Chapter: 30 Flow not Force

  ‘Follow along with me, just watch, just feel,’ Riley prompted, her words existing more like thoughts over their shared connection.

  Tobias was sitting in a chair with his eyes closed; Riley was directly opposite, perched in her own chair, forepaws turned into an inverted V as she reached for the external currents of wild ether that suffused through Avalon.

  “I see it,” Tobias whispered back.

  The particles danced and whirled, beginning to coalesce in an ever-concentrating circle around them.

  Slowly, now familiar sigils began to glow as they gained in density, and then…

  Flash…

  A circle snapped into place, glowing brightly within their ether sight.

  Riley's eyes were tight with concentration. Still, the power flowed as she broke her inverted V and began moving her paws in concert with her will.

  The power danced around her, following her whims. ‘It’s still kind of tough for me, but I can feel it. It feels natural, and I somehow feel less hungry.’

  “Huh,” Tobias opened his eyes, his brow furrowed in consternation.

  Riley grounded, letting the circle fade.

  “You’re not as… brutal as I am about grasping. You take the time to sense it, and you direct the flow; you don’t force it, you channel it,” Tobias sat up straight only to lean back in his chair, his hand rising to his chin.

  “I see,” he said as his soul wrote a novel over their shared connection, the thoughts whirling through his head.

  “You always said that the way I understand magic was a benefit. Well, that’s a benefit you have now, too,” Riley reminded.

  “Let me try,” Tobias, with childlike excitement plastered on his face, recentered himself in his chair, placing his hands in front of them, holding them much like Riley folded her paws to cast.

  “They always imitate the greats,” She snarked as a grin chased across Tobias’ face.

  “I need you to watch. Let me know if I’m grasping too hard,’ he projected.

  Tobias fell into meditation, and his breathing deepened.

  His world calmed.

  Flow, not force

  Riley could feel it, feel him reaching out to the currents but not holding them. Instead, he first became aware of them, as if taking stock of all he had to work with.

  ‘Good job so far, nerd boy!’

  “I feel it, but how do I make it do what I want?” He grimaced. Sweat was beading on his forehead.

  ‘You feel those threads, now imagine the sigils, hold that image in your mind, picture it, all the little details..’

  Sparky appeared before the both of them, ‘Can I help?’

  The loudness of her projection broke the quiet, meditative peace like someone was dropping a bomb.

  Tobias, instinctively, gripped hard on the power, pulling inward, only for the soul burn to flare.

  “Gah!” He exclaimed, rocketing back as his health bar took a small hit, and a trickle of blood ran out his nose.

  Sparky flashed blue, her wisp form appearing strangely mournful, ‘Sorry!’

  ‘What happened to enjoying peace and quiet!?!’ Riley glowered.

  ‘You were doing something interesting, and I wanted to help!’ She flashed an indignant red.

  “You two, stop bickering and let me focus!” Tobias growled, still standing, holding his hands in a V again, feeling for the currents.

  ‘Just let me know if I can be of help. I’ll go stealth for now!’ Sparky’s glowing ember of being vanished from their sight.

  This time, he did not reach for the sigils of damarian script etched so recently into his mind, but instead, he attempted to access their inventory.

  The ether began to move, concentrating, and then, he saw it, the particles began to drift through him, concentrating over his heart and his head, then…

  There was another flash, and a health potion appeared in his hand.

  He popped the cork and sipped at it, watching his health bar refill.

  “That, that was easier than it’s been. I’m always reaching. I’m trying too hard,” his eyes danced like he was on the cusp of a breakthrough.

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  ‘It’s all that ashen garbage. Rules of order, pulling from within only, all that stuff they built on top of you,’ Sparky said.

  “The comprehension crystals…” His words trailed off.

  “That’s how you broke through before your trials. You reached back to the first time you felt your magic, not the systems imposed on you,” Riley agreed.

  “Instinct, more than knowledge, and I have the same instincts you do; I just have to trust them,” Tobias looked surprised, staring down at Riley.

  “Especially now. We share everything except shepherd’s grass. You can get your own!” She pointed a paw in emphasis.

  He chuckled and sat down. “Alright, you two, give me some quiet, and let me try again.”

  This time, he set his hands on his knees and closed his eyes, feeling for the currents of ether that danced around him while holding the image of the circle in his head that he wanted to cast.

  As if water directed into a carved channel, the currents around him began to order, flowing into the pattern. With a flash, the circle snapped into place, even easier than Riley had done.

  The sigil he could so easily recall jumped to the forefront of his mind as the circuit completed.

