Millennial Mage

Tala trekked a circle through the light dusting of snow around the isolated wagons, anchored for a night in the wilds.

Terry was nowhere to be seen and didn’t come when she called to him.

She almost tossed out a bit of jerky, but since he hadn’t responded to her calls and wasn’t coming to her as she held the bit of meat, she was fairly certain he wasn’t watching.

For a brief moment, as she stared towards the forest in the distance, she thought her mage-sight highlighted several humanoid shapes, moving just inside the treeline. Holly’s enhancement of my mage-sight gave it quite a bit longer range…

It was hard to tell, though, because of the sheer scale of the distant forest. If the shapes had been human in size, then those trees easily matched the descriptions she’d earlier doubted. Almost a thousand feet tall… True, if the creatures were a bit smaller than human, while being humanoid in shape, the comparative height would be lower, but even so, they were monumentally massive trees.

In reviewing the memory of seeing the figures, she decided that she hadn’t been deluding herself; the creatures had been there. That said, they weren’t human, as they’d lacked gates.

Additionally, they were solidly below the Archon range of power. So, not arcanes either.

Arcanous humanoids? She knew there were quite a few beasts and monsters that appeared human-like, at least at a distance, and many were known denizens of the great southern forest. That’s probably what I saw. She would probably have to help safeguard the caravan from many of those in the coming days.

She found herself fixating on the distant trees, trying to see more creatures within their depths. The recent, unremembered encounter with the arcane was making her jumpy.

She shook her head. I don’t need to sleep more, tonight. So, she started her day.

She didn’t speak to Xeel as she climbed back up on the cargo-wagon, charging each of the cargo-slots in turn.

That done, she dropped down, slamming into the earth and sending up a puff of powder that had somehow avoided being trampled into ice. Snow’s dry here.

With no one to gawk- except Xeel. But he didn’t really count -Tala moved through her physical exercises, working up a sweat with the complexity and difficulty, despite the well-below-freezing air. As usual, balancing and the maintenance of proper form were often the hardest parts of the more advanced movements.

She mentally thanked the Wainwrights for having isolated the cargo-slots when she did her jumps. Try as she might, she couldn’t land lightly enough to prevent the wagons, tables, and benches from shaking.

Xeel regarded her with an odd look when she began that series, but quickly returned his attention to their surroundings.

Physical side complete, she moved through her magical, spiritual, and mental exercises. This included topping off all her magical items. Except Terry’s collar…I hope he’s alright. Thankfully, the collar was basically useless outside of the cities, and the ambient magic in the air was sufficient to keep it from becoming inert, while in the wilds.

Personal item recharging done, she retreated into her room within the cargo-slot, locked the door, stripped down, and opened Kit wide on her floor.

Bath time.

The dimensional storage had accommodatingly created a depression, which was perfectly sized and shaped for her to soak in. Her hot water incorporator would provide enough water. Luxury!

She easily connected four void-channels to the incorporator, causing water to jet out, splashing across much of Kit’s floor. Before Tala could temper the flow, the surface of the inset tub shifted, creating a modulated surface that somehow disrupted the incoming stream such that it didn’t splash or reflect out.

“Thank you, Kit.”

Kit did not respond.

With the modification, Tala risked connecting two more void-channels to the device, causing a marked increase to the rate, though not near the fifty percent she’d expect from a linear alteration of power. Don’t focus on the numbers, Tala.

The splashing water had reminded her how close to boiling the water really was, and so she pulled out her cold-water incorporator as well, moving two of the void-channels over.

With the added channels and second incorporator, the tub filled to a good level in no time, and Tala was soon lowering herself into the steaming bath. It was still far too close to boiling for most people, mainly because Kit’s boundaries didn’t seem to have any heat capacity or ability to absorb or impart thermal energy. Thus, the water could only cool by radiating heat up into the air.

The temperature would have been a problem without inscriptions, and even so, Tala had to be careful not to cook her brain. After cleansing herself, she let the heat work its way through her body, relaxing her muscles and helping them get the most from her workout and stretching. Finally, she could tell that the heat, even reduced, was getting to her, so she pulled out the cold-water incorporator again and lowered the temperature to a standard, more manageable level.

Huh… I wonder if using a dimensional storage, like Kit, for the oven box would allow for incorporator-based precision and baking? It was a thought.

As she lay there, she absentmindedly connected a void-channel to Kit, bringing the pouch’s reserves quickly back to full, restoring the little it had used reshaping for her bath. It would really be convenient to bond Kit… She’d told Elnea that she’d allow the Archon to watch that bonding, though. I could bond my elk-leathers… It just seemed too soon to bond something else. Grediv’s books still wouldn’t let her read any of them, and that implied that her soul was still settling after her step up, as Archon. Probably wisest to wait. She sighed in resignation.

Now that she’d refilled Kit, Tala played with the void-channels themselves.

In addition to the one already connected to her body, she forged one to Flow; while her body couldn’t handle the excess, her bond to Flow was still capable of growing stronger, so it accepted the extra power readily.

