Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After wresting back control of his body, though not before sending the [Space-Time Elemental Star] flying, Vahn released a sigh of relief when he saw a gateway of some sort open to consume what very likely may have been his most powerful attack. As it erupted in the distance, he shifted next to Artoria, supporting her slightly battered body as she stared resolutely towards the slowly receding tree nearby. It was clear she had been intending to release her Noble Phantasms to its limits as, instead of the characteristic bluish-white glow that often accompanied her attacks, small particulates of golden light had started to radiate from Excalibur's surface.

Seeing Vahn appear next to her, Artoria produced a tired and apologetic smile, remarking, "I need to learn how to fly..." Though it almost sounded rather comical to heart her say something like that in this instance, Vahn understood that she was very serious. With that in mind, he gave an understanding nod and, even if Artoria's disposition didn't really allow her to fly that easily, he knew a number of ways in which she could achieve the feat. If nothing else, he could always just forge her a pair of greaves that would allow her to create footholds in the air, at least until she was able to use [Shundo] and [Koku Shundo] on her own...

As the void-bound tree slowly dissipated back into nothingness, Zelretch and Solon could both be seen floating in the air, albeit using very different methods. The former was able to fold space, making it into a solid platform that he could freely manipulate without even having to move. As for the latter, they had angelic wings of light protruding from their back while, on their wrists and ankles, he could sense they used golden rings to stabilize themselves. Fortunately, other than staring back, neither made any attempt to press the attack and, as his instincts were no longer sounding alarm bells in his mind, Vahn assumed they had reached a temporary ceasefire of sorts.

While thinking about whether or not to press the attack himself, it became apparent that Zelretch intended to mediate the affair, shaking his head, his aged voice echoing, "This has certainly been educational. Mutual respect is possible only when both sides understand the capabilities of the other. Now that your squabble has reached an interlude, I would suggest setting the matter aside and returning to a more diplomatic method of resolving your differences..."

Though Solon didn't seem to like the way Zelretch had phrased his words, they ultimately gave an affirmative nod before stating in a voice that lacked sincerity, "I apologize for my behavior, Sage Emperor. It has been several centuries since anyone had the audacity to threaten me directly so I had become incensed as a result. Now, I understand you are not simply a blustering fool..." It was apparent that Solon wanted to go on but, after receiving a sharp gaze from Zelretch, their words began to trail towards the end as they lowered themselves to the platform. After stepping on the ground a sharp pain ran through their abdomen, the location where Vahn had stabbed through their body with his tail, but this only caused their brows to twitch before they recovered their composure.

Vahn hadn't appreciated Solon's words in the slightest but, as it was true he had provoked the rather petulant Magus, he decided to just ignore the biting remarks. When he saw the latter wince in pain after stepping onto the platform, this was the only real vindication he needed as, at least for the time being, he had no intention of exposing all his cards before the two powerful Magi. It was very possible that he could defeat Solon, especially since the latter seemed to rely largely on powerful artifacts, but it would be next to impossible to egg out anything but a pyrrhic victory against Zelretch.

Unless he locked the space around them completely, preventing even his own use of [Shundo], there was virtually nothing he could do against the wielded of the Second Magic. As this wouldn't do much to prevent Zelretch from accessing his infinite reserves of Magical Energy, Vahn would rather not face him until he was nearing the peak of Tier 4, or had stepped into the realm of Tier 5. Even then, he would need a much better understanding of Space and Time Laws if he wanted to avoid being toyed with or completely overwhelmed after cutting off his own means of escape...

Misunderstanding Vahn's silence as him being rather level-headed, Zelretch gave an approving nod before turning his attention to Artoria for a brief moment. He could tell she wasn't seriously injured or, despite his best attempts to calm the situation, it was very likely Vahn wouldn't have been very agreeable. Still, the fact that Artoria was able to essentially tank an attack that could easily wipe out a small island was rather surprising to him.

He wondered if she had been able to recover Avalon, implying that Vahn had either come to an accord with the Einzbern family or had already 'dealt' with them. Since he had seen the interaction between Vahn and Goldolf Musik, it was easy to assume both conclusions. If not for the fact that Vahn was present, he would have looked into the matter directly but, feeling that such action could alert the Sage Emperor and cause a misunderstanding, Zelretch held off his curiosity for the moment...

