MageLife (30 page)

Sophia and Airis were stood clapping and hooting at my little show.

I let the elements go back to their respective circles.

Then I bowed.

“Thank you both. That is the lecture section of this class done. This is your assignment. Pick a concept, and explore it. Words associated with it. Thoughts that come to you in connection to it. But a word of caution, don't pick an abstract. Things like love or trust or honour. Pick something solid, found in nature. The abstracts are a long way off.”

I walked over to the glyph screen.

“I will guide you just this once, what is your choice?” I said.

“Damage,” Sophia said.

Airis nodded, his eyes locked on me with a fascination I didn't understand. He couldn't use this.

“Alright, damage it is,” I wrote damage in large glyphs in the centre of the screen. “This is the exercise, think of words that spring to mind.”

“Break,” Sophia said.

“Fracture,” Airis offered.

I wrote these on the screen too. They took it in turns throwing a word out. The web of connected words grew.

“Feelings?” I asked. “At the moment this is just a mess of words. You have to own it. You do that by attaching emotion, memories. Anything that helps you get a deeper, a more personal, image of the concept.”

And so it went like this for about half an hour. I stepped away from the screen and faced them.

“Do you both have your screens?” they nodded. “Good, copy what is up her onto them. This isn’t enough. Each thought. Each idea. Each feeling. Needs to be your own. This is how concepts are built. This is how they are yours. Over the next few months I will teach you how to put them in a shape that you can recall, like this,” I gestured to the screen, “But in your head. It takes time and effort, but you can't be a mage without them. The dreamers can get by on feel, they don't need to know all the mechanics of it, but you need to understand exactly what you are doing. One day all this will come naturally as you internalise. The levels of versatility and power you will be dealing with deserve nothing less than your utmost,” I said gravely. I fixed my gaze on Sophia.

She looked back, daunted but resolved. Her face was pale but her jaw was firm her eyes focused.

“Thank you both for your time. Anyone ready for lunch?”

Chapter 29

We went down to the meal hall, I hadn't used it much as an aspirant I’d spent most of my time in my cell, but it was a large room filled with benches and tables there were a few mages and their students scattered about. Lunch was a short but satisfying meal, Sophia and Airis were quiet as if they had much on their minds, a few times Sophia opened her mouth as if to speak then closed it again with a thoughtful expression.

“Say it,” I said to her.

“Say what?” she asked.

“Whatever is on your mind, I've been watching you.”

She blushed at that, then asked, “Where was Lyphia when I woke up?”

I looked at her, she looked back innocently, her green eyes bright. A faint smile, very faint. I could be imagining it, but no. There it was a glimmer of mischief in her eyes.

“You already know,” I said, I could feel my face burning.

“Does that mean we get to keep her?” Sophia said, fighting her laughter down.

I had no words.

Sophia erupted in peals of laughter. Even Airis was smiling.

“Right, this is serious. I don't want you to be teasing Lyphia about this, I really like her,” I said fiercely.

“Calm down Tristan, we would never…”  Sophia trailed off, lost for words.

I thought about my reaction for a moment. It was slightly overblown and aggressive.

“I’m sorry, that came out wrong. I would prefer if you didn't tease Lyphia about our relationship, it’s new,” I said apologetically.

“Don't worry Tristan. We won't say anything, we want you to be happy,” Airis said.

“Yep, didn't mean to upset you,” Sophia said. She was nodding as she spoke.

“Good then, if everyone is done... let’s find Jase.”

I had no idea where to find Jase. It had been a day or so since we had gotten back from wherever we had been, he should be all better now, we mages heal quickly. I took a wild guess, which was his lab. It turned out he wasn't there, but I needed to have a good look around to make sure. As we were poking around the scattered debris of collected junk that collects in a mage's workroom, something moved.

I pulled power into my hand, and called out, “Sophia Airis, get in the centre of the room.”

I was on high alert, tension thrummed through my body as I scanned the room. My eyes were wide, looking for anything, movement.

I activated my reading, light almost blinded me.

