It was only when I had reached a state of exhaustion and lacked the opportunity to fully express my insatiable activity and vitality, which are not commonly associated with members of the serpent family and which compelled me to be involved in every aspect of life, that I began to lead a more sedate existence akin to that of a respected deity who maintains a low profile outside its realm and interacts with the world through its followers.
Of course, there was still much to be done, such as finding a powerful intermediary among my faithful and those who swore allegiance to me who could serve as my temporary avatar, as any god who did not wish to risk their own safety and venture beyond their comfortable realm would be obliged to do.. And all thanks to the fact that I am the proprietor of an army of some two and a half thousand of my own clones, in whose presence I have not lost the intensity of interaction with the external world, I could pursue my own affairs, which included oversight and leadership over all the organisations and structures within my purview. This is no small feat: the Order of Witches, Catholic and Orthodox Churches, the Russian Empire, Japan, plus training students, scientific endeavours, and simply further exploration of the world, in which I have existed for more than nine centuries.
For the initial month, as I had recently been afflicted with an illness and a trauma to my psyche, I engaged in nothing but mastering the art of fully utilizing my multifaceted streams of consciousness. I aimed to distribute my intellectual capacities across these streams, allowing me to be equally present in multiple locations simultaneously without compromising the integrity of my information perception.
Over time, my mental body's multitasking abilities have significantly enhanced, not only due to the substantial growth of my sixth soul layer but also because I have dedicated time to cultivating these skills. Now, a portion of my consciousness remains permanently embedded in my clones, which are engaged in educational and research activities within the Citadel. Additionally, these clones participate in backup operations, as well as hunting and reconnaissance missions against witches in a magical realm that remains vast and uncharted for us. We still lack even an approximate understanding of its boundaries.
On several occasions, our teams, with my clones among their ranks, have found themselves entangled in anomalies or confronted with local aggressive flora and fauna. Against these adversaries, we, along with several archmages, including those inhabiting the bodies of my clones, have engaged in battle.
As a consequence, the spirits of these unfortunate individuals who perished in the magical realm have been summoned to me in the divine realm. There, I either revive them or, should they so desire, I send them on a voyage along the river of spirits into the unknown. The latter option is not significantly less frequent than the former.
The very essence of witches is such that they are primarily adventurers, seeking to thrill their senses with the thrill of near-death experiences. Indeed, there is no denying it.? They are individuals, both male and female, who are driven by a sense of desperation and acumen. In the current era, as the first generation of their order, which I personally oversaw and nurtured, has ascended to the ranks of archmages, their opportunities have been curtailed. Unlike in the past, when they embarked on missions, they no longer experience the chilling anticipation that today or tonight might be their last.
They have become formidable warriors in the realm of Earth. While the magical realm occasionally presents us with surprises, it cannot match the intensity of their previous experiences. The reassurance of the respawn mechanism ensures that their pain, once they are reborn, will be mitigated.
The prospect I offered to each and every deceased individual, to venture into uncharted realms and bear the torch of faith in my name, where the likelihood of encountering cataclysms of cosmic proportions was substantial, ignited their spirits and imbued their lives with renewed vigor. This prospect attracted a sizable number of individuals, eager to embark on this journey through the cycle of rebirth known as Sansara.
However, the true allure lay not in the presence of a looming authority, but in the freedom to unleash their true selves, unbound by the constraints of mortality.
During the second and third months of my sojourn, I dedicated my efforts to forging connections and alliances with the remaining isolated ayakashi enclaves throughout Japan, a task greatly facilitated by the esteemed Tanuki Kenmei. His acceptance of my request for assistance in this endeavor was a testament to his profound honor, for it transpired that he had harbored a long-cherished aspiration to be part of the Hyakki Yakō since his youth, when he, like many other mischievous and foolish tanuki, often found himself rescued and saved by the benevolent Nura. Thus, on his travels through his ancestral homeland, he already traversed as my vassal, joining the procession of demons.