Now that things were beginning to calm down, it was Solon who decided to advanced things along, stating in their characteristically cold voice, "For the time being, the standing policy of the Mage's Association will be neutrality with the potential for future cooperation. So long as you do not cause unnecessary troubles to the Association, I will not interfere with your affairs. However, even if you do not follow the policies laid out by the Association, we will be forced to act if your actions threaten our interests and the ongoing ceasefire with the Holy Church. Until this matter with Angra Mainyu has been settled, you would do well to avoid causing too much trouble..."

Hearing Solon's words, essentially parroting and twisting his own, Vahn had a less than amused expression on his face as he remarked, "It is not my policy to seek unnecessary conflicts. However, that does not mean I will shy away from them. If the Mage's Association and its affiliated families cause trouble, do not blame me for taking the necessary actions to protect myself and the people in my charge. With the errant practices and deeply rooted corruption of the current system, do not pretend the blame is mine when the Arisotractic families and other factions find trouble with me."

Even before Vahn had finished speaking, Solon's gaze had become icier than before, their voice shaking a bit as they venomously stated, "You may very well be an Emperor, but that does not give you the liberty to say whatever you please...without the Mage's Association-" Before they were able to continue further, Vahn held up his hand, causing Solon's aura to spread outward rather violently when he stated, "Just remember where the accountability lays when the time comes. Don't expect me to play nice when others are proactively trying to harm me and those I have chosen to protect. If you want to be their patsy and act as the champion of corruption, that is your prerogative. Mine is to do everything I can to make the world a better place without making excuses..."

Before another fight could break out, Zelretch suddenly began laughing uninhibitedly, drawing the attention of everyone present as he mused, "You two mix as well as oil and water. Let's stop these petty attempts to offend each other and move on to more interesting matters, shall we? I'm certain everyone here has better things to do than argue over platitudes and philosophies." With that said, Zelretch gave a sidelong gaze at Solon, earning a scornful look from the latter before they ultimately looked back at Vahn and stated, "I have rarely interfered with matters outside of the Clock Tower. So long as you do not cause any damage to the properties belonging to the Mage's Association, I do not care about your squabbles with the other families..."

Though he couldn't simply accept Solon's words at face value, Vahn gave an understanding nod before answering, "That is all I can ask for. I have no desire for wanton destruction so, as long as the Mage's Association is not actively engaged in practices I do not approve of, I have no reason to seek trouble with them..." Even if he knew his words could exacerbate things further, Vahn had already decided the be transparent when it came to things like this. He hated things like human experimentation and the like so, if there was ever to be direct cooperation between him and the Mage's Association in the future, they would need to make concessions from the start.

Understanding the meaning behind Vahn's words, Solon felt like they were going to have an aneurysm as they looked toward Zelretch with eyes that said, 'are you hearing this?'. This was met with a wry smile as, knowing full-well what Vahn purported to be, Zelretch understood the Mage's Association may very well accede to his demands in the future. With the imminent emergence of Angra Mainyu, things would only become increasingly chaotic and, if the Aristocratic faction had their way, the larger Magus community would be the ones to suffer for it. This would become the catalyst for a Civil War within the Mage's Association, something that had been cooking for nearly seventy years, ever since the end of World War II and the rapid modernization that followed...

Once again playing the role of mediator, Zelretch had a tired smile on his face as he explained, "Vahn, though you certainly have ground to question the policies of the Mage's Association, you are in essence blaming the corruption of Aristocratic families on people who were never directly involved with them. The policies of the Association have always been in the interest of ensuring that Thaumaturgical practices and Magecraft are passed down to the next generation. It does not exist for the purpose of regulating the political affairs of affiliated families and the entire Magus community. If my friend here was to try and force their personal views on the various Lords that have established themselves within the Association, it would have long torn itself apart, resulting in the persecution of Magi by the Holy Church and the rapid decline of the Magus community..."

