vncnus Page 170
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"The power of the abyss here is far stronger than within the abyss itself—" His voice was deep and powerful, each word imbued with years of accumulated wisdom, "Before the blasphemous barrier was rewritten, this was the fundamental reason why the power of abyssal blasphemy remained rampant under the demonic network!"
Casalos's beak clicked, emitting a mocking sound. Its tail slammed heavily on the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"You call this the foundation? You think it's the abyssal power that maintains the blasphemous barrier? You think it's the blasphemous barrier created by the abyss lord?"
Iron Dragon's emotions were clearly agitated. It took a step forward, its massive body casting a shadow that covered half the battlefield. The arrogance and hubris in its indigo vertical pupils made Storm Silverhand grit his teeth in hatred.
"Master Black Staff, look at the situation now!" Its voice echoed like thunder across the ruins. "The barrier has been rewritten by Sirinshi into a maze of divine and natural forces. The Abyss Lords have been defeated or rendered incapacitated, but at Hellgate Fortress, from that precarious portal, Abyssal power continues to pour into the Prime Material Plane—only this power has been transformed into divine and natural forces by Sirinshi's maze."
It suddenly turned towards Lyra, the light in its dragon eyes becoming even sharper.
"Why don't you look at what's maintaining the 'strength' of the abyssal power of Hellgate Fortress? You all, especially you, Lyra, should make good use of the abilities and knowledge Mystra has given you, and find out exactly what's supporting the abyssal power emanating from Hellgate Fortress that pierced the magic net! See what the fundamental source is!"
Lyra Silverhand paused for a moment, then closed her eyes, silver light swirling around her. As a chosen one of the goddess of magic, she possessed the ability to perceive the true nature of all magic. In her perception, the entire world had transformed into a pure flow of energy—the warp and weft of a magical web wove in the void, the tides of elements surged across the land, and the abyssal portal was like a gaping wound, constantly oozing dark pus.
She traced the source of that power, her consciousness passing through the portal and reaching the other side of the abyss. However, to her astonishment, no matter how hard she searched, she could find no trace of human intervention.
"I can't find it..." Lyra opened her eyes, her silver pupils filled with confusion. "Whether it's this side of the portal or the other side, I can't find anything that keeps the power of the abyss flowing into the prime material world... No spells, no runes, no artifacts, no barriers or locks... What's going on?"
Finally, Elminster couldn't help but speak, the old sage's voice tinged with uncertainty: "Could it be... divine power?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than Casalos's laughter echoed across the entire battlefield. The laughter was filled with sarcasm, a mockery that smacked the faces of these chosen ones of the goddess of magic, who had lived for millennia.
"You ridiculous old man, you personally witnessed the supreme god rewriting the rules of the gods!"
Iron Dragon leaned forward slightly, its massive head almost touching Elminster's face. Hot breath mixed with sparks of electricity gushed out, causing the old mage's white beard to flutter wildly.
"You always focus on elements, arcane arts, and divine power—these are the 'prescribed' forces. Even after witnessing the grandeur of the true natural laws when the gods were disgraced, you still attribute the changes and development of everything to 'divinely ordained' rules, ignoring the more fundamental and naturally existing rules that are everywhere."
Casalos took a few steps back, its gaze sweeping over everyone present. Its voice became deep and philosophical, like a wise man imparting ancient truths—for Isis's sake, it had to teach these old folks some common sense.
Why does water flow downhill? Why does air move? Are these rules ordained by the gods?
It paused, letting the question simmer in everyone's minds. An eerie silence fell over the battlefield, broken only by the occasional sound of falling rocks in the distance and the sporadic sounds of battle from the teleportation portal, reminding everyone of the fierce battle that had just taken place.
"Of course not! The world was already operating like this long before the gods were born!"
Casalos's voice suddenly rose, booming like thunder. It spread its wings, its enormous form obscuring half the sky.
"Elements, arcane arts, even divine power—all operate based on these more fundamental rules. The abyssal power surging into the Prime Material Plane from Hellgate—what you see before you is precisely this natural law."
Storm Silverhand could no longer contain herself. She stood up abruptly, her long silver hair flying wildly in her rage.
"Pure bullshit!" Her voice was so shrill it almost pierced eardrums. "You self-important brat, do you think we don't know what pressure is? There's no pressure on the other side of the passage that could cause the power of the abyss to surge into the material world!"
She took a step forward, her longsword already half an inch from its sheath, the blade gleaming with a cold light.
"All you can say is nonsense and madness. Do you know anyone who opens a portal to the abyss and the power of the abyss just keeps pouring in?"