With profound reverence and elation, he received from my hand a cup of sake, and after partaking in a ritual drink with me, he carefully wrapped it in a handkerchief and placed it behind a fold of his kimono. This act conveyed an unspoken commendation that was impossible to articulate in words. His joy overflowed, and by the conclusion of the ceremony, tears glistened in his eyes.. The childhood dream of the aged and malevolent raccoon had finally been realized, and as the appearance and abilities of ayakashi are contingent upon the state of their soul and external circumstances, they had literally shed many years, transforming from a gray-haired sage into a youthful figure.
However, it is important to note that Kenmay's transformation was not solely attributed to his own efforts. I sought a loyal vassal who craved action, and I capitalized on the bond we shared, employing the ba-hyon of the One to aid in his rejuvenation, albeit sparingly.
Of course, there were challenges in aligning the holy power with my intentions, as it did not inflict harm but instead favorably influenced the essence of negativity, which had acquired reason and self-awareness. Yet, as a deity encompassing both poisonous darkness and healing light, albeit with difficulty, I managed to persuade my divinity that this specific demon was righteous and immensely beneficial to our cause.
Consequently, I proceeded from China to Japan to confront an ancient demon who, in his senile state, could seemingly lose all his strength, yet paradoxically, he would gain it. Now, should Kenmei encounter hostile adversaries on his journey and find himself at the verge of death with insufficient strength to survive, he will serve as a conduit for my power, becoming an apostle of mine. His foes will be astonished when he transforms into a powerful mage of light and a living embodiment of holiness, unaware that I had not informed him of this.
At this juncture, my newly acquired vassal has already paid visits to several secluded enclaves of Ayakashi, where he has been received with deference and esteem. He enjoys considerable renown and even popularity among the Yokai community, and upon news of his allegiance to Nurarihyon's cause, three of the four settlements he has visited have requested my presence, eager to pay homage. Prior to this, they had steadfastly refused to submit to the authority of Jaromir, the current emperor of Japan, deeming it an affront to submit under the rule of a non-native, but my presence has proven to be a more acceptable alternative. With the knowledge that the emperor of Japan himself is my subject, their decision to align with my demonic entourage has been solidified.. Only one settlement heeded Kenmei's call to submit to her rule, and that was because it gathered together all the most resentful and bloodthirsty beings who had been confined to a dimensional void and had nursed a grudge against human mages for an eternity. They did not wish to join me, for I would not permit them to unleash their fury on the innocent people of Japan. Such fools they were, indeed. Ideological fools, at that. To prevent any future problems with these ayakashi, I dispatched a squad of one hundred archmage sorceresses to their domain, who, within an hour's time, annihilated the demons, who had believed themselves safe and invulnerable.
Japan had never possessed a powerful school of spatial magic, and the ayakashi had assumed that no one could breach their sealed dimensional void, as the barrier had been erected by Amaterasu in times immemorial.
Nonetheless, there was no dearth of accomplished space mages amongst the witches, and the order had more than a hundred arcane images associated with this field of magical art. Therefore, the barrier erected over the spatial lacuna by the yokai did not pose a significant challenge for the cleanup team.
However, due to the obstinacy of these mundanes, I acquired a substantial number of sealed potent ayakashi, which subsequently became a reservoir of malevolent energy for the creation of adamantium. The benefits derived from eradicating this enclave of Japanese daemons did not end there. News of the incident swiftly spread to all other ayakashi settlements, and following this act of subjugating the shrew, Kenmei encountered no further dissenters as he sought to establish himself as my vassal. All now eagerly sought to submit themselves under my dominion with great eagerness.
That was the culmination of my business ventures in Asia, but I eventually took the time to investigate what was transpiring in South America. In the early part of this century, my duplicates had already explored this continent in pursuit of hidden locations in the form of concealed spatial gaps and other peculiarities, but from what I discovered, I could only identify a few dozen ancient, honoured stationary portals from Aztec times that led to the magical realm. However, I deemed them unpromising, as to activate them and establish a steady spatial passage from Earth to the magical world, it would be necessary to power an antique magical device through the sacrifice of at least a thousand rational beings.. In times past, when the Aztec civilization flourished, there was no scarcity of sacrifices, and it was not necessary to perform them in such vast numbers. Throughout their history and religious practices, Aztec priests would regularly sacrifice anywhere from a dozen to hundreds of victims on the altars, which were perpetually overflowing with energy.
