Millennial Mage

Tala found herself a bit nervous as she approached the third tier, Makinaven, Constructionist Guildhall for the last time, at least this trip. She’d found what she hoped was a good whiskey the day before, shortly after purchasing the chocolates. So, she had both gifts ready to hand. I hope they’re well received.

She did not want to interact with a bunch of people. So, before she reached for the door handle, she spoke under her breath. This should trigger however he monitors the city. “Master Jevin’s aura is extended-”

“Mistress Tala?” Master Jevin’s voice sounded in her ear. “What are you doing? What are you doing here? We don’t have an appointment, do we?”

“No, I just wanted to stop by to say goodbye. I leave tomorrow.”

“Oh, sure. Come on back.”

The door opened in-front of her, and she walked through with a small smile. “Thank you.”

The standard scan and ding washed over her, but she ignored it. That does remind me, I need to refresh my iron salve before we leave, tomorrow.

Master Jevin only had to direct her once when she’d hesitated, unsure of which hallway to take.

She walked into his workshop and glanced back. “It feels like you change the path to get back here, every time I come. I’m usually very good at finding my way.”

“I have better uses of my time than ensuring I’m undisturbed by those who’ve visited in the past.” He gave her a mirth filled smile.

Something in his glance made her hesitate. After a moment, she started nodding. “By the stars, you do! You do rearrange the passages to get back here.”

He shrugged, dropping the pretense. “Only when necessary. Some people have no boundaries.” He lifted an eyebrow at her. “So, did you really just come by to say goodbye?”

She smiled in return, reaching into Kit. “That and to give you these.” She produced a small cask, and a wrapped box that looked miniscule beside the two-gallon mini-barrel. Tala set them on one of the central tables and stepped back. “Thank you for all your help and advice.”

Master Jevin walked forward, an unreadable look on his face as he examined the gifts.

“You said you liked caramel liqueur chocolates and full-bodied whiskey.” She gave an uncertain laugh. “It turns out that there are a lot of things that fall into those two categories, so I hope I choose well.”

He glanced her way. “You… bought me chocolate and alcohol?”

She frowned. “Well, I didn’t think of it in that way…”

“No. I…” He shook his head, waving off his own previous comment. “Thank you, Mistress. That was very kind.”

She shrugged. “You said you liked these, so.” She shrugged again.

Master Jevin seemed genuinely thrown.

“Are you alright?”

“I… Yes. I believe so.” He picked up the small barrel. “This is an excellent vintage.”

“Yeah, that’s what the master distiller said.” She smiled tentatively. “It’s an eight-year-old, smoked-maple bourbon.”

“That is a really excellent choice.”

Good. It certainly cost enough… Ten silver was five days of food money for her, now that Mistress Odera and the Caravan Guild were covering one meal a day.

He unwrapped the box of chocolates, looking inside.

Tala tsked. “I’m curious.”

“Hmm?” He looked up from the open box.

“Did you need to open it to see inside?”

“Oh, no. But it is nice to see with my eyes, rather than just my aura.”

She found herself nodding. “Yeah, I can understand that.”

Master Jevin capped the chocolates and regarded her, once again. “This is really too much, Mistress Tala.”

She waved that off. “It cost less than any number of things I’ve bought from you.”

“It’s not the cost, Mistress, it’s the thought.” He smiled, again. “Thank you, truly.”

“Well, you’re welcome.” Tala looked around a bit awkwardly. Okay…what now?

“Would you like a glass?”

She thought about it for a moment, then felt a smile tugging at her lips. “You know what? Yes. Thank you. I’d like that very much.”

Tala and Master Jevin spent the early afternoon sitting in his armchairs, sipping whiskey and talking of things of little note.

Finally, Master Jevin let out a long sigh. “I’m afraid I do have some work I simply must get done.” He stood, offering her a hand up.

She took it and stood. “Thank you, again, for all you’ve done for me.” She huffed a short laugh. “For all you’ve done for all of us.” Tala shook her head. “It sounds ridiculous.”

He shrugged. “Life is often a bit ridiculous. Thank you, for the gratitude.” He smiled. “Now be on your way.” His smile widened into a grin. “I hope to see you back here before too long.”

“Count on it.”

* * *

Tala stood at the top of Makinaven, on the platform on which she’d figured out she could fuse.

Terry stood beside her, just large enough for her to comfortably rest her right hand at the base of his neck, on his collar.

Rane was on her other side, arms crossed as he looked out at the surroundings. “This is magnificent!”

She looked his way, a self-satisfied smile unhidden on her lips. “Still think it was a waste of time to climb up here?”

“Absolutely not. I couldn’t have been more wrong. We should have come here earlier and often.”

Tala decided not to say anything further.

The gray light of pre-dawn was slowly coloring towards day. The day of their departure.

Tala found herself sad to be leaving. I’ve spent more time here than in Bandfast…

Still, Bandfast was a better base of operations for her current role, and she had a lot more work to be done before she could comfortably operate in these woods on a regular basis.

I have to go through them once more regardless. It had to be done, so she’d get it done.

She would try to avoid forest routes for a while.

Just until I get a bit stronger.

