there is no escape for the rebels.”

Taog rubbed his chin.

“What about you, then?”

Vafum shrugged.

“Khalbuldor will get off a bit easier, seeing as we’re technically an allied city-state rather than direct Imperial territory. The average citizen there will be fine, and an experienced diving company like mine is an important asset. The Council will be running for their lives though.”

Vafum chuckled at that thought. Ateia kept frowning. Vafum glanced at her and sighed again.

“Look, lass, I know you feel bad. A lot of innocent people are going to have their lives turned upside down, and a lot of them will be punished by the Empire for crimes they didn’t commit. But all that pales in comparison to the suffering and death a civil war can cause. You don’t have to like it, but remember just how many lives your friend saved by ending it before it began.”

NSLICE-00P, on the other hand, simply continued walking. Some of the Legion soldiers stared at her, but any who attempted to move were restrained by officers or their comrades. Dux Augustalis’s orders were clear.

Still, the group wasn’t going to tempt fate while the battle was still fresh on everyone’s mind. They made a quick stop to the Exploratores HQ, which was ordered by Dux Augustalis to return Ateia and Taog’s belongings, then made their way to Khalbuldor. The group would rest and regroup there until things settled down and Dux Augustalis’s forces left the city.

Ateia and Taog weren’t feeling up to training in the dungeon at the time, and NSLICE-00P couldn’t leave them out of her sight with the situation in flux, so she prioritized patrolling the immediate area. She did, however, have one thing to do in the meantime. She could now choose a new spell shape:

Available Spell Shapes

Name

Description

Clone

Form mana into a shape similar to the user that will execute simple orders. Increased skill will increase the power and substance of the clones and the complexity of orders they may accept.

Curse

Infuse a target with hostile mana. Exact effects depend on the attribute used. Use of alchemic ingredients or conduits related to the target may increase duration, effects, and potency.

Dash

Coats user in mana and propels them forward. Behavior may change based on attribute applied. For example, Earth attribute will cause the user to travel underground and then burst out at the target location.

Fist

Concentrates mana on the user’s fist. Generally produces powerful, if short-ranged attacks.

Floor

Fills the ground with mana. Exact effects will depend on the attribute chosen. May be spread out in a wide area, or concentrated on a single point.

Prison

Entrap a target in mana that will attempt to prevent movement or action. May also interfere with outside attacks on the target depending on attribute used.

Rain

Create a mass of mana in the air that will bombard an area over time.

Sensing

Replicate or extend senses via mana. Exact sense and method depends on attribute used.