However, in the subsequent centuries, following the arrival of Cortés and his bloody conquest, which saw the eradication of all those deemed «abominations of the gods», the altars ceased to be fed with human blood. They now stand as mere remnants of a vanished civilization, devoid of any divine power.
Upon comprehending the purpose and design of the portal artifact, which was present in every major city within the principal temple, I refrained from recalibrating and upgrading it to operate on any energy other than prana. Even for me, the energy consumption of the second shell of the portal was critical for its operation.
Why did I not attempt to explore the other side of the transition? My intuition guided me, whispering that it was not yet the time for such an endeavor, and that if I ventured there now, I might miss out on potential benefits. However, I had grown accustomed to relying on my intuition, so I simply marked it off in my virtual journal, promising to return as soon as I gained confidence in my abilities and could fully harness the advantages of traversing to the other side.
And then, at long last, the moment arrived when I became aware of the existence of South America — the precise moment when I partook of Slughorn's kauim. It occurred to me instantly that venturing to South America via the Aztec gateways was an imperative and exhilarating endeavor. There was no menace in this thought or aspiration, so I commenced my preparations for the voyage. Naturally, I intended to depart only once I had recovered, but already my clones were scouring the domains of the erstwhile Aztec realm, amassing data, legends, and other insights that might prove instrumental in my journey. My goal was to at least comprehend what might lie in store for me on the far side.. Alas, due to the fact that all authentic sources of knowledge about the culture and lifestyle of the priestly class were destroyed by the conquistadors and zealots from the church, I can only rely on rumors and speculations that have survived to our time in the tales, legends, and folklore of contemporary Indians who consider themselves successors and inheritors of the Aztecs.
While the blood of this vanquished civilization is largely diluted in the current peoples inhabiting the lands once occupied by the Aztec Empire, like the Spaniards sought to replenish the populations of local tribes after they had decimated the male population, some remnants of information about their Aztec forebears, whose blood flows through their veins in a diluted form, have been preserved and passed down to us.
In my previous life, I was not particularly knowledgeable about history. I had acquired some general knowledge about the history of my homeland and the closest neighboring states with which Russia had interactions, but I could not detect any historical inconsistencies between the Aztecs and those who inhabited my world.
It was only in my current life that I delved deeper into the history of these people, which was characterized by violence throughout their existence. The Aztec civilization flourished in the highland valleys of Mexico, albeit relatively small in size. However, due to their militaristic nature and aggressive expansion, they subjugated numerous neighboring states, most of which were even smaller in size compared to the Aztec empire, consisting of a single large city surrounded by smaller settlements.
Following their conquest, each state did not become an integral part of the Aztec empire.. There was only a viceroy appointed, whose sole responsibility was to collect the tribute and send it to Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital, where the majority of the population were slaves, who would later become victims on the altars. Every state that fell to the Aztecs had to pay tribute to their supreme god, Huitzilopochtli.
The Aztecs, as the northernmost nation in South America, occupied the isthmus that connected North and South America. At the time when the Aztec civilization encountered the conquistadors under the leadership of Hernán Cortés, they were embroiled in a protracted and stagnant war with their southern neighbor, the declining Mayan Empire.
The social stratification of their society was remarkably straightforward and rational in relation to their lifestyle and cultural practices. It was bifurcated into two distinct classes: the peasantry and the nobility, with the latter comprising warriors who had demonstrated their prowess in battle. The status of nobility was not inherited but rather conferred upon the individual warrior who had achieved it through personal merit. This distinction applied only to those who earned it, not to their descendants.