Elasdra suddenly raised her hand, interrupting the impending argument once again. A look of understanding flashed in her eyes, and her voice carried a hint of excitement.
"Hellgate Fortress!" she practically shouted the name. "The key is Hellgate Fortress. No wonder you crammed the floating city into the abyss... But if it's not pressure, what natural law is this?"
Casalos's beak curved into a satisfied smile as it slowly stated, "If I had to pinpoint a reason, it would be pressure. However, this involves the essence of pressure—potential difference."
It paused, seemingly organizing its thoughts, or perhaps enjoying the feeling of imparting knowledge. Being able to lecture a bunch of magical goddesses' chosen ones like schoolchildren was truly the perfect outlet for the Iron Dragon's deeply buried arrogance.
"Opening an interdimensional portal to the abyss doesn't mean the power of the abyss will continuously flow into the material world through this 'hole.' This is because the potential of the four elements that constitute the material world—magic and abyssal power—is basically balanced. The pressure created by the potential difference on both sides is insufficient to break through the barrier threshold of the interdimensional portal itself, so no flow occurs. A small portion of magic or abyssal power will escape to the other side through the passage, but that's a different rule and irrelevant to what we're discussing now."
Elminster's eyes lit up, and he was about to speak when Casalos flicked his tail, stopping him.
"Old man, I know what you're trying to say, but it's not the reason you think it is... There are more fundamental methods besides increasing 'density.'"
Iron Dragon surveyed its surroundings, its gaze settling on the scattered remains of constructs on the battlefield. Its tail deftly coiled up a piece of steel that had fallen during the fight, and the sharp blades on its claws easily flattened it, slicing it into a perfect circle.
"Kelburn," it raised its head, "please cast a magic lightning spell on this."
Although the Black Staff Master had doubts, he did as instructed. A faint bolt of lightning flickered and leaped onto the steel plate before disappearing.
Casalos used his mage's hand to lift the steel plate into the air, then stopped his wing toe a few centimeters above it.
"Now, this steel plate is electrified, but the potential is so weak that it can't break down the air unless another conductor gets very close. But if..."
With a gentle flick of its other wing, the mage's hand tore a sharp slit along the edge of the circular steel plate. The instant the slit formed, a tiny arc of electricity shot from its tip, leaping onto Casaroz's wingtip. (The last two lines appear to be unrelated and possibly machine-generated gibberish.)
Everyone present was stunned by this simple yet profound demonstration. Even the usually unruly Storm Silverhand temporarily forgot to argue, staring wide-eyed at the faint arc of electricity that streaked across the air.
"It's just a change in geometry," Casalos's voice rang out clearly in the silent battlefield, "that faint trick has generated an electric potential capable of piercing through those few centimeters of air!"
It put down the steel plate, its gaze sweeping over the crowd again, a strange sense of satisfaction in its voice.
"The electrical charge of the magic trick hasn't changed; what has changed is the electrical potential—the space of the prime material plane or the abyss itself, in terms of magic or abyssal power, is no different from this steel plate. What we need is merely a geometric change, a tip that can elevate the potential of the four elements—magic."
31. Reconstruction
The magic net is flat and uniform. The potential of the primary material world magic controlled by it is naturally evenly distributed, unless an external force moves the warp and weft of the magic net to control and manipulate it.
Clearly, this kind of manipulation consumes a great deal of magic.
Casalos's method is essentially similar to creating a "sharp point" by tearing apart a flat steel disc. As long as the Miser Core, which is essentially a node for the flow of magic controlled by the magic network, is stuffed into the abyss, the flat magic network will have an additional sharp protrusion. Based on the most basic geometric principles, although the total amount of magic at this protrusion will not change, its density will increase dramatically due to the change in the curvature of the "space" in which it is distributed. The potential will be greatly raised, forming a potential difference with the power of the abyss within the abyss, allowing magic to surge into the abyss.
Hellgate is how the power of the abyss is continuously sent into the material world.
Of course, simply stuffing the Miser Core into the Abyss is not feasible. What kind of disaster would the conflict between the power of the Abyss and the Miser Core cause? How would the Abyss demons, or even the Abyss itself, react to such a magic network node? These all need to be taken into consideration. The purpose of the Maze Lock and the Floating City is to address these issues.
Theoretical principles are ultimately just theories. In particular, what Casalos "educated" the chosen ones of the goddess of magic about were merely basic principles that were essentially equivalent to describing phenomena. A deeper understanding requires the establishment of a systematic knowledge system, which cannot be explained in just a few words. Casalos did not have the energy or inclination to be the enlightenment mentor of this group.
