Armsmaster's Summons, page 19
Energy flowed into it so slowly he could only see it when he was solely focused on it. Touching the bead with his awareness he flinched as an electric power shocked his spine. It wasn't incandescent like the class’s master, but still was a highly compact vortex of mana.
Huh, maybe all those people talking about chi weren't as crazy as I thought.
Paying attention to the smidgen of energy flowing into him he breathed deeply and watched as the mana swirled through the air and deep into his lungs where it was absorbed by the bead. Clearly the bead was his core, but why so much smaller than everyone else's? He tried to increase the flow of energy, but nothing changed.
Reaching out around him, he tried to seize the mana in the air around him with his will and pull it into him. A headache started throbbing in his temples, and he frowned, missing Master Caroline’s eye’s snapping open in alarm. Determinedly he wrapped his will around the ambient mana. He knew he could do this. The power had responded to him in that basement. Holding the image of what he wanted tightly in his mind he yanked hard. Trying to force the mana in to be absorbed.
Waking to a cold splash of water Asa jerked upright spluttering, only to instantly regret it as his head exploded in pain. Groaning, he sunk back to the stone.
“You see,” said a sympathetic sounding Master Caroline. “That is why we don’t teach people to see mana before unlocking their potential. While typically I would chastise someone for doing something so foolish as pitting their own will against the universe, there can perhaps be some excuse for someone not raised here. Not having heard not to do that since birth.”
“Huh.” Asa replied weakly.
She sighed. “Master Smith, the first rule of Cultivation is that you cannot use mana that isn't yours. It’s the very reason we call it cultivation and not manipulation or willpower or some such. We must teach our bodies, train them to absorb more and more energy. Building our cores so we have more and more mana to draw on.”
Asa was very glad his headache was fading rapidly. “Why?”
Caroline huffed irritatedly. “Why do things fall instead of floating away?”
“Gravity.”
“What?” Caroline said. “What’s gravity?” She shook her head. “My point is, we don’t know. It is just the way of the world. What you did was pitted your mind against the weight of the world. Most people just tire themselves out if they’re foolish enough to try it. But if you’re stubborn enough you can cause backlash.”
“Backlash?” Asa asked, having figured out the water she used to wake him apparently washed away most of a nosebleed too.
Master Caroline sighed, then chuckled and sat beside him, careful to avoid the wet area. “This is why I never wanted children, you know. The endless questions that everyone already knows the answers to. Sometimes I wonder at the gods' senses of humor. Imagine a horse. It is tied to an unbreakable post that's sunk so deep in the ground that it won't pull out. The rope the horse is tied with is very long, and also unbreakable. One day the horse decides to break free, and since it has enough room to get to a gallop as it runs away before the rope is pulled taut, it does so, believing the rope will break. What do you think happens when the unbreakable rope tightens?”
Asa touched the blood on his face from the bloody nose thoughtfully. “Backlash?” He said.
Master Caroline nodded. “Even so. And depending how fast the horse is going depends on the damage. At first, it’s uncomfortable, then it can cause damage, that’s where you are. Try a little harder and your will can break. Imagine instead of being a horse tied to the rope, it's a man holding the rope. In this analogy the hand is the will. When pulling on an immovable object, if your grip is strong enough, you can rip the flesh of your hand or even break your arm. While such damage isn't permanent, it takes a very long time to heal. And renders you unable to do any magic in the meantime.”
Asa nodded, finally understanding. “Sorry.” he muttered.
She shrugged. “Don’t be. I always enjoy an excuse to dump water on an unsuspecting student. Now go clean yourself up. I believe you are due at Master Joe’s.”
Asa nodded and scrambled to his feet. A moment and a few swipes of his ‘magic cleaning stick’ (™) later. The mess was cleaned and so was he. Thanking master Caroline again, he hurried to his class with the ritualist.
The rest of the day flew by in a blur as he was immersed in first rituals then weapons work. Finally, that night he excitedly got around to opening the books on imbuing he’d gotten that morning from the library and sunk into them. It was surprising how simple it was in a lot of ways. You took a crystal, or some other material that could transmit or hold mana, imprinted a ritual in it, and introduced power.
In reality it seemed ritualism and imbuement were the same things, just imbuement seemed… he hesitated to say dumbed down, but at least more limited than ritualism. Taking out a sheet of paper he started noting down various supplies he would need, assuming he could actually awaken and imbue anything.
Once done he jumped back into his ritual books, trying to find the right rules and lines to use in his idea. He’d discovered you could drop a list of supplies off at the supply master here at the university along with payment and they would either sell you the supplies directly or acquire them for you the next time they replenished the university's supplies.
◆◆◆
Chapter 19: Combat Inventory
◆◆◆
“It’d be so much easier to just ask, but most Awakened students won’t even talk to me about because I’m just a Mundane.”
Vasiliy smirked as he paid the man. The payment was expensive for a mere rumor to be started. But the need for the one who started it to die did tend to raise the costs of such things. Honestly, he was glad he’d been able to find a poor sap in suitably dire straits, he’d agreed so long as his family was provided for.