A separate class existed for the priests, who, although not part of the hierarchical system, did not engage in political affairs but rather fulfilled religious duties. These duties included interpreting omens, communicating with deities, practicing medicine, conducting scientific research, maintaining the calendar, and, in the case of the high priest, overseeing the financial records of the city or province in which the temple they served was situated.. It was difficult for me to fathom that a rational individual with such influence, authority, and access to resources would refrain from engaging in the political affairs of their people. However, all the available sources of information from that period confirmed this fact. The clergy served merely as a conduit between the divine and mortal realms.
Only those with exceptional abilities were deemed worthy of becoming priests.
Regarding their religious beliefs, they revered Huitzilopochtli as their supreme deity, whose name in their language translated to "Kolibri of the South" or "Left-Handed Kolibri", representing the sun and warfare.
Given that the hummingbird served as their god's totemic symbol, it held immense significance in their culture, along with other revered animals such as the eagle, snake, and jaguar.
However, what struck me as most remarkable was that their pantheon encompassed Quetzalcoatl, the god of life, light, and wisdom, master of the winds, and sovereign of the west. This was ironic, as my own ascent had begun in Europe, where my initial title could be construed as that of ruler of the west.
Yet something else piqued my curiosity and, at the same time, awoke genuine interest within me. It was the presence of Quetzalcoatl's twin, Sholotl. While the former was associated with light and harmony, the latter represented the antithesis, embodying darkness and discord. My very essence, encompassing both light and darkness, had the potential to be perceived as both the former and the latter. It was a curious convergence of opposites.
My identity had already been conflated with Quetzalcoatl once before, and this time it was not due to the ignorance of an unenlightened individual but rather the deliberate act of a profoundly knowledgeable deity, Vasilisa, who predates me by millennia.
Incidentally, I have discovered the reason behind the peculiar effects of wine kauim on me. Had I not had recourse to the ba-hyon of the One to neutralize its influence, I might have been compelled to engage in a most deplorable course of action. It appears that this magical cassava exerts a similar influence on any being with a snake-like heritage as does catnip on cats, albeit with far greater potency.
Indeed, this experience was akin to a combination of LSD, ecstasy, and a dose of Viagra for the average individual. The moment I imbibed a sip of this wine, I felt an overwhelming desire for both pleasure and chaos, and everything around me seemed to shimmer with a kaleidoscope of colors, accompanied by fleeting visual hallucinations.
However, my own hallucinations, driven by the gift of illusion that I possess, could pose a grave danger to others, as the offspring of my inflamed and disordered mind could easily manifest into reality, ceasing to be mere figments of my imagination. The consequences of such manifestations are beyond my control, leaving only the creator to determine their true nature.
Consequently, I realized that this form of entertainment was not suitable for me. While a mere mortal may indulge in a frenzy and engage in various activities, when a divine force goes on a rampage, the scale and consequences are entirely different. Thus, we shall seek alternative means of relaxation and rejuvenation.
While I was delving into the properties of magical cassava and attempting to discern the reason for its sudden impact on the serpent tribe, my five hundred clones conducted a thorough search across the entirety of the Earth's territory, meticulously exploring every nook and cranny of the isthmus that connects the Americas, home to the civilizations of interest to me.
All stationary portals to the realm of magic, currently inactive, were identified and marked, with several hidden chambers unearthed and opened, revealing intriguing artifacts that predated the Aztec and Mayan empires by over six millennia. It appeared that these were remnants of a related and ancestral civilization, the progenitor of the well-known Indian cultures I had become fascinated with, namely the Aztecs and Mayans.
The magical objects I discovered were evidently the products of apostolic and priestly magic, still imbued with divine power.. There were five artefacts in total. One of them was a ritual bowl, which imposed stasis upon whatever was placed within it. The other artefact was a razor-sharp dagger crafted from volcanic glass, which, thanks to its magical properties, was as durable as steel and remained sharp indefinitely. Moreover, this dagger was imbued with a curse that caused any wound inflicted by it to bleed profusely. I surmise that this weapon was previously used for sacrificial purposes, as it still carried the odour of death, agony, and suffering.