  Ice 1

  A layer of frost shot out from around him, chilling down the room. Boards creaked and popped at the sudden drop in temperature just as there was a knock on the door.

  “Oh dear me!” Humbert cried. The circle popped, and freezing air began to warm rapidly. Water began to drip from the ceiling in sudden condensation.

  “Humbert?” Tobias rose and took a step, only to slip and fall on the slick sheet of ice radiating out three feet from around him.

  “It works…” He groaned with a wide grin upon his face.

  Tobias quickly scrambled up and moved for the door.

  Humbert stood with a tray in his hands, loaded down with three large covered bowls, a large kettle of tea, bowls, and cups.

  “Thank you, M’lord. I thought you would each appreciate breakfast. May I?” He smiled before bowing his head in obeisance.

  “Thoughtful. You have my thanks,” Tobias said, turning out of his path.

  “Was that frost magic? I felt the chill, and…by the dead Gods, your quarters!” He gazed around at the melting ice, careful of the slick spot on the floor, setting the tray on the table they had pushed up against the wall.

  “I received an ice ward and was tinkering with it. It kind of made a mess,” Riley shook her foreleg with the Ward of the Winter Knight attached. Her nose twitched, taking in the scents of fresh food.

  It pulsed with a whitish blue light as she directed some wild ether toward it, causing Humbert’s eyebrows to tilt up.

  “You’ve been granted many a boon, my Lord and Lady,” Humbert observed.

  “We’ve had some luck,” Tobias replied, moving to take his chair from the center of the room.

  “Oh, I could do that, M’lord, allow me,” Humbert moved just as Tobias set his chair down and went right back by, fetching Riley’s.

  She followed dutifully after her sorcerer, hopping up in her seat.

  “We’re fine. I’d appreciate it if you used our names,” Tobias smiled and offered out a hand, “But you can fetch your own seat and join us for breakfast?”

  A look of shock seized the old man, “Join you? Eat with you, but my station…”

  “Answer me truthfully. Are you hungry?” Riley said, with the barest hint of steel in her voice.

  “Uh…Uh…” Humbert stuttered before meekly whispering, “Yes, M’Lady, it’s been many hours since the morning ration.”

  “What do they feed you?” She wondered, her voice warming like the spring.

  “A nutrient gruel. I actually quite fancy it,” He smiled wanly.

  Tobias removed the covers from the food, revealing Tenganut, Jogana fruit, and a towel with a fresh loaf of bread wrapped inside.

  “Well, today you feast; I insist,” Tobias said, holding out his hand.

  “Yes, M’lor… Young Master Tobias,” with shaking hands, he grasped his chair, and sat down at the table, then turned toward Riley.

  Tobias took up a plate and began heaping fruit on it as Ecbert leaned in close to the hare, extended out a finger, and said, “Meep. I greet you in the tradition of your people.”

  Riley snorted and rubbed at her muzzle as Tobias smiled and projected to her alone, “You brought that on yourself.”

  Riley eyed him seriously, then looked back up at Humbert, placing a paw over his nose, and replied, “Meep.”

  “May I say it is an honor to join you. Truly, I shall never forget your kindness,” Humbert said as a large, steaming plate of rok eggs and bread was sat down before him.

  His stomach growled in obvious hunger.

  “So you like hanging out with us?” Riley asked.

  “Hanging out, M’lady?” Humbert replied.

  “Accompanying us,” Tobias translated.

  “Oh yes! Yes, my Lord Tobias, I have displeased you. Is there something I could do better?” He began to stammer.

  “It’s just that you’re going to be coming with us. Back to Calaria; would you like that?” Riley asked.

  “Ca-Calaria? You mean leave the castle?” Humbert turned pale, the fork stopping inches from his mouth.

  Tobias fidgeted in his chair uneasily, “Yes, we asked Ecbert to attach you to our service in Astor Hall.”

  “Calaria, by the dead Gods… I’ve never been there, but yes, yes, I’d be honored! ” He replied, his eyes sparkling with wonder.

  ”Wait, how have you never been!” Riley exclaimed.

  “I was raised in the castle and cloistered here after I failed my trials, young Lady. Few Greyblades ever have the chance to look upon the Ashenrealm. It is a privilege only afforded to a few, and to think I, a lowly servant, will soon look upon the seat of power, the Ashen Throne itself…” He trailed off as tears of joy streamed down his face, “Oh, thank you, thank you, young master and lady!”

  Tobias and Riley both shared a look of shock, and the room grew quiet, save for the sound of Humbert’s quiet weeping.