Leaving the condemned man with a few final instructions and a perfunctory blessing. After all, he was going to die for Righteousness’ cause. It was only fitting. He headed back towards the transitory apartments the priggish Elora had arranged for them.
At least they’d be leaving this town soon. Camping was bearable so long as there was a point to it. But rotting in some run-down hovel for no other reason than incompetence was infuriating! Sweeping into the apartment-come-impromptu command center Vasiliy sat down heavily. “It is done. The rumor will start tonight, and then I imagine only a few days before the fools at the university find out about it. I figure it’ll get to the subject on the same day. It may take him a few days to follow up, then we just have to follow behind and make sure he doesn't wander off course.”
Elora was unimpressed. “What is the rumor that makes you so confident that he will run to search for it?”
Vasiliy sighed melodramatically. “What is the only thing he desires? The one thing he has chased after since arriving here?”
“A way home,” Elora answered instantly.
“And there you have it. The rumor is simply that we think we can find a ritual to send him home in an ancient forgotten temple and want to use it to entice him to help us.”
“We don't have a ritual like that. Remembrance doesn't even think it’s possible.” Elora pointed out.
“By the nine! It's a rumor, not a set of instructions! It doesn't matter what we have. Only what he thinks we have!”
Elora frowned. “But I truly doubt even that will make him help us. He is more likely to try to fight us and take it from us.”
Vasiliy shook his head condescendingly. “I don’t care if he helps us. Between Remembrance’s skills and my own, we’ll easily be able to reconstruct Aaron’s ritual and take what we need. All we need is for him to try and get the book first.”
Elora nodded reluctantly. “So, we just go to your rumored location and lie in wait?”
Tossing a copy of the packet his supposed messenger was carrying down on the table he smirked. “Why bother? Just send him straight to Remembrance.”
◆◆◆
Asa flowed through the kata. The shortsword moving easily in his hands and the ever-present awareness of where he was and where his next step should be resting easily in the back of his mind, his Trait nudging him just so into the correct position every step of the way.
Master Malgier watched him carefully as he finished the kata and started another one, switching weapons this time to a long sword.
“He’s impressive, isn't he?” One of his assistants asked from beside him. “I don’t think I’ve seen anyone learn this fast. Much less with multiple weapons.”
“He’s no master.” Malgier drawled, then continued at his assistant's arch look. “But yes, he is getting surprisingly skilled. What's more, he is gaining strength surprisingly quickly. I suspect his Trait does more than we first suspected.”
Starting to turn, Malgier paused as he spotted Alrick at the door to the practice area. Striding over to him in welcome, he was surprised by the concerned look in the priest's eyes. “Over-priest Alrick. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing wrong really Arms master. I have a message for Asa. I’m somewhat concerned how he will react.”
Malgier frowned. “Am I permitted to know what it is?”
“It’s information on a possible way home. But it’s a month's travel at least and we aren't sure if it’s reliable information.”
The arms master nodded as his student finished the axe kata and pulled out a spear. Before going into that set of movements though, he saw the priest and started walking over. Mindful of Malgier’s presence he banished the spear and started juggling the small leather balls with his inventory. Malgier was impressed, he was up to four already. “He’ll want to go and find out for himself.”
The priest raised a hand in greeting to the approaching Asa. “Asa, a message for you.” he said, retrieving the packet. “A few days ago, one of our priests, at least that's what he looked like, stumbled into the Temple estate you were summoned to, bearing this. He was terribly wounded, it looked like a beast was responsible, and died just as he handed over the message. We think he believed the priests there were fellow cultists.”
Asa’s smile faded as he accepted the packet. Unfolding it, he read,
“Over-priest Elora, the other Over-priests were not pleased by your incompetent bungling of the blessed one. You are commanded to return immediately to our retreat and report how you turned the one we summoned for our salvation against us with torture. We have become aware of another old temple along the north edge of Hebhams Basin. The explorer we sent claimed the library’s preservation seal was still active and described several texts there dealing with the ancient style of rituals. He specifically mentioned several stated ways of sending people between worlds. Sadly, he was not versed in the old rituals and could not describe them to us. We are putting together an expedition to go to the Temple and copy the books. We hope to then use that knowledge to barter with the blessed one and convince him to aid us in our endeavor in return for being sent home.” Asa stopped reading and looked up sharply. “How far away is that?”
“It's about a three and a half week trip to Heghams Basin,” Alrick answered. “Finding where exactly it is on the north edge could take another two weeks of searching.”
Asa looked down thoughtfully. “How much do guides typically charge here?”
“No.” Malgier said flatly. “There are too many unanswered questions, and you are still a mundane. It’s entirely likely the whole thing is just to lure you out.”
“Then it succeeded,” Asa said. “Look, the whole reason I’m here is to find a way home. If there’s even a possibility of a library of answers, it’d be worth investigating.”
Malgier nodded. “True. but it is a task the university is better suited to than one untrained mundane.”
Asa hesitated. “The university will send a team?”
“Undoubtedly. A temple of lost knowledge? Khadijah and Bailey would lead the charge.”
“Then I can go with them,” Asa said.
The arms master brought up his hand and summoned a wood practice sword. “Fine. You want to go? Show me you can avoid being captured.”