Two more artefacts were golden arm bracelets, which conferred upon the wearer increased strength and agility. The wearer's strength was augmented fivefold, while their agility was enhanced to the same degree. The final artefact I discovered was the most intriguing. It took the form of a medallion adorned with an image of a serpent intertwining with the sun, crafted in the traditional Indian style. This medallion was designed to harmonize with the egregore of the deity it was dedicated to. Evidently, it belonged to a high priest who, through the use of this talisman, served as a conduit between the divine realm inhabited by the deity and the mortal realm of Earth.
These were mere curiosities, of no use to me. However, I recalled the essence and aroma of the divine essence that had contributed to their creation, belonging to a deity with a serpentine nature, most likely Sholotl, the twin sibling of the feathered serpent, the priest.
Now, I merely needed to recover from the events that had befallen me before embarking on another journey. I had devised a weave capable of powering the portals using my ba-hyon instead of prana.
In England, chaos continues to reign. The local Bohemond remains shaken by Phineas' sudden appearance. With Albus, Tom, and Black as the three dominant factions in politics, there is a balance in terms of strength, resources, and seats in the House of Lords, disregarding the most significant units.
I maintained a careful balance, advising the neutrals to refrain from escalating the situation, instead remaining passive observers, as they had been previously, avoiding direct confrontation with Tom and Albus.
Speaking of Gonta, after his spectacular defeat at the hands of Lord Black, he retreated into a state of quiet contemplation for a full month, nursing his wounds. His first public appearance was at Lord Malfoy's lavish Christmas ball, where he caused a commotion. The night following the event, when all invited guests had departed and only Marvolo's bonded slaves remained in the manor, Gonta unleashed his fury upon Lord Lestrange, Travis, and Malfoy, leaving them in a state of severe distress. They were forced to undergo a month-long period of rehabilitation under the care of healers, struggling to regain their mobility.
The effects of the cruciatus curse were profound, affecting not only their physical bodies but also their souls. The curse's impact on the victim's mind is profound, sending signals of unbearable agony not only to their bodies but also to their sixth layer of soul. Even after a month of intensive treatment, they were unable to fully recover their previous levels of mental and physical functioning.
All three of them experienced a delayed reaction after such an ordeal. Gont, in particular, was in a state of frenzy that night, and it required a great effort on his part to restrain himself from taking the lives of his slaves. This was due to the fact that during his period of seclusion, the fool had created yet another horcrux, bringing the total to five.
The first horcrux was his school diary. The second was a stiletto that he had found somewhere, once belonging to Salazar, crafted from goblin steel imbued with basilisk venom. The third horcrux was encased within an artifact created by Vlad Tepes. The fourth horcrux resided in the form of a magical serpent that inhabited the Gaunt manor. Finally, the fifth horcrux had been concealed within his own wand.. And if we disregard the barbarism of such a ritualistic method of separating fragments of spiritual shells from oneself, by entrusting a part of one's own "soul" to one's wand, one gains an even stronger bond with it, rendering the instrument virtually indestructible. Since the spiritual connection is bidirectional, one also gains enhanced abilities in non-verbal and wandless magic.
At the moment of magical action, Gonta's aura resembled the essence and functions of his wand, mirroring its movements. Thus, Marvolo was able to perform a bit more wandless magic, surprising even Albus with his abilities. In this reality, Dumbledore did not obtain the Elder Wand as there was no confrontation with Gellert. Once Jaromir and his men, having defeated the fascist cube and capturing Grindelwald, acquired the wand, it immediately fell into my hands and then into those of Iolanthe, its rightful owner.. The resurrection stone, which had been transferred to the Mrax family in this reality, and which, upon the dissolution of the clan, along with all assets listed in Gringotts' balance sheet, had been assigned to the Slytherin family's account, was discovered in my personal safe. Naturally, upon discovering it, I promptly removed the stone and dispatched it to one of my vassals.
