“Magic has no mastery, only deeper mysteries, Archmage. Allow me to show you my question.” High Mage Valmira lifted her hand, and then the stars began to fall.
“They must have been in [Stasis] spells if they were underground since the era of the owner. Archmage Valmira herself might have captured them. So her magic began failing?”
“That’s the thing—we’ve had other [Enchanters] check the place top-to-bottom, and her magic’s still good. It’s just the Golems and some of the familiars and functions that went dead. A few of them stopped moving. One of ‘em—here, see for yourself. The Cuddle Golem just says ‘Archmage Valmira is dead’. As if that wasn’t the case for ages.”
Some of the trace vomit and a beer can were floating up into the air as they watched. Trash and detritus—or approaching sea life—was picked up and tossed hundreds of feet from the island. Even the sand would be recombed, and examples of Valmira’s magical genius were everywhere.
All her notes and equipment had long since been ransacked, so for even Valeterisa, modifying the most basic components of Valmira’s magic was the most she could do. Everything else was too complex—not that Valeterisa hadn’t been here before to copy everything she could.
One of Heiste’s functions was of course a cornucopia artifact that spat out whatever you wanted to eat. Valmira had made this place her home; there were marvels as mundane as a massive garden that had contained every reagent she could want to grow, to [True Familiars], who could communicate and do almost anything a person could—to the Cuddle Golems.
“She was far better than me. Valmira was well-respected…envied, really. She dueled numerous [Archmages] and was considered the best in Wistram before her passing. A freak accident; she should have been protected from the spell that killed her. Speculation has been rife that it was a Naq-Alrama blade or sabotage. I have a book on [Archmages]…um, I could lend it to you if you like.”
She could demonstrate [Valmira’s Comet], and the fact that she could cast almost any spell was endlessly amazing to Relc. Valeterisa, in turn, appreciated being able to show off her magic.
They told stories. That was what Valeterisa found strange. The Isle of Heiste was around them, and they flew up to stare at the clouds they could walk on. Admired the sea life, accepted drinks from the [Familiars], and explored Valmira’s mansion.
“I’m glad you could see this, Relc. Archmage Valmira is one of my most beloved idols. She was an [Archmage] at a time when her contemporaries changed the world, like Igawiz, and was renowned among them all. She dedicated everything to magic, and but for her untimely demise at fifty—she would have been the greatest [Archmage] ever.”
“Archmage Valeterisa, you are one of the greatest [Mages] alive! Valmira was amazing, but she also grew up in a time with grander magic. How can you say you’re not as hardworking?”
