"I see. War might be limited by interworld travel, and I am not entirely sure who would have the advantage. Your magic is versatile, but I would guess that we can win any battle of attrition."

"I would agree, based on what I've seen of your abilities. If the rest of your people have even a quarter of your ability, they would win.

 "But I would much rather it not come to that," he adds. "Truth be told I expect they will resort to assassination rather than open war. It would mean killing myself and all of the current royals barring Sais and Reni - the youger of the king's siblings - but if it could be made to look like the work of the Imperials, or worse, of your people..." 

"Oh, I am waaay above my peers in raw power, actually. But I too don't want to get to that point of stealth assassinations either. Side-question: How would the church feel about the already-born shifting people that came to live here in the world where water is safe?"

Way more powerful, is he? Well, that's probably good for Jaim's sanity, at least. 

"They do their best to convert the refugees that stay within Cialin. I'm not entirely sure how they would react to so many people who could shift their forms. Though," he adds, "They wouldn't necessarily have to bother with the church very much. If your people settled in new locations... Cialin is very large, and a vast amount of our land is unsettled." 

"Shapes can survive or are comfortable in different conditions, I bet that the fact that most people can fly would make some terrains more practical to live in. I wonder if the floating islands could be moved here."

He leans forward, "Floating islands?" He asks. It sounds like something that could be done in the same way as Sanctuary - massive mana machines - but he's curious how Zephyrinus' magic could manage it, given what he's said. 

"Yes. That's not a phenomenon that happens here?"

"No," he says, smiling, "All our land is on the ground, so far as I know. I'm sure it could have been done, pre-seal, and we will likely be able to manage it again someday, once we finish deciphering the runic alphabet. But I've never heard of anything like it." 

"Huh, with some luck, I can get the power to do that. Or at least the power to make ice that doesn't melt and floats. And I know other people that can do similar effects."

He hums, "If we want any effect to be permanent, we have to enchant it with runescript," he says, "And recharge it whenever it runs out of mana." He tugs at his shirt, showing how the runes on it are glowing much less than they were when he charged them that morning. 

"Great mana machines are constantly powered by wellsprings - fountains of mana, where the veins within the planet rise to the surface," he adds. 

"Huh, and anyone can use that mana?"

"You can't use it directly - trying to channel it yourself will almost certainly kill you. Most substances will burn away to nothing if you attempt to channel a vein through them, as well.

"But adamantium can hold it - the substance that is left behind after the first time a rune loses charge. A material which can hold and channel immense amounts of mana. Most of the ancient ruins are filled with it, but we only have some idea how to work it, now. It doesn't melt at any temperature we can reach - it needs to be completely filled with mana before it becomes malleable." 

"Huh, I wonder how does it react to infusion and magic that manipulates metal directly."

"We could test it?" Jaim offers, motioning at his shirt again, "These should go out any minute now," he adds, tugging at the ones on his shoulders. They are very dim. 

"Sure, assuming you think it's safe. I guess we should check if my artifact wings also work for you, but I would guess not."

He means to ask why it wouldn't be safe, but is distracted by the offer to try the wings. 

"What determines whether they work?" He asks, eyeing them with careful enthusiasm. He can fly, with the Nomad's help, for a little while, but there's something about the thought of having wings...

"They draw some of my kind of magic from the person as a fuel, and they tend to be unresponsive to beings without shifting - usually people piloting power-created bodies. I don't know if your mana could work as a replacement or if it will respond to you even if it needs me to periodically recharge it."

"Is there any harm in trying?" He asks, reluctantly responsible. 

"When it draws magic from you it hurts, but that sounds like a feature of my kind of magic than yours. And the wings tend to only sting unless you have been using them non-stop for a long time. I can fully charge them up. And make spare wings in case something does goes wrong."

He can handle pain for this - he's taken a lot more than this sounds like for less reason before. 

"I'd like to try," he says. 

Chuckle. "Alright, let us finish here and then I will create two or three wing pairs to play with."

Oh yeah, they were eating, weren't they. He goes back to doing that - not wolfing down his food or anything, but he's eating noticeably quickly. 

"And do you want to try manipulating the adamantium, as well?" He remembers to ask, in between bites. 

"If you think it's safe. I will take a stab at it."

"I would assume that if it doesn't work it just... won't be moved." He shrugs, "It doesn't fight back, if you try to affect it." 

"Okay. I will try. We probably should figure out other cross magic tests while we are at it."