Hearing Zelretch's explanation, even though it sounded like he was shifting the blame, Vahn decided not to press the matter too much. With what he had learned from Rin and Luvia, it had been apparent from the start that the biggest source of corruption within the Mage's Association was, as could be expected, the various Aristocratic families. Though the Aristocratic faction was the most vocal, every Faculty was controlled by someone with the title of Lord, meaning they also hailed from an Aristocratic line. This included the leaders of the Democratic and Neutral factions which, at their very core, were extensions of the three more powerful 'Monarchal' families, the Barthomeloi, Trambelio, and Valualeta families.

If not for the backing of the other two most powerful families, the Aristocratic faction would have obviously squashed the Democratic and Neutral factions in their inception. Instead, they all just played a political game amongst themselves, using lesser Aristocratic families and commoners as pawns to maintain the status quo while loosely adhering to the policies set out by the Association to avoid having to be held truly accountable for their actions. After all, without the umbrella of the Mage's Association, most Magi would be hunted down by the Holy Church who, if they could get away with it, would completely bury Magecraft in the annals of history, obscuring the existence of Mystery and purporting that their version of history, bastardized from various cultures, was the singular truth.

Deciding it was best not to lay the blame entirely upon Solon, as it seemed like the latter more or less isolated themselves from the world, Vahn just shook his head, saying, "I may have said too much. Know that I will do what I can to change things without harming the interests of the Mage's Association. Though there will undoubtedly be conflict between myself and your affiliates, what I offer as compensation should more than reimburse any potential damages. As for the matter of Angra Mainyu, that is something we will have to discuss in greater detail later. I already have my own plans for dealing with his emergence..."

With Vahn taking a step back, much of Solon's excess frustrations faded away, almost to the point of causing them to sigh in relief. Instead, their expression became less dour as they also decided to take a step back, stating, "I also owe you an apology, as it was my decision that originally led to this confrontation. So long as you are not trying to active attack and weaken the Association, I will continue to observe and monitor things from a neutral standpoint. I have already given a warning to potential dissidents so, if they still seek trouble with you, that is their own prerogative, not the stance of the Association. How you deal with them is between you, so long as the battle does not involve the Clock Tower and the Spirit Tomb...now, you should be leaving this place soon. That golden-haired brat is going to cause a riot if you don't make an appearance..."

Seemingly finished with this discussion, Solon turned away from Vahn and Artoria, flapping their wings of light as they quickly alighted to the temple. This left Zelretch with a wry smile on his face, covering for his friend as he explained, "Solon distanced themselves from politics nearly twenty-six-hundred years ago. Since then, their main focus has always been protecting the interests of the Mage's Association and trying to prevent Mystery from fading away as a result of the Holy Church's machinations. They aren't the best at socializing...do not let it bother you too much..."

Understanding there was likely more to the story, Vahn gave a curt nod in response to Zelretch's words before making his way back to the elevator platform with Artoria. He wasn't that surprised when Zelretch didn't follow after them as, with how he had been urging the conversation forward, it was clear that Solon was more injured than they were letting on. The peculiar Magus was able to keep it concealed well but, as the person who had caused their injuries, Vahn knew it would they would take some time to recover fully. With the potent combination of Source Energy and Space elemental energy, it didn't matter how good your regeneration was, at least until you could purge them from your system completely...

As he had expected, Solon had indeed brought a prompt end to the conversation as it became increasingly apparent that they could not recover using normal methods. Now, even though they were annoyed when Zelretch appeared behind them, Solon continued the arduous process of removing their various artifacts. At the same time, they complained, "I can't believe you brought a monster like that into my garden...that man has the blood of a Dragon even more potent than the heart of that woman..." Even now, Solon could vividly remember the cold eyes possessed by Vahn during their short exchange. It was almost like looking into their own eyes in a mirror, seeing the lines of death covering their own body and feeling the fragility of their life...

While continuing to observe Solon with an unwavering gaze, something that was beginning to increasingly annoy his old friend, Zelretch explained, "There is a good chance that man may have come from the Outside. Though it can be defined by several Thaumaturgical principles, even the basic movement skills he uses are close to True Magic. I believe it would be wise to come to an accord with him in the future, forming an official alliance instead of allowing things to continue in this tense manner..." Even if Vahn didn't currently possess the power to threaten him, Zelretch felt that his potential was beyond comprehension. If he could be trained properly, it would only take a few decades for Vahn to reach a point where, with a few exceptions, there would be nothing left to rival him within this world...