Relaxed and content, Tala modified the size of the channel leading to Flow. She’d fallen into a pattern of simply creating multiple channels if she needed more power, but that wasn’t really required. Because of her one-sided practice, it took more focus to create a void-channel with twice the throughput when compared to just creating two, but she did not want to make that worse by leaning on the crutch of her own making.

In seemingly no time at all, the water began to discorporate, leaving Tala dry and clean, though there was a bit of dirty remnant in the lowest portion of the basin.

She climbed out of Kit, combed through her hair and braided it, then dressed for the day.

She walked out into the common space only to find it still empty. It is still before dawn, and everyone’s taking advantage of Xeel’s presence.

Tala sighed. Great…

Not wanting to wake anyone, she went back outside. Blessedly, it seemed that it was close enough to morning that the cooks were beginning their work; the chuckwagon was alive with activity.

I should check in with them. I know that Brand spoke to the head chef on my behalf. What was her name again? Tala searched back through her memory. Amnin! That was it.

Tala walked up to the open side of the wagon, frowning. If they want to hide what’s inside, why have the side open so often… She shrugged. She’d connect with the Culinary Guild more closely in the future, but that wasn’t why she was here.

“Amnin, good morning!”

The woman leaned out from behind a set of shelves. “Mistress Tala?” She smiled. As she walked over, she gave varying instructions to the other cooks. Amnin then leaned on the counterlike portion of the opening in the wagon and looked slightly down at Tala. “Good morning. What can I do for you?”

“I noticed you all up, and thought I’d say hi.”

Amnin’s smile widened. “Feeling a bit better than yesterday, then?”

Tala hesitated. Than yesterday? Mistress Odera’s admonition came back to her. I guess I pushed those thoughts aside… Her countenance must have fallen a bit, because Amnin’s smile dimmed, just a bit.

“Oh, I’m sorry, Mistress. I didn’t mean to remind you of whatever is getting you down.”

Tala smiled and shrugged. “It’s fine, Amnin. I do need to think about it.”

The woman seemed to contemplate that briefly. “Wait there a moment.” She stepped deeper into the wagon, and Tala heard the clink of plates and the pouring of liquid, among the other noises of a highly active kitchen. The chef returned shortly, bearing a jug and a plate. “Coffee and sweet-knots.” She smiled. “These are from our test-batch. We’ve eaten what we need to, and more are in the ovens.”

Tala blinked up at the woman. “Why?”

Amnin smiled in return. “Pastries, coffee, and watching the sun rise over a beautiful landscape can help you work through all sorts of things.” She held out the plate.

Tala felt her eyes water, just slightly. She doesn’t even know me, and she’s being this kind. Tala nodded, took the offered items, and smiled. “Thank you. I’ll try that.”

“Good. I’d join you, but I have a couple hundred people to feed in just under two hours. We’ve a lot to do.”

“I’ll leave you to it, then…” Tala nodded to herself. “Thank you.”

“Go. Take some time to think.”

Tala turned and went to the eastern-most table, to face the east with her plate and jug as her only companions. She had to brush some new-fallen snow from the seat and tabletop, but it hadn’t been too much of an inconvenience. As she’d been about to sit on the bench, she remembered her weight. Thankfully.

She moved the bench aside, and pulled out her folding seat, letting out a sigh as she settled down. It really was comfortable.

I’m too in my head.

“Well, then, talk to yourself, Tala.”

She snorted a laugh at that. Yeah, and make myself look crazier.

“Which is more important, looking sane, or being sane.”

She hesitated at that. I am a bit…off.

“You think?”

Yes…actively.

“Don’t sass yourself. It isn’t useful.”

Fine…

“So…do I want to be alive?”

Pressure and tingling in her nose, along with a tightening of her throat were the only response she could muster.

As she looked out over the snow-dusted plains, she took a deep drink of dark coffee, and then a bite of one of the sweet-knots. The delicacy was light and fluffy, yet somehow sweet and robustly creamy. These are amazing.

“There is much to live for.”

She had to set the pastry to the side. Do I really want to live for passing pleasures? Tasty food? Beauty here and there?

She put her face into her hands and couldn’t answer. “What is the alternative?”

…gates prove there is another realm. Would death be so bad?

“Would it be better?”

I don’t know.

“So…why don’t I want to live?”

She took another bite and long drink. I’m unwanted. I’ve served my purpose.

“Oh?”

I was sacrificed to make my family’s prospects better, but I’m still around.

“You are hardly unique in that.”

She wiped her face, glaring into the distance. Just because others are suffering, possibly worse, doesn’t mean that I’m not suffering.

“That’s true.” Tala took a long breath, barely being able to utter the next words, “It’s okay to hurt.”

She bent over her food, then, weeping silently. There was a cathartic release in the act, and for what felt like the first time in years, she allowed herself to feel her deep-set ache, her almost crushing loneliness.

The issue wasn’t solved, not even close. She hadn’t even taken a single step towards true resolution, but she had finally actually looked at the wound within herself.