Asa stepped back, storing the message and summoning his own practice blade. “Fine.”
Malgier lunged in a blur, no warning given before his wooden blade swept around to Asa’s leading leg. To his surprise, he felt a solid jolt as Asa blocked, pivoting in and forward to slash up towards his neck. Acting on well-honed instinct, he slid his left foot closer to Asa and shoved with his shoulder, narrowly avoiding the whooshing wood blade, and pushing Asa off balance causing him to stagger back a few steps.
Moving quickly, Malgier shifted his slide into a lunge towards Asa’s stomach. The man’s sword was out of position, and he was on the verge of falling.
Malgier smiled as he knew victory would come soon.
Unexpectedly, Asa rolled back to avoid the thrust and retook a guard stance.
“Not bad Asa, but you’re not my match yet.” He said as he attacked again, this time spiraling his blade around Asa’s block and ripping it away to disarm him. Asa let go of the blade entirely causing Malgier to stumble, and by the time he straightened back up, he narrowly dodged a practice spear to his gut.
Grabbing the haft of the spear, Malgier banished it to his own inventory causing Asa’s eyes to widen in surprise as he was left suddenly without a weapon.
“I’ve got you, boy!” Malgier said with a smile, enjoying the match.
Asa was frustrated. He knew he was outmatched by the Arms master but his ego and temper had got him in this situation. Now, he knew if he couldn't at least hold his own, the Arms master would do everything he could to stop Asa from going.
So, Asa threw one of the leather balls at him.
It bounced off Malgiers head who looked at him in surprise. Then, giving him a feral grin, he lunged back in.
Asa hurriedly threw the other balls while backpedaling rapidly.
Malgier batted them effortlessly out of the air and came in like a bull.
Asa tripped while trying to think of another weapon to pull.
Malgier raised his sword over him and crashing down. Where it crashed into the freshly appeared chair over Asa.
Scrambling away as Malgier irritatedly ripped the chair off his practice blade, he rolled to his feet and summoned his bow, already pulled and with a target arrow nocked and ready aimed at the Arms master.
Malgier froze, glaring at Asa. “Healer, are you attending?” he called out.
A surprised timid voice answered. “Yes, master.”
“Good, he growled. “Magi, control stray arrows.”
Asa heard someone curse in surprise and was vaguely aware of the inrush of noise as other students came sprinting in to watch him get taught a lesson.
After making sure the other awakened were ready with shields, Malgier rushed in.
Asa loosed the readied arrow and summoned another even as the Arms master smacked it too out of the air.
His second arrow had just left the bow to embed itself in Malgier’s shoulder just as Malgier grabbed and banished his bow.
Malgier’s uninjured arm snaked the blade around and pinned Asa to his chest with the blunt edge. “You’re beaten. I’ve got you.”
Grabbing the bigger man’s wrist to keep it from turning, Asa raised his other and with a flicker of will, brought his bed crashing down on the arms master’s head. He then used his teacher’s trick against him, and banished Malgier’s sword into his own inventory. He sprinted away to gain distance.
Malgier’s laughter behind him sounded like a demon playing with his food. “Good! Creative!”
A jagged piece of wood narrowly missed Asa as it was thrown from behind.
Asa expanded his mind, sensing the area without his eyes, he felt the surge of concentrated power that was the arms master running towards him from the right. Twisting toward the feeling, he brought his quarterstaff out of his inventory in mid swing to sweep his teachers legs.
Never even pausing, Malgier jumped over the staff.
Without looking behind him, Asa summoned the couch from his sitting room, immediately hearing a soft thud as the arms master tried to tackle him from behind and encountered the furniture.
Spinning back upright, he went to bring the staff down on top of his teacher when he saw mana spiral out from his teacher. The air became thick, slowing him. He could see the interlocking segments of power forming in a crystalline structure to hold him, but as soon as it touched his skin they began to flex.
“Better than I expected, Asa,” Malgier said. “But you’re still just a mundane. It’s too dangerous.”
Asa could see his chances of accompanying the university team slipping further away and he shook his head through the jelly-consistency air. His will exploded from him in a circle with his desire to be free, and for a moment, the air loosened its grip.
But he saw more streams of mana flowing from the weapons master, rebuilding his invisible cage.
“No!” he forced out through gritted teeth, seizing the streams of mana with his mind, but they didn't even slow. They belonged to his opponent, and you could only control yours. He shoved forward with his staff trying to hit the man, but it was like moving in super slow motion. Oh God I can’t miss this. Help me!
Images of his family floated up in the back of his mind. He knew he had to let them go, he couldn't control their circumstances anyway.
Malgier was saying something he didn’t hear. His attention and determination worlds away. Take care of them, Father. I can’t.
Finally, tears starting to leak from the corners of his eyes, he let go.
All the desperate grasping and desire to control things far beyond him, he wrenched from his worries about his family to the stubborn mana cycling though his body.
He would not be held again.
Spiderweb-thin whisps of mana spiraled up his arms and around his staff, coating it in his will, his desire to be free.
As his mana touched the mana holding the air together in a cage there was a flare of power and the staff sliced through it like a razor.