The Invisibility Cloak, the third of the Deathly Hallows, remains in the possession of the Potter family, which now finds itself firmly in the position of neutrality. Lord Flimont Potter, a man not particularly enamored with either Albus's political leanings or the Gaunts' vision for the world order, had until recently maintained a distinct aloofness from active political engagement.
It was a common practice for families whose primary income stemmed from the creation of magical artifacts, with the Potter lineage standing as the sole hereditary dynasty in this specialized field in England, to maintain a stance of non-involvement in political affairs. After all, it is challenging to pursue one's craft when aligned with a particular faction, and it often proves more advantageous to offer one's services to both sides of a conflict. In essence, they resembled healers, remaining unaligned in the midst of the strife.. They also had a code of corporate ethics, and should a clan attack an artefactor without a just cause, such as a blood feud, that clan would be forever barred from purchasing serious artefacts from any source.
However, Albus paid no heed to this unspoken regulation, and Tom ceased to care about the matter entirely. Thus, when Flimont came under pressure from the Ministry and his business operations were hindered by Albus's actions, and when the atrocities committed by Marvolo against his allies came to light, it was foolish for Lord Potter to align himself with the neutrals.
Moreover, the fact that Phineas Black was one of their leaders, and that Doreah Black, Flimont's spouse, was his sister-in-law, played a significant role in this decision.
Following the establishment of a delicate balance among the three factions, with the moderates aligning with the conservative traditionalists and the reformists advocating for change, the House of Lords has reached a state of stagnation, with no legislation having been enacted. Neither party has amassed the necessary support to successfully pass the proposed legislation they have put forth.
In the past, either the radicals under Tom or the reformers under Albus had managed to sway some moderates in their favor through either bribery or through the use of coercive tactics such as blackmail or threats. However, with the decline of the moderates, there are no longer any independent voices left. They have already chosen their sides, and it is no longer feasible to exert pressure on them as before. In the current climate, with Nigelus's shadow looming large, there are few individuals who would be foolish enough to be intimidated or coerced into supporting either side.
It was too late for me to realise that Phineas, eager to fulfil my request to recruit as many competent mages as possible for the Neutral side, had already done so. This was the root cause of the current situation. I was now left wondering how events in England would unfold.
As I recalled from the original timeline of the canon, Tom resorted to terror after his legislative efforts were thwarted by Albus. By that time, Albus had unquestioned authority and imposed his decisions on the House of Lords and judgments on the Wizengamot. However, here, neither Tom nor Albus believed they could find a compromise with the neutrals. Neither did I know if Henry Greengrass or Phineas would cooperate with them.
Judging by the state of Gaunt's soul at present, it appears that he has but a brief window of time remaining before his sensuous spirit, corrupted by dark rituals, will overcome his rationality, leading to his demise as his bloodlust runs rampant. Nonetheless, the life of a chimaera, as a demonologist and necromancer, is a thrilling one.
As the political machinations unfolded in the grand chambers with lofty ceilings, where intellects grappled with the intricacies of existence and purpose, I found myself engaged in the task of imparting knowledge to Bellatrix and Sylvia, while remaining vigilant of the charged atmosphere in the halls of the House of Lords and Wizengamot.
In addition to the Hogwarts curriculum, which my brilliant and beautiful students had already mastered at the sophomore level prior to entering the school, they had also acquired the ability known as true sight among mages, which is the ability to perceive magical flows and manifestations. Furthermore, they had learned how to manipulate mana without the use of concentrators or other auxiliary tools, relying solely on their will and mental effort.
Thanks to their dedication and hard work, they were now capable of casting simple spells without the need for concentrators, such as levitation, summoning light, fire and water. They had also mastered the Finite spell and were able to cast conditional combat spells such as paralysis, sleep, stunning, and air fist. The latter was particularly powerful, capable of inflicting severe damage, even breaking through an oak door with a single blow. Such a strike against an unprotected target would result in internal bleeding and multiple bone fractures.. Only after they had thoroughly mastered the essential components of a travelling kit for a young sorcerer embarking on a journey into the vast world, did I commence imparting to them more specialized and advanced incantations such as the repose of the undead, the banishment of spectral entities, and the destruction of malevolent spirits, including those capable of causing harm to infernal beings and dark entities.
