Strongest Among the Heavens
Chapter 393: KAZI: Good things happen

Chapter 393: KAZI: Good things happen

Kazi Hossain hummed softly to himself as he moved about the kitchen. Spiced eggs, freshly baked bread, and brewing black coffee. Good stuff.

He wore a white kurta and pajamas, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. He cracked another egg into the pan and glanced over his shoulder, smiling softly at the sight of Marta. She was walking across the space, adjusting to the new rhythm of her prosthetic legs. In her hand was a textbook.

He smiled. Going to school, getting a small haircut, reading and studying at home, Marta had come a long way. Almost three months had gone by since Gate 10. Three months since her life changed forever.

"Battlemages use scepters, staffs, and swords. Battlemages use scepters, staffs, and swords," Marta muttered.

"Not a wand?" Kazi asked in a hum.

"No, not wands. Can’t be used physically. The primary condition for being a Battlemage is seamlessly switching between spellcasting and hammering at their opponent. Kazi, you’re actually the perfect example of a Battlemage. You can cast spells with your swords and then attack with it at the same time. It’s an innate talent of Battlemages."

"Ah. So I’m awesome?"

Marta laughed, metal clinking lightly. "Real awesome but still quantifiable."

"Teach me something else?"

"Something else? Uh...oh! Today, the professor was telling us about ancient words and how it’s one of the strongest types of incantations. Actually..." Marta stopped. "Nevermind."

"Hm...want me to guess?"

"On second thought, I’ll just say it. Your predictions are scarily accurate."

"Haha, I do my best."

"I was thinking about writing my thesis on family prayers and incantations," Marta said. "I studied in America and majored in English. There was this one class I took where we talked about oral stories and traditions and I’m thinking that I can connect the two ideas."

"A thesis for the Accelerated Program?" Kazi questioned.

"It’s for bonus marks."

"Ah. Hm, in that case, if we’re talking linguistics and such..."

"Oh, no, no, no, hold on! I don’t need your help."

"Are you sure?"

"I want to do research on my own instead of having you flex that big brain of yours. It’s called academic integrity."

"You have integrity?"

"Hey!" Marta pouted. "Don’t underestimate me. I did a double major in computer science and English. I know my way around books."

"Outline your thesis for me then. I won’t give advice, I’ll just make dramatic expressions. That’s the best way to help."

Marta kept pacing around the room. "Okay, okay, so...incantations. Broadly speaking, there are two primary principles that signify an incantation: one, interacting with reality, conceptually or physically; and two, kneading mana within one’s self and granting it form. Ancient words and passed down family prayers tend to be of the first principle. They are forbidden or lost."

"Kinda like cheat codes to reality?"

"Exactly! Exactly! All cheat codes are made by a developer and the developers in this instance are the gods. There is this theory called the Akashic Codes and it essentially supports the existence of the Akashic Records: a library of books recording all of existence, where all thoughts, words, emotions, places, things are kept in this higher plane of existence. The fact that these cheat codes exist lends to the existence of the Akashic Records. That there are bookmarks that can let a person cut into reality if they know what they are doing. Well, that’s what Madame Blavatsky theorized."

Kazi made a face. Marta noticed.

"What, did I say something wrong already?"

"No, no, continue."

"Madame Blavatsky said that I should get accounts from real people to properly formulate my thesis. Her suggestion was to go to the Underground. The population there consists of descendents of gods and demons."

"The Underground?"

"You haven’t heard of it?"

"I’ve heard...rumours here and there. Nothing specific. I assumed it was a black market."

"It’s, well, the Underground is layered on top of the Dark Sector. Four million people live down there. It’s hard to describe but the textbooks described it as a mix of slums and, like you said, black markets. Madame Blavatsky mentioned that forgotten or abandoned descendants of gods and demons live there too."

"I’ll have to do some more reading then. I’m surprised I’ve never heard of a literal Underground society. How would you even get there?" he muttered near the end.

’Hm...is it the same way people travel between dimensions? Probably, right?’

Kazi was reaching for the bread when he heard it—a soft gasp, followed by the unmistakable thud of knees hitting the wooden floor. Kazi froze, the smile slipping from his face as he turned around quickly.

Marta was on the floor, trembling as she clutched at her thighs, her face contorted in pain. Her breath came in ragged gasps, her eyes wide and unfocused behind her glasses. "I’m okay!" Her arm darted up to stop him. "I...I’m okay."

She shut her mouth, swallowed by the agony of phantom pain that wracked her body. Commander Cedric warned him of this, of the pain that would come to her. Random, unpredictable, and no amount of healing spells could help. This was equally psychological as it was physical.

"I’m okay," Marta repeated. "I...I’m okay."

Breathing deeply, she pulled herself up.

"Want me to get you your painkillers?"

"No! I mean, no, I’m fine." In and out, in and out. She breathed, she straightened her posture, she recollected herself. "I can do this."

Despite Marta finding a foot in her academics, the same could not be said for her practical skills. She was doing the thesis for a reason; she was failing to keep up with her peers in the Accelerated Program’s tough combat classes. She could not run or move or wield her magic with a quarter of her previous ability. The silver armour Kazi bought for her? Useless. She needed lightweight equipment now. Her staff? Her strength with the prosthetics was several low. She needed to switch to a wand.

"Marcus is coming today," Kazi said. "Please, for my sake, tell him about this."

Marta let out an exasperated breath. She nodded anyway.