**UNDERSTREETS PART XVIII - LEVENDUSKY'S TREATISE ON MAGIC**

While the crew unloaded the cargo from the *Marauder,* Hunter led the party to his cabin and called for Mr. Elias and Sara to join them there. Soon, all were assembled at the table and introductions were made.

"Excellent work during the battle, Matthew," said the captain. "It's a miracle the ship survived."

"It was a close thing, sir," Matt agreed.

"All right, Roger, here is the truth as I understand it," said Hunter. "The enemy of old has risen once again. They threaten both the Ragged Alliance as well as the Shattered Lands. We have no armies left with the strength to oppose them."

"You are talking about the Covenant," said Roger. "Aren't you?"

"Yes, I'm afraid I am," nodded Hunter.

"Why am I here?" asked Roger.

"Just before the fall, there was talk of a new weapon the Alliance had developed. It was called Project Peacekeeper. Have you ever heard of it?"

"No, never," replied Roger. "What is it?"

"It is an army of six meter tall robotic warriors called mechs, hidden below ground all over the old Alliance territories."

"By the gods, you are talking about the legend of the Adam Corps," said Roger slowly.

"You *have* heard of it then?"

"Only bed time stories about a sleeping army that would one day awaken and rise to save the Alliance. I thought it was a fairytale, to be honest," Roger replied.

"Trust me, they do exist," Nathan said.

"Very well," said Roger, noting the look on Nathan's face. "Please, go on."

"Our hope is to get the Canyon Dam back in operation to provide power to the underground base that can activate them. What was the status of the dam and power station last you saw it?"

"The dam as well as the power station were both fully capable of functioning normally once we completed restoration," answered Roger.

A sigh of relief was heard around the table, Hunter sensed something was amiss, however.

"But?" He asked.

"The river bed was blocked by avalanches and created a new lake further upstream. The river has completely changed course. The level of the lake at the dam site is no longer high enough to feed the intake towers," explained Roger.

"Can we set the river back in its original course?" asked Hunter.

"With enough firepower, maybe. My apologies, I should have outlined the challenges sooner. I just presumed you were aware," Roger said. "Of course, an earth mage could do the job, but they would almost certainly need to be an elemental prime to move so much debris."

"An elemental prime?" asked Sara.

"Yes, it's all in *Levendusky's Treatise on Magic,* I'm afraid I don't have a copy with me. It's probably not well-known outside academic circles."

"So, you've read it then?" asked Sara, growing excited.

"Of course, magic is a bit of a hobby of mine," Roger smiled.

"Tell me all you remember about it!" she exclaimed. "Please!"

"Well, Abraham Levendusky was a scientist and scholar back at the very height of human technological achievement. He studied some of the very first people to acquire elemental powers, though he never explored the other realms of magic.

He postulated that magic exists because of a mutation in the human genome. Whether this was a result of intentional manipulation or a natural process, he could not say. The various mutations result in different types of affinities, which are the source of magic.

In the case of elementals, it enables people with the mutation to become attuned to the natural resonance of a specific elemental plane. They don't necessarily gain control over it, but they can certainly draw upon it and manifest it in a wide variety of ways.

His early experiments predicted, and later confirmed the existence of the four elemental primes. The number remains constant, to maintain the balance. If one dies, another of the same affinity replaces them. They are the most powerful, though there are many with lesser or fewer powers as well," said Roger.

"What do you mean by lesser or fewer?" asked Sara.

"For example, someone attuned to the plane of air might be able to call forth a light rain shower, but nothing more, being a lesser power. Someone else attuned might be able to summon a storm, but lack any of the other powers of a prime, so fewer powers."

"I see," said Sara softly.

"Primes can build or bring down mountains, call forth raging lightning storms, conjure devastating whirlwinds of fire and drain or flood the lands. All depending on their elemental affinity, of course."

"How interesting," commented Eleanor, looking at Sara.

"Here's where it gets *really* interesting! According to Levendusky, a prime's power is permanently enhanced through a shared resonance if they come into physical contact with *another* prime, at which point they both ascend to a higher level of power. If they meet another it's possible, though not yet proven, there might be a second ascension. Perhaps even a third if they meet the final prime."

"Has that ever happened?" asked Hunter.

"According to what Levendusky reported, he managed to find just two primes during his lifetime, what little information has been passed down to us regarding ascension comes from that single experience. Only the gods know what the four together might be capable of," Roger replied.

"No wonder the Covenant fears them," said Nathan.

"I fear them as well," said Matt.

"To bed, everyone, We have a long day tomorrow," said the captain without warning or preamble. "Roger, if you would be kind enough to supervise installation of the equipment we picked up at the Trade Depot in the morning, I would be most grateful. Mr. Elias will show you to your room."

"Of course, captain," Roger said. "Good night everyone."

Sara sat staring and unmoving as Hunter walked Matthew and Roger to the door. Nathan stood, but made no motion to leave. As the door swung shut, Eleanor went to Sara's side and put an arm around her trembling form.

"Sara, dear?"

Sara's tear-filled eyes met Eleanor's, but she said nothing. Hunter took the seat next to his sister and  whispered softly to her.

"Sara?"

Her head turned, but she seemed to look through him instead of at him.

"Sara?" he repeated.

Her eyes focused and she finally reacted.

"What am I?" she asked as fresh tears rolled down her face.

"You are my dear, sweet sister," he said gently. "And I love you *very* much."

"What *am* I?" whispered Sara.

"You are my dear friend, and I love you, Sara," said Eleanor.

Nathan leaned across the table to grasp Sara's arm in his hand, and squeezed softly.

"We *all* love you, Sara," he said. "We are here for you."

At the sound of his voice, her head shot up and her eyes locked on him.

"Tempest must be a prime as well!"

"Yes," he agreed.