Note to self, don't use very sensitive magical sight in a Mage's work room, I thought.

Chunks of threads bound into enchantments blazed in every corner of the room. The natural flows of energy were distorted, drained into too many devices to count. But there, in one pile was something that moved.

I readied my mind for some high level magic, for me at least. A binding.

The thing moved, how I don't know, now that I got a good look at it as it emerged from the piles of junk.

It was a book, large and square. Thick, it had chains wrapped around it that bound it shut. It fought against its captivity. In snarling savage movements.

“Don't move kids,” I called.

I sent a stream of power, water based, at it. Drowning it is raw magics.

Its movement slowed but didn't stop.

“Release me,” it whined.

It talks, oh my, will the wonders never cease.

I stood stunned in open mouthed shock for a moment

“Why are you bound?” I asked warily.

“Tis my nature to test all who seek knowledge, I bite. That boy, Jase Aleres, bound me. He has not renewed the binding. I seek a new student,” it said, in a dry rustle of pages.

I looked from the book to Sophia and Airis, Airis had shifted to his stone form and was standing over Sophia shielding her from all harm.

“Are you dangerous unbound? If you are I will bind you here and now,” I asked resolutely. I couldn't have a biting book near my students, but the temptation of knowledge was strong.

“No, I merely test. I swear I will do no harm to you and yours,” it said, I could see an eye shape embossed on its front cover, part of the pattern.

I wavered for a moment before deciding to trust my sight, there was a wavering in the magic as it swore its oath.

I relaxed my hold on my power.

“We will take you from here, but I make no promises beyond that.”

That is better than I would get from anyone else, I thank you.”

“Airis, could you pick up the book please,” I instructed.

The grinding sound as Airis shifted from his golem body came from behind me. The now boy walked over to the book, shot a nervous glance at me.

I nodded.

He picked up the book and tucked it under his arm.

“If we are don't here we still need to find Jase, I need to make sure he is well.”

“The boy is damaged?” the book asked.

“He was he should be fine now, but he isn't here. So we should ask at the reception. I forgot my mirror and I don't have my pendant anymore,” I said. I found myself scowling and scratching at my chest as I recalled the events around my pendant.

“Aww, it’s a talking book,” Sophia said. She walked forward to touch it.

“Don't,” I barked.

She looked at me suddenly frozen in mid movement.

“We don't know its requirements for a student yet, we should be wary,” I said in what I hoped was a reasonable tone.

“Oh, but look at it, that can’t be comfortable. It’s got chains on it,” she said, her hand inching forwards again.

I could feel a headache growing behind my eye, a Sophia shaped headache.

“Just listen to me, don’t touch the book,” I said sternly.

“Tristan, it’s a book. What could it possibly do?” she said. Her eyes were telling me I was being stupid.

“Let’s not find out. Just listen and do as you’re told. You don't know the dangers of a Mage's work room, Jase’s worst of all. It’s a bloody mess in here. He should know the risks of that.”

“I did warn him,” the book offered.

“Great, can we go find him now please,” I asked, no I pleaded. A tinge of desperation coloured my voice.

“Yep let’s go find Jase,” Sophia said, she ran to the door. Where did she get the energy? I asked myself.

I followed her, Airis coming up behind.

The reception desk held a receptionist that I had never seen before, a young woman, blond. Immaculately well dressed in a uniform that echoed but didn't imitate the mage uniforms. She had purple eyes which intrigued me. I’d heard of them but never seen any.

“I’m sorry sir, I can’t give that information out,” she said apologetically. “I can leave a message for you though.”

She had repeated this several times.

I was gritting my teeth in frustration, also trying not to shout at the poor girl.

Sophia was giggling.

“Sophia do not poke the book,” I said without looking behind me, I knew she would be.

“I’m not,” she said.

“She is,” Airis informed me.

“Airis no one likes a tattle tale,” I said. “Stop gloating Sophia. Now miss, I'm really sorry about this but I need to see him urgently.”

