My fingers flexed again and my body moved around the room. There was some awkwardness at first, but soon it was moving as smoothly as if I myself was in control. My body then moved to a wall, clutched it’s fist and slammed it into it, causing a large crack to form where it had struck.

“I can work with this. Now let’s see.” My finger snapped, but nothing happened. My arms began moving while Rubrus whispered in draconic, but still there was nothing. Finally he clapped his hands together and separated them and an axe I’d had stored popped into his hand. He flicked his hand up and it disappeared. Then he traced some arcane runes into the air and my body took on a shimmering quality.

“Huh, so I can’t perform external magics, but those that affect me or summon from your void can be utilized. I’ll miss my fireballs, but this is certainly better than being dead.” He looked around. “You really let the place go didn’t you. Or, wait a moment.”

I felt him probe me, but I resisted.

“Interesting. I can’t view your thoughts and memories directly, you must have developed some control. I guess I’ll have to let you speak.”

I felt the probing stop and tested speaking. “Please go back to being dead.”

Rubrus laughed. “I don’t think I will.” He started walking through the dungeon, checking the state of traps and kicking corpses out of the way as he walked.

“How are you doing this? How’d you take control?”

“Well, I had a bit of a trap etched into my body and soul. It wasn’t actually meant for you, but," he shrugged, "Happy accidents.”

“Who was it meant for?”

“Oh, an ancestor of mine. I didn’t really feel like being a puppet.”

“You mean Aurum?”

He stopped moving. “How do you know that name?”

I would’ve smiled then if I could. I had leverage. “I’ll tell you if you answer a few questions of mine.”

“Hmmm, you seem to have evolved quite a bit. My own genius is coming back to bite me. Classic wizard problem, you see it all the time.” I felt the probing sensation again, but this time it wasn’t focused on my mind, but instead my body and void. “Wow, you may have advanced a lot socially, but I’m distinctly unimpressed with what you’ve discovered about yourself.”

I felt something inside me click and I felt a portion of the void within me reveal itself. It was filled with steel bars, fine food and drink, clothing, jewelry, even furniture.

Rubrus snapped and a goblet of wine disappeared from my void and manifested in his hands. “Hmm, your taste is slightly different from mine, this is a bit more bitter than I recall.”

“What did you do?”

“This is the part of you I was using to store my things. I had it behind an extra layer of protection. Did you think the things I summoned came from nothing.”

“I did.”

“That is possible, but exhausting. Using you was much simpler.”

“Is that what I’m meant to be? Storage?”

“How about this. I’ll provide you with an answer, then you provide me with one. Deal?”

I mulled it over. It wasn’t like I had much choice. “Deal.”

“You are mainly meant as storage, yes. Don’t worry though, I never meant for you to strictly exist as a walking closet. You can store anything. Objects, memories, enchantments, souls. Some things are harder for you to store than others and you more eat than store them, but it amounts to the same thing in your case. You’re a unique creation. You’re also meant to protect what you store.”

“Why was I created?”

“Tut tut, it’s my turn remember? How do you know of Aurum?”

“I’ve read about him.”

“I sense that’s only a partial truth. What book would tell you enough to recognize that Aurum is my ancestor? Please, the whole truth and I’ll allow another question.” As we spoke I could feel Rubrus taking inventory even as he began removing corpses and trash from the dungeon.

“I have fought several children of Aurum. Killed two.” I could feel the smile Rubrus couldn’t make when I mentioned I’d killed them.

“Glad to know my creation can handle his. It feels nice to be able to compete with a god. Still, things are on the move, how unfortunate. I’ll have to make a real effort to secure this place.” He gestured to his chest and I felt the few scrapes on my armor from the goblins seal themselves, though this time I could see that the metal my repairs used was coming from the steel bars that were stored within me. That was interesting.

“Why did you create me?”

“To use as storage. What a waste of a question.”

“It wouldn’t be wasted if you answered it truly and fully as I did yours.”

“Fine, I have one more question I want to ask so I’ll clarify. I created you to store part of myself, to shield me from my father’s influence.”

“Is that why your eyes are no longer gold? And why’d you use me to slay those adventurers?”

“I’ll give you those for free, yes it was, and no tool should serve only one purpose. I intended to be here for a long time. Using you for entertainment was simply a good way to pass the time. Now for my final question. What have you been doing since I’ve been dead?”

“Adventuring.”

“Really? Adventuring?” I could feel his contempt. “You could’ve become incredibly powerful with the abilities I imbued you with, and you’ve used it adventuring?”

“Absolutely.”

“I find that incredibly disappointing. That’s enough from you, I have work to do.”

I felt my ability to speak shut off. I watched him work for a few moments. He wrapped up cleaning out the corpses and was starting repair work on the traps. I could tell he was annoyed at having to do things manually, which I took marginal satisfaction from, but my overall feeling was one of frustration. The only thing I could think to do was attempt to probe him in the same way he’d probed me. I reached out, finding walls of will holding me back, but I kept at it. I tried to be subtle, to look for any small break I could find. Eventually, I found one.