Once they've piqued their interest, they'll definitely swallow their pride and go to those public basic education schools in Deepwater Territory. At least in terms of thirst for knowledge and shamelessness, they will absolutely not disappoint Casalos—except for Storm Silverhand and Shinb.
Besides, if the goddess of magic's chosen ones secretly transform into elementary school students and go to elementary school to learn basic natural knowledge, who could possibly discover anything?
Ultimately, the realization of specific projects still depends on these "magicians".
"Time's up for the discussion, now it's time to get to work." Casalos: "I'm glad we reached an agreement. But let me be clear, if anyone tries to cause trouble in the following..."
Iron Dragon turned to stare at Storm Silverhand, his dragon's might locking onto the harp master: "You'll face the consequences!"
The ruins of Hellgate Castle cast menacing shadows in the setting sun. The demon corpses, purified by divine power, had turned to ashes and scattered in the wind. And on this land where the battle had just ended, an even grander battle was about to begin—an engineering marvel of mortal will defying the laws of nature.
The roar of the magic ship broke the silence of the ruins.
The first construction teams did not arrive via a portal. Casalos had not found the black dragon portal master, and although there were many archmages present, none could conjure a massive teleportation array capable of transporting tens of thousands of people with supplies. Hundreds of magical ships, laden with construction machinery and prefabricated components, set sail from Waterdeep, landing in sections along a specially cleared route between Silvermoon City and Hellgate Keep. They established track maintenance bases, laid the railway ballast, and erected the main artery of industry, with freight trains roaring in.
"The advance engineering team is in position," Edgeworth reported to Casalos, the grey dwarf chief engineer, who was essentially a semi-construct, hovering high above overlooking the entire construction site. "Demolition operations can begin."
The overhanging mountainside of Sultanza must be cleared away to expose the hidden Miser core within. But this requires extreme caution, as the surrounding rock layers have been corrupted by magic over millennia, and every piece contains dangerous energy.
The grey dwarf engineers carefully operated the specially designed cutting equipment. These magical machines, transported from Waterdeep, could precisely control the range of the disintegration spell, peeling away the rock layer by layer without disturbing the magical balance of the core area.
Meanwhile, another team was building infrastructure around the ruins. Construction trusses, reaching towards the sky, rose like giant steel trees, each pillar driven hundreds of meters into the ground. A three-dimensional track network extended between the trusses, providing platforms for the movement and anchoring of various construction machinery.
"The framework for the living quarters is complete," a human engineer reported. "The foundation for the maintenance area is being poured, and construction of the upper levels is expected to begin tomorrow."
These seemingly simple preparatory work are actually the most crucial foundation of the entire project. Without a stable construction platform, subsequent construction is impossible.
Three days later, when the last obstruction was removed, the Miser core was finally fully exposed to sunlight.
It was a perfect sphere about ten meters in diameter, its surface shimmering with a magical glow as if it were alive. Even in such a chaotic environment, it remained stably suspended in mid-air, as if everything around it were irrelevant.
"Lord Elminster," Casalos turned to the legendary archmage, "we need your assistance now."
"So you stop calling me 'old man' when you need my help?" The old mage stroked his beard, carefully examining the Myser Energy Core before him. "What do you want me to do?"
Rather than trying to win back the argument verbally, the old sage was more concerned about the Miser Core.
The function of the Mystryl Core is actually quite simple: it can transfer the original energy of the Mystryl magic network to all objects within its influence range, "enchanting" them and transforming them into magical items for use—the floating city of Netheril is a super magical item empowered by the Mystryl Core.
"Transform it into a 'reactor' to supply the energy needed for the entire project," Casalos displayed a detailed magic circle diagram using psionic energy. "Then, based on this, construct a temporary, functional maze. Only with the power of the maze can we open a portal of sufficient size."
Elminster studied the array diagram, his intelligent eyes filled with excitement, forgetting even his past unpleasantness: "A clever design, utilizing the inherent properties of the Miser core to transform it into a controllable energy source... This is no simple task."
"That's why we need a master like you," Casalos said. "I think the other voters will cooperate with you, and besides that, the Arcane Casting Corps of Deepwater Territory will be under your command..."