For any length of time, I instruct them in these arts, and under the current legal framework of England, I risk imprisonment in Azkaban. Once the young ladies have mastered these skills, they too share the same fate.
The training of my pupils has been a delightful and unadulterated experience for me as a teacher. They are exceptionally diligent and industrious young ladies, and if one were not privy to their minds, one might assume they were reincarnations of Korean descent. I had not anticipated such unwavering dedication to acquiring new knowledge and an obsessive pursuit of personal growth. They were already proficient in the art of mentalism and possessed weak mental shields. It transpired that they had been subjected to occlumency training since the age of seven, which had structured and organised their minds. Of course, there were areas for improvement, but considering their age, their accomplishments were nothing short of remarkable.. As the sorcerer responsible for their comprehensive development, I began to impart a comprehensive array of knowledge on various schools of magic into their minds. These schools will be accessible to them once they have attained the necessary strength to master the spells contained within. This knowledge is currently stored in their subconscious layers.
In the event of my disappearance, along with all my clones, I have ensured that their progress will not stagnate. They will have ample opportunities to practice and learn, thanks to the extensive resources at their disposal.
Furthermore, I have taken measures to safeguard their most vulnerable points. Each of my students now possesses a set of artifact-based protection tools. These artifacts, although unable to fully shield them from all threats, provide a degree of protection sufficient to withstand an initial assault from a powerful archmage. In the event of such an attack, a portkey will activate, transporting them to a safe haven within my domain — the Island.
My domain, nestled within the vast expanse of the chaotic abyss, gradually evolved into a fully-fledged realm. The island, once an enigmatic entity orbiting my subterranean realm like a satellite, has transformed into more than just a sliver of space, granting me access to both the actual island and a portion of the seabed.
The island now encompasses an oceanic expanse slightly smaller than the continent of Africa, spanning a total area of 25 million square kilometers. Within this vast watery realm, my island stands out as the most prominent landmass, surpassing the size of even Madagascar. However, it is not the sole inhabitant of this watery expanse. Three other archipelagos now populate this domain, each with their own unique characteristics and dimensions.
Zakhar did not squander his time away, but rather invested all his energy into self-improvement, which entails the expansion of his domain world and his physical body. We were fortunate to have crossed paths. I have found in him a most loyal companion and ally, unparalleled in reliability. He could never plot against me, for he is as much a part of me as the domain world he has embraced as his new body is a part of mine.
By the way, that rascal has even managed to reach Hogwarts, which, although not yet a satellite of my realm, already has a connection to it no less strong than to Earth. The realm of magic resists the assimilation of such a vast and valuable piece of information — the mental matrix of the world — but water sharpens stones. Thus, Zakhar is steadily but surely forging ties with the wellspring of magic upon which the castle rests.. As for the other spatial gaps that have been removed from the Earthly realm, such as the island and my temporary residence in the territory of former Siberia, with a vast expanse of impassable taiga, these have virtually merged with the stony sphere of the erstwhile city of Stlloshkh. It is difficult to imagine how this process will unfold and what the outcome will be. This is not within my sphere of expertise, and the intricate mechanisms of the cosmos are involved in assimilating the larger into the smaller. I am referring to the convergence of spaces, yet I anticipate that at the conclusion of this process, if not an entire planet, at least a planetary body will be at my disposal.
Of course, this endeavour will require no less than a millennium, although again, I am gauging by the rate at which spatial energy is generated and transformed by the snake-tree, a substance that Zakhar later employs in his endeavours and, through its use, expands his territory of control.. However, it has already undergone three significant leaps in terms of its self-generated power during its existence, making it challenging to predict its timing.
When this occurs, and I am in possession of my own realm, not merely a domain, I will need to significantly enhance both my strength and quality. Let us wait and see! My curiosity is piqued about the capabilities I will possess thereafter.