Hearing Zelretch's words, Solon was slightly shaken as, if Vahn truly had come from the Outside, he was an existence they lacked the means to even comprehend. This would explain why he had no lines of death anywhere on his body, even though he didn't seem 'invulnerable' in the least. It was very likely that he possessed multiple bodies, or existed as something closer to a Divine Spirit than a being of flesh and blood. These, however, were just assumptions as, if he had truly come from the Outside, there was no way of knowing if their 'logic' even applied to him.

Feeling a powerful migraine coming, Solon released a heavy sigh while placing the [Seal of Yggdrasil] around the neck of a mannequin. Then, pulling their robe over their head, allowing their long green hair to get caught in the fabric for a short moment, Solon's fair white skin came into view. Their entire body, with the exception of their hands and feet, was covered in a series of intricate red runes that had been carved into their flesh like a full-body tattoo. Even their small and pert butt was covered in runes, causing Zelretch to smile in amusement until his eyes passed over the rather vicious wound that ran clear through Solon's body. Though Solon would even be able to regenerate from having their head or heart crushed, the wound left by Vahn's tail was still present and, periodically, small flashes of azure lightning would dance across the seared flesh...

Though they had been about to lambast Zelretch for staring at their backside, Solon ultimately huffed when the old man began looking at the wound piercing their body. Seeing the concern in his face always annoyed them so, in their characteristically icy tone, Solon muttered, "I don't need you to worry about me, you old bastard..." With that said, Solon's body expanded slightly before quickly losing its complexion moments later. Everything, including the hole left by Vahn, became covered in a greyish-brown substance, similar to unfired clay. In mere seconds, Solon's body had become almost indistinguishable from a statue which, a few seconds later, began to crack and fracture.

As this wasn't the first time he had seen this process, Zelretch had a rather plain reaction but, as he found it amusing to tease Solon after the fact, he liked to stick around until the end. Thus, in an effort to speed up the process, Zelretch tapped his cane against the ground, causing a ripple to spread through the surrounding space. The fracturing 'statue' became extremely brittle when the ripple passed through it, causing the majority of the fragments to break away while a few smaller pieces clung to the slightly moist and reddened skin of Solon. Now, though they hadn't been all that tall, to begin with, Solon looked even younger and, with their body having yet to 'harden' properly, they glared toward Zelretch as an invisible force prevented them from crashing into the floor.

Without minding the ire in Solon's eyes, Zelretch continued to smile in a slightly amused manner as he asked, "How long will you take to recover?" This caused Solon to sigh in exasperation as they shifted to a seated position and answered, "That wound was more serious than I expected. I will need to consume various treasures to accelerate my growth again...will you help me?" Even though asking for help was the thing Solon hated to do most of all, Zelretch was one of the few people they trusted as, without his intervention, they would have died like most others who had failed to reach the Reverse Side of the World during the Great Migration...

With his lips curling up at the sides, something that caused Solon's brows to twitch, Zelretch gave a curt nod and answered, "Of course. So long as you continue to pursue your ideals, I will never break my promise..." As these words left his lips, Zelretch pulled out a small golden link, tossing it through the air for Solon to catch. Since they had yet to regain full motor control, the link ended up hitting them on the forehead, causing Solon to flinch before adopting a pouting expression that caused Zelretch to smile even wider. Then, after picking up the link with their rather dainty fingers, Solon placed it near a small gap in the complex formation covering their body, absorbing the piece of pale gold into the area where their heart was located.

Though their size didn't change by much, this caused their hair, which had previously been reduced to less than a centimeter in length, to quickly grow until it reached the small of their back. At the same time, a lot of their strength came back so, rather than sit on the cold ground, Solon rose to their feet, glaring at Zelretch one last time before shimmying back into their robe, feelings of frustration in their heart due to their skin always being tender in their larval state...

(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Artoria wants to fly xD...','Vahn and Solon are both kind of petty','Who would have thought that the guy that can peek into infinite timelines in a voyeur...?')