Hikaru takes out a wand and, curiously, seems to be tracing something invisible with it rather than using it for spellcasting. Teresa watches, focusing intently on this lesson.
For that matter, Sio, Ace and I are also very curious about how this is going to go, what he's going to say. I'm not sure I know enough of the ingame lore about how magic works to be able to try what Hikaru's attempting.
"My texts on elementary evocation teaches that a spell is Breath given an Aura and Anima, if only for a second, shaped by the Psyche," he says. "That is, you exhale to burn spiritual energy which you then, through your will and ritual, shape into the effect you want. In your case, shaping it into a flame, for a moment."
I think I followed that explanation, mostly. But for a moment Teresa looks completely lost.
"For example," Hikaru says.
He flicks the wrist of his wand hand and says the word "Lux." The tiny red crystal at its end starts to glow with a soft, warm light; sunlight in miniature.
"Exhaling, saying the spell word, to power the spell with Breath," he explains. "A flick of the wrist, channeling through it and the wand, shaping
where I cast the spell, and putting the power safely in the wand instead of my fingertip in case I miscast. And my choice of incantation, 'lux' - 'light' - to help me concentrate, to shape and limit the effect to mere light, rather than say a blinding searing ray of light."
Teresa blinks, then vigorously nods her understanding. "You're telling the magic it's
just light you want with the spell words."
"The magic and myself," Hikaru confirms. "Now, take out your spare rushlight; tonight that's your wand."
Teresa hums an affirmative, drawing from a purse a thin braid not much thicker than just a candle's wick, made of a single river reed dipped in tallow.
Ace is flicking her eyes between mentor and student - taking notes herself? - while Sio has been watching like it will be on her test.
As have I, it seems.
"Use the spell word - the incantation - 'rushlight,'" Hikaru advises. "While you say it, flick your wrist, pouring the power you use to call flame to the tip of the light. You want that tip and only the tip to catch fire, and you want that fire to only be enough to light the rushlight. Do you understand?"
"Yes, magus," Teresa says.
"I will stand by to snuff the spell if it goes out of control," Hikaru says. "I'll count down from three; on zero, cast. Three - two - one -"
Teresa whipped her rushlight up like she was cracking a whip and shouted, "Rushlight!"
For an instant, a fist-sized fireball flashes into existence at the tip of her rushlight, but in less than a second it shrinks to a candleflame and stays that small, shedding soft light.
Teresa allows herself to exhale again. Sio is the first to sincerely applaud; soon we find we're following suit.
"Well done," Hikaru says, smiling. Then without skipping a beat, "what did you do wrong?"
Another breath, then: "I shouted when I could have spoken and my gesture was too forceful; both added more power."
"That's exactly right," Hikaru says. "If you are ever in a fight where you
need that power you know where to get it, but Flamma willing, you'll only need to light reeds and ovens."
He licks his forefinger and thumb, and snuffs out the rushlight.
"Again," he commands.
We had just stepped into the courtyard of the
Barrel of White Inn for a late supper, all in high spirits, when we heard Sekhmet's voice.
"Sup," they say. "Mission accomplished."
I'm not sure how they slipped into our formation unnoticed but am able to stop myself from jumping at the reveal.
"Christ, Sekhmet, a little warning?" I say, cheerfully.
"Speaking of a little warning," they say.
I stop. The others follow suit.
"I don't think Elf and Company are going to be a problem, but she... they wanted the chance to tell you why themselves and I think they deserve it," Sekhmet says. "They're at the
Barrel. Probably want to buy you the first round."
I grimace. "If you're sure," I say, unable to stop my ears from flattening down over my hair.
"And
how are you sure, exactly?" Ace says, jabbing a hand at my currently feline roommate.
"Trust me," they plead, with a thumbs up.
I look at my roommate of nine years on Earth and a month on Mundus, then I nod.
"Of course," I sigh, and steel myself as I enter.
This late, most of the other patrons of the inn are in bed, rather than at the tavern; if we were much later we'd have been locked out. Which means that the elf in conquistador's armor is not hard to find, though she averts her eyes from me when she sees me cast a glance her way.