…

The lightning bolt bounced off my shield and into the wall behind me. I stifled a yawn, lifted my hand and sealed the opposing magus’ body in rock. He screamed and struggled, but it was a useless gesture. I approached him and placed my hand on his face. He was a paltry meal, and as I removed my hand from the husk that remained of him I was disappointed to find nothing new. I sighed, wiped my hand clean on my robe and started descending down the wizard’s tower.

Well done.

Thank you.

Aurum always approved when I took something I wanted, but this time I felt unsatisfied. I haven’t had a good meal in a hundred years. I’ve eaten my way through all of the great wizards in Caedun, Sylfen, the Eastlands, and even the northern tribes, what a cold miserable decade that had been. I stepped over a few collapsed columns and shattered golems. The gains had been steadily declining over the years. The wizards seemed to be weaker than those I’d begun with and there were also fewer to eat. It had taken me the better part of five years to find this one, and it had been worthless.

I was the problem. I’d figured it out after the last two I’d eaten in Sylfen, but I hadn't taken the time to really analyze it. I’d eaten too many and now there were none left to teach new students who would then become wizards capable of teaching. I’d glutted myself and now my favorite meal was near extinct.

I leaned against a tree that had been bisected by a wind cutting spell I’d thrown. I needed a new plan. Something more sustainable than what I’d done so far. I considered trying to further things myself, but immediately found that idea incredibly off-putting. I was a grand wizard, and the descendant of a god. I was more comfortable with taking than creating myself.

…

I found myself back outside of Rubrus’ memories. I looked to see what he’d been up to. I couldn’t tell how much time had passed, but the dungeon seemed to be repaired and a few goblins tied together at the waist were scrubbing the floors clean. Rubrus was carving runes into a nearby wall. Draconic for nil and friction. I felt him send a fraction of his will toward the rune and the nearest goblin slipped and fell, bringing his fellow prisoners down with him.

“Seems like I found another avenue for magic. More prep than I’d prefer though.”

He didn’t seem to have noticed I’d been gone. I noticed he’d made several changes to my form, ones I hadn’t realized would be possible. He’d shaped the top of my helmet into a crown, added claws to my gauntlets, and teeth to faceplate. I didn’t much care for the changes, though I had to admit they were intimidating and the clawed gauntlets would certainly have their uses.

I watched him for a little longer before I decided to look for another break. This time it was easier. There actually seemed to be a number of hairline cracks all throughout the wall he was using to protect his essence. I couldn’t tell if they were new, or if I had simply gotten better at finding them. I went to the nearest one and slipped my awareness through.

…

This year's crop was looking promising. I thought as I walked through the University’s grounds towards my tower. There were several students with innate gifts and a few hard workers I was confident would turn themselves into something worth consuming. I nodded, and smiled to the students as I passed, doing my best to be genial. It was easier for me if they liked me rather than feared me, I’d found that they tended to work better this way and they were more willing to share their progress with me as well.

My idea had been brilliant. I’d eaten all of the mages of value so now it fell onto me to cultivate a crop of my own. I built a tower in a desert, played the role of the powerful wise wizard, and waited for those with the drive to get to me to begin appearing. I’d had to protect them from the occasional Naga or Lizardman incursion, but that hadn’t been too difficult, especially since I trained the first few sand shapers.

The city that had grown around me was a nice bonus. I could find good food, drink, or company with relative ease and I liked the eclectic nature of the people that had gathered. Exiles and refugees tended to be a particularly interesting group.

I made my way into the tower and sealed the doors. I had a meeting with a new scholar who I was certain was dying to meet me. After a quick climb up the stairs I entered the room to find a young woman seated in a chair in front of my desk. I made my way gradually around, trying to keep a dignified bearing despite the excitement I felt.

“Scholar Luda, correct?”

“Yes sir.” she said through her orcish teeth.

“First of all I wanted to congratulate you on becoming a scholar.”

“Thank you.” She gave a wide smile which I returned.

“I’d also heard something very interesting about you. A special magical ability of yours?”

“It’s not too special. Technically it’s come about in the Deadeye clan many times.” Her voice turned bitter at the mention of Deadeye.

“Describe it to me.”

“Well, if I focus I can determine someone’s intentions toward me.”

I widened my smile, stood up from my desk and sat on the edge of it closer to her.

“Try it on me.”

She smiled and obliged, I felt a peculiar energy flow through her. Her eyes widened.

Before she could move I grabbed her head on both sides and consumed her. Aside from the new ability I also tasted a few subtle variations to shielding spells, a welcome garnish. I activated my new ability.

Well done

At Aurum’s words the ability activated. I collapsed to my knees. The intentions I felt from him were the same as those Luda had felt from me. I was meal to him, one he was waiting to ripen.