Over the next two days, what was undoubtedly Faerûn's most powerful spellcasting team, under Casalos's guidance, began the complex work of casting spells. Elminster spearheaded the overall framework construction, his exquisite skill transforming the once raging Mythr energy core into a docile lamb; Elasdra was responsible for weaving the energy conduction network. Her silver fire power resonated wondrously with the Mythr energy core, making the flow of energy smoother. Each rune she personally inscribed shimmered with a unique silver radiance. Kelburn and Lyra, meanwhile, focused on establishing the protective system. The Abyss's erosion was ever-present, requiring a sufficiently strong barrier to protect this fragile energy core. They incorporated the essence of protective magic accumulated by Waterdeep over millennia into it.
"Energy output is stable." Razor lay prone at a monitoring point, its thorns inserted into a specially designed interface, sensing the flow of magic in real time. "Efficiency remains within design limits."
Casalos nodded in satisfaction. The derivation of the pseudo-Laplace's demon was infallible; every parameter had been comprehensively considered. Not only performance, but also cost, ease of maintenance, reliability, redundancy design… all factors were taken into account in the calculations.
Finally, at dusk on the fifth day, the temporary maze was completed.
"Let's begin," Casalos commanded.
Elminster took a deep breath and began chanting the incantation for the portal. But this time, he wasn't relying on his own power; instead, he was manipulating the Maze Locks—a backdoor opened in the magic network by the Pointy-Eared Gods. The air began to distort, and the surface laws of reality yielded to the overwhelming magic. The first portal ripped open with a deafening roar—a colossal magic circle, over fifty meters in diameter, like a wound torn open in reality, directly connected the industrial district of Waterdeep to this battlefield.
Immediately afterwards, a second, a third... a total of twelve portals opened simultaneously in different directions, forming a massive ring centered on the Miser Core, leading not only to Waterdeep but also to the Astral City and the Baldur's Gate...
A torrent of steel poured out of the portal.
The prefabricated standard components throughout Dragon Territory's industrial zones—I-shaped steel beams, box-shaped columns, honeycomb-like connection nodes, and countless metal plates already enchanted—are all moving slowly through teleportation gates. Tracked bases roll over the steel rails of the foundation site, delivering tens of thousands of tons of building materials directly to their designated locations.
The grey dwarf engineers stood at their posts, needing no blueprints—each had direct access to the complete construction plan, constructed of psionic energy, and knew exactly where their responsibilities were. Dragonvein sorcerers chanted incantations, and tens of thousands of mage hands and invisible minions danced through the air, effortlessly lifting the thousands of tons of steel components imbued with levitation spells.
The real main force, however, remains the engineering structures specifically designed for architecture.
They lie prone on the truss tracks, each with several robotic arms of different sizes and specifications, capable of completing all processes such as layout, laying, welding, and riveting with varying degrees of precision. Their movements are controlled by a unified command system—when the first column is erected, thousands of other structural units are already in their respective positions.
A deafening roar echoed through the sky. You, Linlin, have me, I want to... Are you, Lin, here...?
The construction of the first concentric circle unfolded outwards from the Miser core. The engineering structures were assembled at a dazzling speed, a near-artistic precision, with each node meticulously calculated to ensure the overall structure had sufficient margin to withstand the pressure from the abyss.
Liquid metal flows through pipes—a technology developed by psionic masters. Through a special alchemical process, steel can be melted at room temperature, and then the solvent is removed using simple magic, allowing the pre-cast steel to crystallize and take shape according to a mold. This reduces the precision welding process, which previously took months, to just a few hours.
Dragons and half-dragons hovered above the construction site. They used their breath—fire, ice, and force fields—to heat-treat the metal, transforming every inch of steel into a specific metallographic structure to achieve the desired properties. The dragons sang ancient songs of blessing, weaving blessings into every corner of the building.
But what truly made this project possible were the seemingly ordinary workers at Deepwater Maritime.
They came from different races—humans, dwarves, gnomes, kobolds, and even some reformed drow. Elsewhere, these races might clash in bloody conflict. But here, under the rules of steel, they all had only one identity: engineers of the Deepwater Territory.
Nowadays, every qualified engineering soldier has received at least three years of professional training. They not only know how to operate those complex magical machines and how to maintain balance when working at heights, but more importantly, they can understand standardized blueprints and abide by the "discipline" that soldiers should have.
When the command center bell rang, 50,000 workers sprang into action as one. No one slacked off, no one complained, and no one questioned the seemingly impossible orders. They simply completed their tasks silently and awaited the next assignment.
As night fell, one-third of the main framework of the first ring was completed.