What I did not expect is who else is with her, at a table long enough for her party and mine. The pixie rogue Piper Maris, for one thing, is blissing out at the flavor of the lamb and chickpea stew she's eating, while a great purple and green Koboldt says something that makes Alesha - already at the table - laugh. At the center of the table is a redheaded human in a dark grey Exorcist longcoat and a great scarlet scarf, the customary brace of pistols conspicuously absent from his belt (likely under the care of the innkeeper). A black and red tricorn hat conceals his expression; still, there is something distressingly
familiar about his appearance that I can't quite place.
I take a deep breath and sit opposite the human stranger, with Sekhmet taking the seat to my left facing the elf and Ace close to my right glaring at her.
"Sekhmet tells me you have something you need to tell me," I say to the elf woman. "For now, let's address each other by username. I don't know who else is listening."
The elf grits her teeth, but the man in the tricorn nods. "That makes complete sense as a security thing," he says, and I've
heard that voice, only just deep enough to be baritone and just a little nasal. "Not all of our handles suit us, of course, we'll have to figure something out later."
"If I knew I was gonna go by this name I wouldn't have rolled up
this," Elfgirl mutters, rapping her breastplate with the knuckles of her gauntlet.
I feel as though something icy has just dropped down into the pit of my stomach.
"...Maybe I should have started by asking for
your Earthside name," I say to the person piloting a female Elf warrior.
That person takes a deep breath, frowning, trying not to grimace at me with their answer.
"Maybe you should have," they echo. "It's Kevin. Kevin
fucking Moon."
I hissed in my next breath. Sekhmet, for their part, sighs.
"Oh gods," I managed after a second. "Shit, Kev, I'm sorry."
"I fucking
knew it was you," he snarls, slamming a mailed fist on the table, grimacing at the way it makes part of him bounce. "You really didn't recognize me?"
"In her defense, your hair's grown out a whole lot," Sekhmet drawls. "Ears, too. Singing contralto didn't help either."
"Don't fucking remind me," Kevin says, turning away so it's harder for me to see the actual fear on his face.
I drag my hand down my face. "His twisting tails, you've been going through it the other way round..." I mutter.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Kevin says, trying to hold back the snarl.
The man in the exorcist coat clears his throat into a fist over his lips, and Kevin slumps back into his chair, rolling violet eyes.
"I take it that you'd prefer Deedee these days for reasons other than, uh, pure infosec?" he says.
"Please," I say, maybe too quickly.
He takes in a long, shuddery breath, eyes closed, nodding. "Ah," he says. "That... that makes more sense having met you again, and with - you can forgive Kevin, I hope?"
"If he'll forgive me," I say, flicking my eyes and ears at him for a second.
He looks more tired than anything when he nods and offers his hand. I can't say I blame him as I shake it.
"I uh," the exorcist says, and I realize he's grasping for the words. "I confess, I've been looking for you all, under the names I was given... and remember, from the other side of the screen. Which means I owe Piper, Talon and - and Kevin their Guild fee, and the hope they'll, uh, stick around."
"Please, I carried your pansy ass through your first post-Truckening dungeon, I'm not leaving till you've manned up enough," Kevin says, cracking the first genuine smile I've seen on the elfgirl chassis since I met its pilot.
"Yeah, you're a great teammate and you know where the best taverns are, I'm sticking around," Piper adds, as she peels an orange.
"From the sound of things, you and Leesh need to swap notes anyway," the Koboldt - Talon, apparently - says. "Maybe pick up a fifth and sixth if you can, though."
"Great. Great, thank you, I - I appreciate it," the exorcist says.
And then he raises the brim of his hat, and locks his eyes to mine.
"And J - and you -" he bites his lip. "Deedee, you do recognize me, don't you?"
I blink, and then realize that I do.
"...Ralph?" I ask.
His hand over his tears is confirmation enough. As his party turns to stare at him, I find myself taking Ralph's other hand in mine.
With thanks to @Fabricati and @FoxHana for prereading.
New vote tomorrow, once the old vote concludes.
Enjoy. Discuss.
It's good to be back.
