“Typeless Magic?” screeched Garuda, Emperor of All Rocs, His robed human guise lofty and hawk-nosed, supposedly Humanity’s first teacher of Air Magic. “What manner of magic is that?”

“To His Majesty, Typeless Magic is the magic all Humans have before they are Awakened to an Element. Awakening a Human immediately elevates and empowers an Element within them, raising within them magic similar to any Beast born with such powers,” I replied to the Lord of All Rocs promptly.

“Healer Fae.” All the Emperors shut up and went silent at the sound of that voice, regal and clever and domineering. “Why use such magic, instead of the path of the Elements?” Heaven Westward Fox Emperor asked calmly.

I held up a hand. Using my Pact Magic for the fuel, I materialized a point of Mana, altered it to Ice, and held it glowing cool white above my hand, frost falling sparkling to the ground beneath it.

Then I shifted it to earth, stone and crystal rotating around an octahedron of metal, and continued on through fluid Water, swirling Winds, burning Fire, dancing Lightning, and shining Light. I did not stop there; the incredulous Emperors all leaned forward to stare in some disbelief, I cycled through Thunder, Void, Chaos, Summoning, and Time Magic, the latter causing Sun Wukong to hiccup in shock.

I kept going, moving into the twisting vines of Plant Magic, the telltale gentle light of Healing Magic, the enlightened glow of Psychic Magic, the circling glory of Blessing Magic... and the cutting Silver of Argent Magic, along with the spheres of Divination Magic.

“With no Elements, Your Imperial Majesty, come no restrictions on what manner of Magic may be drawn. What is lost in raw power and specialization is compensated for with breadth and versatility. What is seen by Elemental Masters as impurity and muddy power is, in the eyes of the Arcane, the perfect foundation for wielding all types of Magic.”

Some of the other Emperors wanted to speak, but a mere glance from their master silenced them. “Are you also capable of drawing upon the Dark Mana, Healer Fae?” He asked of me.

I held up my hand again, and slowly rotated through the Ink of Shadow Magic, the ghoulish bone-gray of Undead Magic, the bloody red barbs of Curse Magic, the venomous green-yellow of Poison Magic, the sanguine crimson of Blood Magic, the many-hued shadows of Demon Magic, and the corpsefire glow of Blightfire Magic.

As each mote of Dark Magic came up, Noble flared, and vivus puffed out to consume each of them, falling to the ground in a heavy mist as it did so, leaving no trace of them behind to despoil this chamber to their very pointed and thorough seeking of traces of them. The fact I dared to summon such in front of them, and yet there was no trace of them left behind, was as shocking to them as the sight of magicks they had never witnessed before.

I lowered my hand silently, the question answered.

“Was that the magic of... Time?” Sun Wukong finally blurted out, fairly hopping with excitement.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” I confirmed.

The air trembled with incredible weight. The lightness with which I said it was as off-putting as the sight of such was momentous. I simply wasn’t treating it with the weight that was its due, at least in their eyes.

“You do not sound very impressed with the magic of Time,” Heaven Westward Fox Emperor noted with studious detachment.

I gestured, and brought up the black and white stars of Void Magic. “Time Magic at its fundamental level is not much more difficult to ascertain than Spatial Magic, Your Imperial Majesty.” With a twinkling of my fingers, I separated Void Magic into its constituent Space and Force Magics, further startling them. “This one has naturally spoken with Thunderbird and Fire Phoenix Emperors upon this matter, and its relevance to becoming a High Emperor.

“What the High Emperors seek to do is understand Time so that they may stand Outside of it, looking up and down the Stream of Time as they wish, becoming fifth-dimensional existences, as well as seeking the power to go back and forth in time as others cross space.

“That is a dangerous level of power to be at, because becoming a fifth-level existence instantly makes one much more visible to those at the sixth and higher stages of existence. Indeed, to such beings, the three High Emperors of Earth are far more visible than everything else on the planet, and even the planet itself.” I let that hang in the air as they turned over my words. “It is almost a certainty that it was the existence of the High Emperors which drew the attention of the Lords of the Netherworld and the Lords of Light to this world, Your Imperial Majesty. The High Emperors have gained the power to touch the fifth stage, but not to cloak themselves from the eyes of those higher on the scale.”

There was a thrum of murmurings and mental communication all around me. Reynard was now seated, but I’d neither stood, nor even raised my head.

“Most interesting,” Heaven Westward Fox Emperor congratulated me thoughtfully. “Is that why you have come here, to spread this news?”

“No, Your Imperial Majesty. Such was one of the matters Thunderbird Emperor intends to raise in discussion. I was sent forth to invite the True Emperors of the continents to council. The primary reason is that Humans have a method to break The Great Flood of Ice Emperor, but cannot do it without the approval of the True Emperors.”

Heaven Westward’s hands folded as the other Emperors glanced about. “And am only I invited to this Council?” He asked leadingly.

I tapped Noble upon the floor, and the Tokens of Will shook once. “There was no presumption to invite Heaven Westward Fox Emperor’s subordinates without His approval. He may naturally invite who He wishes!” Notably, only the Luan Emperors had dared to invite themselves along, likely only because they were a mated pair and great friends with Fire Phoenix, but the Emperors of K’un-Lun were all legends in the world of the Great Beasts.

