Shadow Clone Sorcery
Chapter 38: In Need Of Essence (2)

Essence of Magic Manipulation

Lukas found it curious that both arcane essences involved an act rather than an object or phenomenon. Blood, repulsion, stealing, change, and shadow were all tangible, naturally occurring, or man-made concepts. The same couldn’t be said for regeneration and manipulation. He didn’t have a big enough sample size to be sure.

It was tempting to pester Penelope about essence procurement, but Lukas resisted. She was clearly busy with all the new samples coming in. He received bonus pay for analyzing them and writing down whatever Inspector’s Compendium had to say. Meanwhile, Bass had disappeared after Lukas showed her the feathers and hadn’t returned since. Penelope didn’t seem worried. She appeared to trust her familiar to safely explore and investigate the undercity.

Lukas was sure that as soon as Bass found something, the sorcerer would want to go down, with or without him. So, he explored other options for the essence. First, he exhausted every business on Snake’s list. Only one of them had something usable, but Lukas couldn’t afford it. He offered to sell the merchant the runic shortsword. The man was interested in the purchase, but it still wasn’t enough to buy the essence.

“Heist,” El-Four whispered.

Lukas kept the stealth-specialized clone around for whenever he went out in the evenings. His confidence in his current abilities had improved significantly since arriving in Iskander. The minor Altered Mass ability gave him the confidence to move at higher speeds without fear of significant injury. However, he appreciated the extra eyes on his back, especially because there was a chance of Mister Grey or one of Penelope’s competitors tailing him.

Whenever Lukas had magic to spare, he dispelled the clone and tried summoning one again while channeling Shadow Sight. A new specialization didn’t form, much to his disappointment. The pages attached to Shadow Clone now list all of the specializations, seemingly having read his mind when naming them.

Empowered Clones:

• Bruiser (Strength and toughness)

• Speedster (Agility and flexibility)

• Mage (Magic gathering and channeling)

• Stalker (Shadow manipulation and presence suppression)

Lukas wanted more specializations, not just for the variety of clones but also because there was a chance Shadow Clone’s rank would also increase. Every bit of magic reduction, range, and efficiency improved his chances of survival.

Despite the possible fallout, Lukas started sending stalker clones to probe the mage colleges. None of his other minions had yet found assets to help penetrate the buildings. He hoped that Silencing Shadows would do the job. There was something different about the clones, too, that seemed to make them naturally stealthy and challenging to detect. Lukas had them stalk Penelope, Esther, and even Kelpie, but none detected El-Four. He hoped it would be the same with the academies.

Apparently, the spoiled rich children of powerful merchants, industrialists, politicians, and noblemen had no trouble acquiring any essence they desired. Their parents paid guilds and organizations handsomely for access to exclusive materials and objects. Lukas’s clones could rob one of their lockers, pick a pocket, or burglarize their rooms. It was too risky to go for the organization’s vaults or shops, but the rest were reasonably vulnerable.

In his old life, Lukas had made a habit of targeting the rich and powerful, especially those tied to corruption or with a history of abuse against their ‘lessers.’ It wasn’t an act of altruism. He and the clones often distributed the stolen wealth amongst the poor, but it wasn’t always out of generosity. Unlike on Earth, carrying and transporting money and valuables was always a concern. Spatial storages were often limited, and the goodwill of common folk went a long way. Greased palms usually ensured that entire villages and towns had no memories of seeing Lukas or having knowledge of him at all.

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“Heist,” El-Four whispered again. It came as no surprise that the stalker clone wanted to go on a heist. “We need teams. Codenames. Disguises. Break into the fucking college and take them for everything they have.”

“I spent too much time rewatching movies, didn’t I?” Lukas sighed. “You’re right, though. I didn’t want to return to thievery, but we might not have a choice. For now, just infiltrate and scout. Don’t take anything without discussing it first. Ideally, we don’t want to steal from someone inside the property. Wards or spells along the border might not pick up Silencing Shadows, but they’re bound to detect the energy signature. We need to prepare for the actual theft. Maybe—”

“It's just the one essence,” El-Four interrupted. “If you just trust me with the ritual leather, the shortsword, or just the sheath, I should be able to sneak whatever it is out without issue.”

“I’m not giving you anything valuable until you have infiltrated and escaped the academies undetected at least a dozen times. Prove yourself to me by stealing mundane objects first. Trophies, if you will. Once I’m confident that we can get away with it, only then will we proceed with the job.”

“So little trust, boss.” The clone sighed. “But fine. I understand the apprehension. Just know that the longer we delay, the more likely it is that we won’t be ready by the time Bass returns. Then, we’ll have to go down unprepared or leave it all in Penelope’s hands.”

“That’s not going to happen,” Lukas said. “I’ve got a couple of other ideas. Whichever pans out first is what we’ll go with.”

“You’re the boss, boss.”

Lukas didn’t send the clone out alone. He dispelled El-Three, who was arcane and specialized and practicing magical techniques, and resummoned him as a stalker. The pair went out together, discussing a game of tag to see which of them could run faster and conceal themselves better.

Meanwhile, Lukas gave some real thought to whether to let the persona of Elvis continue for much longer. The clone had already learned all he could at the smithy. Now, it was just a matter of refining his skills. Lukas couldn’t help but wonder whether the clone would be better spent on another purpose. Lukas could feel that the time to leave Iskander was near. He didn’t want to stick around for long after resolving the quest and completing Mister Grey’s job.

It was unlikely he’d ever get to start an identifier business. Lukas also believed that Mister Grey would let him just do the one job and move on. Men like him always wanted more. Once he sunk his hooks in, Lukas would never get away. People like him kept useful tools weak, making them easier to control. He needed to move on with or without Isabella’s guidance.

Lukas personally visited the distillery and the attached pub for the first time. It was perhaps foolish, but he believed that Mister Grey needed his service enough not to cause him any harm. Yet, at least.

“Mister Zaun!” The man exclaimed when Lukas entered. He sat in the same seat as during their previous meeting. The same entourage accompanied him, plus a couple of others. Kelpie shot Lukas a smile. The rest barely spared him a glance. “Is everything okay? I wasn’t expecting to see you anytime soon.”

“I came by to check on your progress with the lightning essence,” Lukas said. “Have you had any luck?”

“You would know if we did,” Mystery Grey replied. “They’re rare, and the one that entered the city was claimed by someone too powerful for my humble organization to anger. I ask for patience. If you don’t have it by the event—”

“I’ll settle for any arcane or magical essence,” Lukas interrupted. “I still want the lightning shard, but I’m willing to be more flexible with the essence.”

Mister Grey glanced at the notetaker who had threatened to capture and imprison Lukas. She only nodded.

“Consider it done. I don’t keep such things at the distillery, but I can have it delivered. Soon.”

“Thank you,” Lukas said, maintaining a friendly but professional tone. “I knew I could rely on you.”

“Always,” Mister Grey said, raising his mug. “It’s in my best interests to ensure you can do your job to the best of your ability. Just don’t get killed during your undercity trips before the auction. Alright?”

“The essence will ensure that doesn’t happen.”

“Care to join us for a drink?” Mister Grey waved at a free seat. Unlike last time, it wasn’t next to him.

“I appreciate the offer, but no, thank you.” Lukas failed to hide his relief. He didn’t intend to stop the stalker clones’ mission. He’d need more arcane essences soon. They’d likely prove invaluable for ascending the shard or Shadow Clone. “My magic tutor awaits.”