Chapter 95: Practical Applications of Spatial Spell Sequences

The future master of Queldanil Lodge was one of the forces Quel'Thalas sent in counterattack after the Old Horde led by Orgrim Doomhammer and the trolls under Zul'jin were defeated in the Second War. Judging by the strength of Galind Shalon and the others, they were unquestionably among the finest elite ranger units of that era.

What was more, they endured for more than a decade after losing contact with the kingdom. There was no later supply line, no reinforcements, no allies, and all around them were beasts and trolls. They survived entirely on the strength of their own ranger skills, and even built Queldanil Lodge deep in the forests of the Hinterlands.

"Very well, then. Galind, as the ranger commander of the Sun Temple, you will also hold a seat in my governing council and, together with our administrative team, help decide the affairs of the Sun Temple." Patrick stated his plan.

Galind glanced at Aurelia's expression. Poaching someone right under his superior's nose was, admittedly, a little ungentlemanly on Patrick's part. Fortunately, Aurelia showed little reaction; she even nodded in agreement, with nothing unusual in her demeanor.

Galind accepted it calmly. She would become the military chief of the Sun Temple's ranger corps, and at the same time a standing councilor of the governing council, in charge of the Sun Temple's military affairs. In this way, the six functions and posts within Patrick's governing council were now fully in place. From here on, all that remained was to let the entire administrative team do their work.

Once the appointments were settled, Galind Shalon and Elenora Cloudstrike followed Idonis and Quelintis to familiarize themselves with their new positions, authority structure, and related matters.

Aurelia also returned to the ranger camp to reorganize the troops. Though Patrick held the status of a council member and, in the Ghostlands, possessed the highest level of authority, within the ranger corps the Windrunner family's prestige was even greater. In the end, among the upper ranks of Quel'Thalas, the only family truly able to speak for the low-ranking rangers was the Windrunner line; ordinary rangers and the Farstriders placed in them an almost unconditional trust.

After the others had gone, the chief data officer, Yanida, came to report that over the past four months all income from taxes, rents, trade, and the like across the Sun Temple had been fully compiled, and asked Patrick to review it.

Since Patrick had taken office, the Sun Temple had experienced unprecedented growth. At present, the region's principal source of income remained housing construction and rentals. Another major source was the new alchemical potions produced by the Sunlight Tower, along with the merchants' trade taxes.

"It seems that no matter what world you're in, the first people to profit from a place's development are always the real estate speculators."

Patrick gave his approval directly: "Set aside twenty percent as reserve funds. Let the rest continue circulating to stimulate the Sun Temple's growth. Add four more office buildings around the Sunlight Tower, with interconnected teleportation arrays inside. The office buildings should also be linked by skybridges, and they must connect to the Sunlight Tower itself so that non-casters can come and go easily."

"And use the remaining funds to keep buying raw materials and building residential housing. Expand the population reserve of the Sun Temple, increase the number of permanent residents, develop military industry, and establish a healthy social structure. Continue reclaiming the surrounding farmland as well, growing grain or other cash crops to ensure a stable, self-sufficient supply of food and medicine."

Patrick also received a magical letter from his older brother, Patterson, saying that when the council began purchasing the Caboron family's alchemical preparations and enchanted equipment, they had started to scheme. They were trying to weaken the Caboron family economically and find an opening through which to strike.

With a sweeping stroke of the pen, Patrick replied to his brother that their finished products had no shortage of buyers at all. The entire market share could be shifted to the Sun Temple. After all, in the Ghostlands, the big names in the council had only limited influence, and there were still many low-ranking clans, or clanless elves, who made a comfortable living through trade between elves and humans.

The high-grade potions produced by the Sun Temple were highly sought-after goods in the human kingdoms, and Andyrlyn Manor was now turning into a trade hub between Quel'Thalas and Lordaeron. Many elven merchants were here to make their fortunes. Medicines, enchantments, and runes from the Sun Temple were being transported there in a steady stream and then sold on to Lordaeron. There were even human merchants within the manor who had obtained passes through the Elven Gate.

The family's chief line of development still lay in its most powerful alchemical preparations. Although the Caboron family had once lacked high-level casters, in Silvermoon City, surrounded by high-ranking clans, the family's mage tower stood right on the outskirts of Sunfury Tower. That was not a glory one could win by chance; it was proof of the Caboron family's authority in the field of alchemy.

But alchemy was not enough. Runes and enchantments also had to be developed with great force. One could not hang all one's hopes on a single tree. The old saying about a cunning rabbit having three burrows applied perfectly here. Moreover, as long as Patrick remained an archmage, the Caboron family's position in Silvermoon City would remain stable. The other clans would only make small moves in the shadows; they would not openly tear off the mask.

The Sun Temple was developing at remarkable speed. The elves' efficiency in handling affairs had risen sharply, and Patrick was steadily imparting his own spirit, values, and view of the world.

...

Back in the arcane laboratory, he resumed his study of spell sequences. Using his mastery of spatial spell-sequence techniques, Patrick created a three-dimensional tetrahedral spell. With his mental power he formed the tetrahedron's spatial structure, then used arcane dust to trace the arcane circuits and create mana flow across the surface of the sequence.

At each of the tetrahedron's four vertices, he positioned an energy crystal. On the crystal surfaces he inscribed energy nodes and arcane pathways, then layered thorium powder over them to improve the crystals' magical conductivity and the stability of energy flow.

The four vertices each contained a different spell array: stability, transmission, shaping, and levitation. The four crystals interlocked with one another, forming a solid spatial spell sequence.

At the center of the tetrahedron, he placed a runic combination engraved in arcanite, the fourfold runes of Tir, Sol, Lum, and Nef, quietly performing their function within the tetrahedral structure. The cost of creating this spatial spell sequence made Patrick wince in pain. Fortunately, the Silvermoon Council had fixed quotas for council members, which saved a great deal of material expense.

Aurelia would also come to the mage tower to rest whenever she had free time. But when she saw the arcane radiance flickering around Patrick and the complex spell models suspended in the air, she did not disturb him. She only stood to the side and watched in silence.

Sometimes, when Patrick noticed that Aurelia had arrived, he would set down his work and take a short break. The two of them would exchange what they had each gained recently.

Aurelia always carried a faint sense of grievance. "Is your brain made entirely of arcane power? Can you not see anything at all beyond it?"