Heaven Westward Fox Emperor nodded once at the statement. Thunderbird wasn’t going to be an arse about such things. He and Garuda were something of rivals, but not on bad terms, and shared a dislike of Dragons. Only one Dragon Emperor existed in K’un-Lun, Holy Cloud Sage Emperor, and He generally remained above terrestrial affairs. Even Thunderbird didn’t have anything bad to say about Him. The Azure Dragon had not been seen in many centuries...

“What were the other Elements of Magic you displayed to us?” Heaven Westward Fox Emperor asked me, although it was a command.

“This one believes His Imperial Majesty refers to the Demon Magic,” the Elements began to pop up again, the Dark ones promptly eaten by vivus, “the Blightfire Magic, the Silver Magic, and the Divination Magic.” Each came up in turn under the very intent gazes of the Emperors.

“Most interesting. I have indeed never personally witnessed these Elements before.” He looked about once, and His Court all shook their heads in agreement. “How did you come to know of these Elements, Healer Fae?”

“With great respect, Your Imperial Majesty, this one has had many discussions with Thunderbird and Fire Phoenix Emperors on this matter. I believe they had planned to share their words and observations on the Elements during the Council of Emperors.” I paused for a moment. “This one will also be on call for the Council if the Emperors wish to see more and make further judgements.”

He paused to consider that. Thunderbird Emperor would indeed have a more experienced perspective on the matter, if such were true. “The Elements and their effects were fairly direct, but what is Silver Magic, Healer Fae?” Heaven Westward Fox Emperor asked pointedly.

“Your Imperial Majesty, Silver Magic is the Magic of unmaking and preventing Magic. Dispels, Counters, Abjurations, Wards, Mantles, Interdictions, Stillflights, Exorcisms, Domains, Purifications, Cleansings, Protections, Resistances, Barriers, Walls, Fields, Zones, Shields, Banishments, Expulsions, and Injunctions all fall under the auspices of Silver Magic.”

“An interesting premise,” He murmured thoughtfully. “Is this the Magic by which Humans aim to thwart Ice Emperor’s Great Flood?”

“There are similar principles involved, Your Imperial Majesty, but no, the Element itself is not known to many, and largely restricted to Typeless Mages at this time.”

“An Element with only defensive capabilities?” Guan Yu said gruffly. “That sounds very weak...”

“Silver Magic is widely considered among those who can use it to be the most dangerous of all Elements of Magic, Your Majesty. The ability to shut down an opponent’s Magic entirely and force them to engage on your own terms is considered one of the most paramount skills in the art of magical dueling.”

“Hmmmph. It remains to be seen if such Magic has the power you claim,” He sniffed.

I smiled and said nothing, trusting... “A demonstration!” Sun Wukong called out eagerly. “Show us a test of this Silver Magic!” He hooted in anticipation, always ready to show up the old Tiger opposite him.

I just raised an eyebrow. “With His Imperial Majesty’s permission?...” I asked calmly.

Heaven Westward Fox Emperor nodded at once, also eager to see this. “Proceed, Healer Fae,” He waved his hand magnanimously.

I snapped my fingers, and they all blinked as a shell of transparent Silver Light instantly pushed back the Natural Ward that should have denied me access to the Manafield here. I pulled in the energy for a spell, the power of a Mage-tier spell, weaving it about the Dispelling I gathered in an instant, hard and tight and oh, so very, Very, VERY solid to their eyes. By the way they flinched, it was probably almost cutting into their enhanced Awareness with the easy +84 or so Dispel Modifier.

I sent it shooting at Sun Wukong.

He watched it come at Him with great interest, seeing no truly threatening energies, only the fact it was put together with ungodly intensity, the energies so compact...

It hit Him on His throne there, and shattered.

Uncounted threads of Silver exploded in all directions, like the world was suddenly made of glass. With a crinkle and tinkling, the massive illusion covering the whole Court went away, falling away into motes of Mana before the images could reach the floor, and left Reynard and me standing there in the true Court of K’un-Lun.

“Oops! I should have only used the Adept Tier. I meant only to Dispel the illusion covering Sun Wukong Emperor!” I mumbled to nobody in particular, ducking my head again, totally aware they heard every word.

Damn Monkeys messing stuff up, amiright?

The revealed Emperors in this Court were naturally not a bunch of humanoid-seemings on bright thrones in a flame-lit, tiled Court with polished walls and windows. This was a great cave, with crystalline formations jutting here and there out of the walls, primal Elemental Mana gathered about them, and great cuts in the stone walls leading to the sky outside. Massive beds and alcoves of stone surrounded us, large enough for gargantuan bodies of Great Beasts a dozen times bigger than whales to lounge about on and regard us there in the center of them.

Eep!, Reynard thought, promptly splaying flat on the floor again as many eyes bigger than shields, glowing with magic in many hues, fixed on us in astonishment and confusion at just how I’d done what I’d done. The Presence of Emperors filled the air around us, no longer held back by the illusion, as did their overwhelming size, beauty, and power.

Heaven Westward Fox Emperor was a Nine-Tailed Crimson Dreams Fox of crystalline red pelt, with great dark eyes, His feet and nose black as night, with a white undercoat shining brighter than sun-lit snow. The white and black nine-tailed Foxes to either side of Him were no less splendid, but only two-thirds His Height. He was actually the size of the scarred white-furred and black-striped great Tiger with the pale sapphire eyes blinking at me in astonishment over to my left.