Chapter 112: Chapter 112: Catalysts

The catalyst is a type of behavioral matrix. Rather than using the Aether within the crystal, however, a catalyst alters the Aether being channeled through it. Due to not consuming their own Aether, catalysts are more suited for situations that involved heavy Aether use, usually combat situations.

Catalysts are divided into two categories: Technique catalysts and gate catalysts.

The technique catalysts are catalysts imprinted with the magic techniques of a mage, useful for when a mage wanted to cast multiple techniques but lack the processing power to do so. Additionally, a technique catalyst would also allow another mage to use techniques executed with an Aether-form they do not possess.

Naturally, while the catalyst may alter a mage's Aether-form when they channel their Aether through it, they would not be able to control the altered Aether-form directly. It would be akin to grafting a tail onto a person and expecting them to know how it works. Rather, it would mostly be the catalyst controlling the altered Aether-form, limiting the user to the techniques imprinted within the catalyst.

Of course, if said user somehow has experiences of possessing different Aether-forms, that's another story altogether.

On the other hand, the gate catalysts do not alter Aether-forms nor do they have any techniques imprinted within them. What they do grant is a 'key', a key to open a 'gate' to a specific space. A space within the Abyss.

As Remigia formed this world within the Abyss through Aether, so could mages form worlds of their own through the same means. Of course, these worlds would be flawed and limited, their laws few and chaotic. Unlike a god, mortals lacked the processing power to create a fully formed world. Yet, humanity, adept with tool use as they were, found ways to take advantage of these flaws and limitations.

It was called 'Abyssal Magic,' a type of magic that introduced normally impossible phenomena into this world by opening an Abyssal Rift into a miniature world. By forcing the interaction between this world and the flawed world, a mage could create a phenomenon that they could use to various effects.

Of course, not all phenomena created from this interaction would be as intended, and few mages were able to create worlds that would be of actual use, and that is if they even have the amount of Aether needed to create and maintain such worlds in the first place.

As such, for the longest time, few mages have had access to Abyssal Magic. that was, until just recently. Fifty-odd years ago to be exact, recent enough for a mage's standard.

It was the creation of the gate catalyst, a catalyst that alters the user's Aether in such a way that it allowed access to a miniature world created by another. Of course, just by ripping open an Abyssal Rift, there was a chance in infinity for someone to randomly discover a world, but a gate catalyst directs a user straight to a specific world.

Through a lesser gate catalyst, a master could grant their apprentice limited access to their Abyssal Magic, and through a greater gate catalyst, they could pass on the world they've crafted to the next generation.

That being said, with the proliferation of Abyssal Magic and thereby, the increasing frequency in which the worlds collide, slowly, gradually, Remigia's world was being undone.

***

"Wait! How is he still moving!?"

Barnaby was surprised that after being hit by Henrich's needle-like Aether, the mysterious intruder, Theodore, was still able to move as if nothing was wrong.

Henrich, as well, was shocked, even more so since he felt clearly what had happened through feedback from his Aether.

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Theodore had weaved an armor out of thread-like Aether, one hastily formed and had a myriad of gaps, enough for the needles to slip right through. Yet, betraying Henrich's expectations, each thread moved to intercept each and every needle from the swarm, blocking every single one of them with expert speed and precision.

Realizing that their mysterious intruder was no mere apprentice sent here to do dirty work, Henrich pulled out the catalyst wand, a lesser gate catalyst given to him by Master Torben, and began to channel Aether through it.

From the tip of the wand, a dense streak of Aether shot out and cut across the air, tearing a spatial Rift in the air above Theodore. From the Rift, unseen talons, ones that existed in a world with laws incompatible with this one, swung down at Theodore.

Yet, even though the attack would be nearly imperceptible to all but those with the most powerful of Aether-senses, Theodore managed to twist his body and threw himself out of the way in the nick of time.

For the second time on this day, Henrich was shocked. In his head, he quickly formulated possibilities regarding his opponent.

The first thing Henrich thought of was that Theodore must be a powerful mage, a master or above. However, he dismissed the idea. If this mysterious intruder was truly such a high-ranking mage, then he would have just disposed of Henrich and Barnaby right then and there and easily cleaned up the traces with plenty of time to spare.

The second theory was that the intruder was a demonkin. Their race was known to be capable of sensing spatial distortions due to their origins as offspring of 'Demons', being born in the Abyss. However, this too, Henrich thought was unlikely. The demonkins, like their former leader, the Demon Lord, abhorred the mages. It won't be easy to find one that would be willing to cooperate with a mage.

Which led Henrich to his final possibility, that the one before him was a different being capable of sensing spatial distortions, a being, unlike the demonkins, could easily infiltrate this city by becoming an apprentice, much like himself.

"Barnaby! That's an enemy!" said Henrich as he leaped out of the window without hesitation.

"Enemy?" Barnaby could not intuit Henrich's conclusion from those vague words. Even so, he sensed that Henrich was being serious, that this was an opponent that they cannot go easy against.

Following after Henrich, Barnaby as well leaped out of a window, landing beside Henrich who was already rearing for a fight.

On the other side, their opponent was staring them down. Though it seemed as if he wanted to escape before, he appeared to have registered the two as a threat, ones he cannot carelessly turn his back against.

A battle was going to be unavoidable. A battle between sprouting Demon Lords.

***

End of Chapter 112

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