After another long moment, where they all enjoyed the world around them, Rane took in a deep breath and let it out in an audible sigh. “We should get going, if we’re going to get all the way down in time.”

Tala nodded. “Thank you for coming up here with me.”

“Happy to, Mistress.”

* * *

“Mistress Tala, do we really have time for this?”

Tala didn’t answer Rane’s inquiry as she quick-walked up to the tea stall in the tier-three market.

The grandfather bowed her way. “Mistress. Welcome back. I trust the drinks were up to your standard?”

“They were excellent, thank you. I’d like ten more pounds of each.”

He blinked at her. “You haven’t drunk all of it…have you?”

“Oh, no. Of course not, but I’m leaving the city, and I won’t be back this way for a good long while.”

He nodded in understanding and gestured. His son and grandson scurried around, quickly wrapping up her items. “Chamomile, mint, and espresso, correct?”

“Exactly right.”

He was tallying in his head. “Individually wrapped bricks?”

“Yes please.”

“Then, ten silver, forty copper.”

“How about an even ten silver for a bulk order and a returning customer?”

He grinned her way. “How about eleven silver for a quick turnaround?”

She hesitated for a moment, then laughed. “Very well. I appreciate the speed.” He’s right. I really should have offered more for the quick completion of the order.

Rane was looking between them but didn’t comment.

While his kin were working on Tala’s purchases, the grandfather turned to Rane. “Master, can we get anything for you?”

Rane smiled and gave a slight bow of his head. “Thank you for the offer, but I am not in the market for such at the moment.” He glanced to Tala. “She has shared some of your tea with me, and I can firmly say that if I ever am in need of such, I will come here, preferentially.”

He bowed in return. “Thank you for the kind words.”

Less than a minute later, they had the thirty parcels tightly bound and then bound together. Tala had confirmed the purchase on their slate, and she and Rane were departing.

As she was about to duck out, she paused, turned back to the grandfather and bowed deeply. “Thank you for the products, the service, the speed, and the wisdom.” She smiled and tossed a coin his way.

He caught it easily, glancing down, his eyes widening.

Tala departed before he looked back up, leaving him with the hefty five-ounce silver coin.

Rane gave her an incredulous look. “Any more stops?”

“Nope. I’m ready to go.”

* * *

Tala finished charging the cargo-slots for the day just as the driver swung up into place.

She waved to the guard, waiting on the ground below, looking up her way. “Ready!”

The Master Sergeant of the first guard-shift nodded to her. “Thank you, Mistress.” He raised his hand and dropped it to point to the west. “Let’s move!”

His voice carried a note of command, and Tala thought she could detect subtle bits of magic woven through, making it easier to hear and interpret at a distance and over background noise.

I don’t see any inscriptions. How used to command must he be for his natural magical pathways to have that effect? It was a humbling reminder of just how new she was to all this, and just how competent those around her truly were.

Terry flickered to the front of the wagon, happily shifting from foot to foot, excited to exit the city once again.

Mistress Odera sat in the middle of the wagon, calmly regarding Tala.

The wagons pulled to a slow start, the guards moving into a protective formation immediately, even as the caravan navigated the streets of Makinaven’s first tier.

They were leaving through the opposite gate from the one they’d come in through, so many weeks ago.

“Now, Mistress Tala. You’d requested I bring your breakfast to the caravan.” She glanced down at the parcel sitting beside her. “I did not expect you to cut your arrival so close.”

Tala smiled a bit sheepishly. “My apologies, Mistress Odera. I cut it closer than I intended.”

The older woman grunted and handed over the cloth sack, which Tala opened gratefully. There was a nice spread of food, as usual much more than a single person should eat regularly. I’ll get used to this, eventually, and eventually my stores will be full, and I can return to normal eating. She looked up from the feast. “Thank you.”

Mistress Odera bowed her head, slightly. “The Guild is happy to provide.”

Tala grinned back. “Oh, I am finished with my duties as a Dimensional Mage.”

The Mage regarded her for a long moment, then nodded. “Thank you, Mistress. I think we will handle the outward trip similar to the way here. From what you’ve conveyed in regards to your training, your capacities have expanded a great deal, but I pray we won’t have to put them to the test.”

Tala nodded in turn. “I’ll continue my training as we travel, if that is acceptable to you.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. I ask simply that you don’t train to exhaustion.”

“That sound very reasonable.” She was, at that very moment, fusing in the background. Her magic moving through the now intimately familiar patterns of drawing her body, spirit, and gate closer into unity. I wonder if this will be at all useful, once I’m done fusing.

Rane had touched base with Mistress Odera earlier, and he was to be the vanguard, staying just about a dozen yards in front of the oxen, at least for the first part of the journey.

The caravan was passing out through the gate, and Tala was about to pull out her bloodstars to begin working with them and her attempts at stable orbits, when the wagon’s ladder creaked. Her eyes snapped to the front corner of the their vehicle, in time to see a man pull himself into view.

He came up the ladder with quick, powerful motions, stopping to bow towards the two Mages, a half-eye kept on Terry, while the terror bird regarded him in turn.