It was a start.

* * *

When the light of dawn finally began to highlight the distant horizon, Tala’s eyes were dry, her plate licked clean, and her jug of coffee empty.

She briefly placed the dishes into Kit, pulling them back out perfectly clean.

“Thank you, Kit.” I wonder where all the gunk goes… It was something worthy of investigation…later.

Kit did not respond.

She returned to the chuckwagon giving Amnin the earthenware. “Thank you, Amnin. I…I think I really needed that.”

The cook smiled towards the Mage. “Sometimes, the person we need to talk to most is ourself.” She looked at the plate and jug. “Oh! Thanks for giving them a once over.” She then bustled off, back to work.

Passengers and guards were beginning to emerge, and it was almost time for breakfast. Xeel had departed a bit ago, simply waving to her before he vanished.

“Terry? Are you back?”

Terry flickered into being on her shoulder, and she let out a sigh of relief.

“Are you ok?”

Terry nuzzled against the side of her face, then bobbed a nod.

“Anything I can do?”

He immediately opened his mouth wide, and she grinned.

“I can do that.” She got out a few chunks of jerky and tossed them.

Terry effortlessly acquired them with barely a flicker before curling up to seemingly sleep.

“Mistress Tala!”

Tala turned to see Rane approaching. “Good morning, Master Rane.”

“Do you want to get in a bout before breakfast?”

Tala opened her mouth to say no, then paused. “You know what? Yeah. I’ve been wanting to test out the sheath.”

Rane gave Flow a skeptical look. “Are you sure that will contain it?”

Tala thought for a moment, then glanced towards the chuckwagon. “Hey, Amnin!”

Amnin came to the opening. “Yes, Mistress Tala?”

“Would the caravan be very inconvenienced if I broke a table?”

The woman scratched her head. “Well, we have a few extra…you’d be charged, though.”

“That’s fine. Thank you!”

She turned back and saw Rane giving her an odd look.

“What?”

“You…asked?”

“Yeah?”

“That’s not really like you.”

She thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. “I’m trying to change.” Without another word, she walked over to one of the still unoccupied tables, off to one side. She took Flow from her belt, locking the sheath in place.

With two slightly larger than usual void-channels, she extended Flow and the sheath to sword size. Baby steps.

She used a quick motion to bring the sword down on the tabletop. Flow’s magic lashed out, bent by the protective device, and the force was distributed across the entirety of the table, driving the legs four inches into the crunching, frozen soil.

She turned to Rane, grinning. “Satisfied?”

He was nodding. “Yeah, that’s perfect.”

* * *

As it turned out, Tala hated the taste of snow somewhat less than that of sand. Not really surprising, I suppose.

Three quick bouts, sword on sword, hadn’t changed the outcome away from the expected. Terry watched from his perch on a nearby wagon.

Tala and Rane were squaring up for their fourth, when Rane cleared his throat. “Why aren’t you blocking?”

“Because I can’t block your strikes.”

“No. You couldn’t block them, but that was with a mundane weapon. What will Flow do?”

Force vs Flow, eh? That was a thought. But… will he break Flow? That was unlikely. Flow was soul-bound against Force, which was just magic-bound. That doesn’t make it inherently better, though. It would be a risk, either way. He said it couldn’t be stopped by a like powered opponent. That doesn’t mean that’s an absolute, and Flow should be more powerful…

“So… ready?”

Tala nodded, raising her blade into a hanging guard.

Rane fell into a high guard, a favorite of his, given his longer weapon. With a smooth forward step, he swept out, cutting towards her legs.

It was a laughably easy blow to parry. So, he’s as nervous as I am, it seems. Tala responded with a sweep of her own, and the blades met between the fighters.

A concussion of force radiated outward in a circle, clearing the ground of the light, dry snow and breaking the grass flat.

Force and Flow stopped in a low bind, neither Tala nor Rane negatively affected by the clash.

They both started laughing, smiles stretching across their faces. Tala felt a joy building within her. I can fight him on an equal footing now!

“Yes!” Rane was nodding. “Let’s go.”

The following exchange of blows was bliss to Tala. Everything she’d been learning came into play, as she fought more to perfect her own movements than against Rane as an opponent.

Each meeting of empowered weapons caused a harmless, soundless shockwave, which just served to energize them both.

It was still laughably obvious that Rane was the superior swordsman. While Tala’s quicker movements and stronger strikes made such a long exchange possible, only her increased weight and proper footwork kept her grounded enough to consistently clash with the much bigger man, wielding the heavier blade.

Rane, for his part, kept what amounted to a perfect defense against her. She knew there were flaws in his movements; she could even see some of them, but she didn’t have the skill to exploit them.

The engagement lasted a staggering thirty seconds of furious back and forth, before Tala’s errors compounded sufficiently for Rane to drive her into the ground once more.

She rolled to her feet, laughing, sword already raised defensively toward her sparring partner.

Rane had a massive grin across his face as well. “Again?”

“Again.”