“Sir you have told me this, I can’t give you the information.” the receptionist said.

“Fine, put me through to Orb,” I said with a grimace. Just asking for Orb left a bitter taste in my mouth.

“Which Orb?”

I looked at her a moment, she looked serious. More than one Orb? I asked myself.

“The local Orb, I don't know any other designation. Does it have a name?”

“Yes, the Westhaven Orb, not a real name but its designation, sir.” She tapped at her screen.

“Tristan, what’s the problem?” Orb said, his voice coming from the desk the receptionist was sat behind.

“Hi Orb,” Sophia said, she even waved.

“Where is Jase?” I asked shortly.

“Where he should be, resting. In his quarters,” Orb said.

“You heard that, Orb has now given me the information, now give me a wisp to take me there,” I said.

A look of indecision crossed her face, she looked between me and the screen on her desk, her fingers hovered for a moment over the display, I knew all she had to do was push a glyph and a wisp would appear.

“It’s fine, please give Tristan what he asks for,” Orb said. “Tristan could you call in to headquarters when you are available, I know you have been granted a short leave, considering the trials you have been through, but we could do with your help.” There was a far more mortal quality to Orb’s voice when it was acting outside of his official capacity.

“I will think about it,” I said,

“That is all I can ask, for what it’s worth, I'm sorry I put you in the position I did. I had no control over it, but the words came from me.”

I stood, clenching and unclenching my fists as my chest heaved, and my breath grew ragged, memories of the choice that had been forced on me, burned through me.

“You asked, no, ordered me to give up on her, I can't forgive that so easily,” I forced out through gritted teeth.

“Of course, you can’t. I never expected you to. I apologised because it’s the right thing to do, and I would change what happened if I could.”

“Apology accepted, but this is not forgotten,” I said, for Sophia's sake.

“Thank you Tristan. Now I believe you were hunting master Jase, this young lady will help you now,” Orb said.

“There you go,” the receptionist said as she pushed the screen

A golden coloured wisp appeared to our left

Sophia ran after the wisp, Airis looked at me then took off after her too.

I nodded to the receptionist, then followed the children.

I hesitated outside Jase’s door, my hand raised to knock. Thoughts of what I could say to him ran through my mind. Many possible conversations that needed to be had. I stood frozen.

“Tristan, knock already, I want to see Jase,” Sophia whined.

I turned my head and looked at her.

She smiled and made a knocking gesture.

I couldn't help but smile back, the other stuff could wait.

I knocked.

“Don't just stand there boy, walk in.” the book thing said. “What are you waiting for? An invitation. Show some spine. Heh.”

I cast my gaze over the book that was tightly held under Airis arm.

“Oh shut up. You have no understanding of what’s happened. How is it talking?”

“I don't know. I'm holding it as tightly as I can,” Airis said.

“I don't talk with my cover, that's for biting,” the book said. It ruffled its pages with menace.

Menace? How the hell does a book do anything with menace? It’s a book for Star’s sake.

I was saved from having to deal with it.

“Come in,” Jase called through the door.

“I told you to walk in,” the book said.

I ignored it and opened the door.

Jase’s apartment was identical to mine, although in greens rather than blues. Gentle greens, the carpet was like moss, even the wooden furniture had a green tint. Jase was seated in a deep arm chair in the far corner. His familiar smile was gone, replaced by deep lines. His eye were bright with magic, not with emotion. He looked a shadow of his former self, almost grey with fatigue.  No signs of his injuries remained whether that was from his own healing or a healer I didn't know.

“Come on,” Jase called. His voice wavered, he sounded like an old man.

I led my little group over to Jase.

“Take a seat. What brings you to me today?”

“Well, for one I wanted to see how you were? You were in a bad way when I last saw you?” I said.

Jase spread his arms, a small but false smile plastered onto his face.

Sophia jumped off the sofa, then ran into Jase’s arms. She snuggled into him.

Jase wrapped his arms around her. He lowered his head and murmured to her.

I couldn't hear what they were saying but I could see a tension melt out of Jase.