“Mistresses. I request a ride out of the city.”

Mistress Odera seemed to be examining him. “Who might you be, and why do you request a ride?”

Tala did her own inspection. His gate made his humanity beyond question. His keystone labeled him a Mage, and his realness gave him a mid to high Archon feel, though his aura was tightly controlled. As is proper.

Her own aura was extending a perfect foot from her in every direction, mirroring her form as precisely as she could as a starting point for her chosen exercises.

The Archon was dressed simply, more like a forester or a hunter than a Mage, but his short sleeves left heavily inscribed forearms exposed, making his Magic clear at a glance. In addition, he had a coiled line at his belt. It didn’t look like cloth or leather. If she had to guess, Tala would have said it was some sort of empowered metal, and it seemed to be linked to him.

A soul bound weapon of some kind? That supported him being an Archon at least.

He nodded to them both. “I am Zakrias.”

“Master Zakrias, I am Odera, and this is Mistress Tala.”

He bowed again to each. “Mistress Odera, Mistress Tala, a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

Polite for someone who just jacked a ride. Tala quirked a smile. “So, Master Zakrias, to what do we owe the pleasure?”

“I’m heading to the west to hunt and harvest, and I will be on my own two feet for the foreseeable future, so I thought letting a wagon work for me for a couple of hours would be a boon.”

Mistress Odera nodded at that. “I can understand that. Please, join us.”

Tala tilted her head in interest as Zakrias sat. He chose a spot near them, not too close, and well away from Terry. She pointed to the avian. “He’s Terry.”

“Familiar?”

“No, friend.”

Zakrias gave her an interested glance but didn’t inquire further.

“So, are you with the Harvester’s Guild?” Tala did her best to not lean forward. I’ve not met a harvester before.

“I am, yes.”

Very nice! Better to get his thoughts than whatever guild official would be working the reception if I inquired there. “What’s that like?”

“Well, it’s dangerous but enjoyable work.” He stretched up, then leaned back on his hands, planted behind himself. “I have to know myself and my abilities to the utmost, and I still dance with death every single time I go out.”

He was clearly a bit self-satisfied, but he likely had a right to be. To Tala’s eyes, he had the look of one whose appearance was influenced by magic, meaning he looked far too young for how well he carried himself. “So, you meet fascinating new life-forms and then kill them?”

Zakrias smiled a bit quizzically. “That about sums it up, yeah. Though, I try to know my opponents before I kill any. There is a delicate balance to be had, and over harvesting can rust up a whole region.” His expression darkened. “Some idiot wiped out a good portion of the apex predators to the south of the city, and it’s been chaos in that region for weeks.”

Tala swallowed involuntarily.

Don’t look away, don’t let him know it might have been you.

She cleared her throat. Don’t panic; it could have been someone else. “What happened?”

He shrugged, irritation clear on his features. “They somehow lured in so many creatures that I found what amounted to a small pond of blood.”

Well, that’s an exaggeration. Or…not me? “That’s…gruesome.”

“Tell me about it. I found it because a bunch of Leshkin were swarming the area, and I had a bounty on their arms.”

She swallowed. Did they come for me, or the blood? She had her iron salve back in place, but she still was not looking forward to going back into the forests for an extended period. Then, she processed what he’d been saying. “Wait…arm? Do you mean weapons or arms?” She waved one arm to demonstrate her meaning.

“Oh! Weaponry, sorry for the confusion.” He grinned. “Anyway, whoever had caused the blood bath had royally ticked the Leshkin off too. I came upon them as they were beginning to sweep the surrounding woods.” He shook his head. “As I said, all sorts of things can be thrown out of whack when you don’t know what you’re doing.”

Tala glanced to Terry and found him regarding her with what could only be a mischievous glint in his eye. Tala glared back, then tossed a bit of jerky over the side of the wagon.

The avian flickered after it, then to Tala’s shoulder.

The Archon frowned at her. “That’s an odd thing to train your friend. If I throw a treat away, come to me?”

Mistress Odera chuckled. “Oh, he went for the treat. Coming to her was his own decision.”

Zakrias cocked his head for a moment, then his eyes widened. “Oh, you’re an old one, aren’t you?”

Terry trilled, then resolutely tucked his head down to return to seeming sleep.

Tala cleared her throat, desperate to change the subject away from what was most likely the aftermath of her escapade. You don’t know that. But she did. “So, what’s that on your belt? A weapon, right?”

He glanced down. “Ah, yeah! This is a beauty.” He pulled the coil from his belt.

“It’s not a whip…right?”

“No, but that’s in the right direction. At its basic level, it’s just a cord, but the center is a tightly braided strand of muscle fibers. It lets me use it almost like an appendage.”

She blinked at him. “What for?”

“Well, I’m an Immaterial Guide. I focus, generally, on kinetic energy, and my inscriptions excel at manipulating, and increasing, it in anything I can touch.”

Tala found herself nodding. “And that counts.” She indicated the empowered cord.

“And this counts.” He grinned. “Nearly unbreakable and can be healed back together with relative ease if it ever truly is overcome.”

A bit like me, I suppose. This was going to be an interesting couple of hours.