The massive steel skeleton gleamed under the magical lights, like a metal cocoon being woven. The Miser Core was perfectly encased within, supported by twelve main pillars like towering trees. An outer shell of magical metals such as mithril and adamantite completely enveloped it. The sphere's center was the pedestal of the Miser Core, protected by both physical and magical barriers to prevent any possibility of infiltration or sabotage. Beyond the center, the inner ring consisted of seven interconnected layers, primarily housing the central command and the fortress's core functional areas, including the base array of the Mystic Lock, maintenance and backup systems, and so on.
"Progress is on schedule," Edgeworth reported to Casalos in the command center, his voice calm, yet filled with indifference towards the mundane world and a yearning for the magnificent spectacle he was orchestrating. "As planned, we will complete all the main structures within six days."
Casalos nodded, still in human form, standing before the massive magical projection: "Notify logistics to prepare the second batch of supplies. Continue your project."
"Yes, sir." Edgeworth stood at attention, saluted, and turned to leave.
The chosen ones of the goddess of magic stood on the other side, watching the enormous creature gradually taking shape before them, their feelings a mixture of emotions.
"Is this the power of industry..." Elasdra murmured, the lights of the construction site reflected in his silver eyes. "Such a miracle was created through the wisdom and sweat of mortals."
Elminster stroked his beard, unusually remaining silent. This ancient mage, who had lived for over a thousand years, had witnessed countless miracles—he had seen gods roam the earth and witnessed the rise and fall of empires. But this scene before him brought him a completely different kind of awe.
That was a victory of collective will. Every worker, every machine, every piece of steel was part of this vast system. And when they came together, the power they unleashed was enough to shake even the gods.
The project entered a new phase the following morning.
As the framework was gradually perfected, more precise work began. Hundreds of rune artisans carved intricate magic arrays onto the steel surface, each line achieving micron-level precision with the aid of an exoskeleton. This was to ensure that the entire massive protective system would not develop fatal flaws due to accumulated errors.
Mages from Silvermoon City also joined the project. Although they had reservations about Deepwater's "brutal" methods, they had to admit that this standardized framework provided a perfect foundation for setting up the magic circle.
"The energy transmission at node seven is malfunctioning!" an elven mage suddenly shouted.
Before he could finish speaking, a dragon vein sorcerer had already rushed over. They skillfully retrieved their detection equipment—a product unique to the Deepwater Territory, capable of visualizing the flow of magic. The problem was quickly located and resolved.
"Very efficient." The elven mage shook his head. "In Silvermoon City, just gathering the old scholars for a discussion would take half a day."
Razor lay sprawled on the high platform, serving as the central node of the entire magical system. Its thorns, normally used in combat, now became the perfect conduit for magical energy. A continuous stream of arcane energy flowed through its body, precisely distributed to every corner of the structure.
"I'm exhausted," the toothed dragon complained, but its work never stopped. As one of Casalos's most trusted partners, it knew very well the importance of this project—the thought of participating in the construction of such a wonder kept it too excited to rest.
On the third day, a small accident occurred.
A sudden storm of wild magic swept across the entire construction site. It was the last gasp of the abyssal power remaining in Hellgate Castle, making a final struggle to destroy this soon-to-be-completed creation of order.
The alarm blared through the sky, and all workers immediately evacuated to a safe area according to the procedures practiced during the drill. Deepwater Horizon's emergency response speed once again astonished onlookers; a temporary protective barrier was established in less than three minutes.
"Stabilize the structure!" Casalos transformed into his dragon form, his massive body hovering above the building. "Proceed according to the plan!"
That was a test planned long ago. Any attempt to establish order at the edge of the abyss would be met with a counterattack from the forces of chaos. But the Deepwater Territory was prepared. Hundreds of pre-set magical nodes activated simultaneously, forming a massive protective net. The power of the abyss surged against this defense like a tidal wave, yet it could not break through. Meanwhile, the engineering constructs continued their work as if the surrounding magical storm did not exist.
"They're unaffected?" Storm Silverhand stared incredulously at the steel giants that were still at work.
"Of course." As fellow bards, Tide Chant and Storm Silverhand got along quite well. Of course, it was the only one present who had nothing else to do and had time to answer Storm's questions. "These constructs are far more sophisticated than those used in combat. They all have independent miniature protective barriers inside. This mere wild magic storm is within the scope of the design considerations."
The chaotic spells lasted for a full six hours, and by the time the last trace of abyssal power was dispelled, the sun had already begun to set.
"Stress testing complete," Edgeworth wrote in the report. "All structures performed within design parameters. No unexpected issues arose."
Casalos looked at the data and nodded in satisfaction. This was a qualified project; everything was under control, with no surprises or unexpected events, only precise execution and the expected results.