The day went on. After Vodra and Nushii took care of their knocked out friend, their cell's inside was cleaned up a bit and they were given blankets along with the sleeping bags. Vodra had also asked if they could leave the cell when nature came calling, which was granted for her and Nushii, while Ledra was still left with the bucket on the inside of the cell. Due to high risk of causing trouble, she is also the only one required to keep on wearing manacles even while inside the cell.
The rest of the day went about as planned, Michael had spent most of the morning and early after noon with Runhar and Rok, scouting the area around the walled Tuskir village, noting with charcoal on parchment a rough draft of the changes they will make to the surrounding forest to include bottlenecks and pit traps all over the surrounding area. Michael thought that maybe adding some barbed wire at the bottom of those pit falls might make it even harder for those that fall in them to leave.
The rest of the afternoon Michael spent his time with Zurra at the forge, until later into the night, making iron wire and barbs, which proved to be a painfully slow process, but it wasn't all bad, he got to learn a few things about smithing and some practice to boot as well, although the after effect of tired noodle arms, have left him as a bit of a sloppy help about the smithy, that was until Urla came by the forge unannounced.
"Michael. May I have a moment of your time?" Her monotonous voice rang out from the front of the smithy.
The human taken a bit by surprise, stopped from half hammer a piece of metal through a tiny hole, while Zurra paused as well from hitting her own individual piece.
"Oh. Uhm... One moment!" He said as he then looked towards the more elderly smithy Tuskir. "Forger Zurra. May I excuse myself? It seems Urla has something to tell me. I will be back as quick as I can."
The older sow took a moment to look at him and at his work. "Boy. Ye been comin' by so often now. Ye might as well be my apprentice. If ya wish. I can see ye got your limits, so, see what Urla wants and then go an' rest. Last thing I need is to be told I broke ya." She said with a snorted chuckle.
Michael's eyes light up at the sound of such an opportunity. "Can I really? I always fantasized about being a smithy."
"Aye. We'll see what we can make together of ya. Also fantasizing about it?" Zurra asked confused.
"Not a really often used profession where I am from... we do it differently or well... it is so different from how its done here, that it kind of takes the fun out of it." Michael said taking off his borrowed gloves and apron.
"Ah, right. Well... glad tha help ya fulfill a dream, son-... uhm... boy." Zurra said correcting herself quickly. "Now scram! Before I change me mind." She said with an oink, which prompted Michael go leave the premise with a content smile.
Zurra kept on hammering, but she stopped herself a moment, putting aside her hammer and taking a few steps away from the hot metal. 'Aye... ye ol' dumb sow... why did ya have to call 'im son?' The older tuskir woman thought with a few slow snorts, wiping her flat nose and eyes.
She remembered a time before Azhul was, yet to be born, when she still had her husband about, when she was still young and the Tuskir were still united and when she had her first child. A small swine, he was the shine of a golden nugget in her eye. How she wished she could have seen him grow. She took a few moments to wipe her face and then after she applied to herself a good ol' echoing slap, she shook her head straight. "A'ight! No time for cryin'. The bloody wire won't be makin' itself." She huffed as she gripped her hammer tightly and with an anger fueled determination she hit the burning metal with a renewed vigor.
\++++
Meanwhile, outside Urla, has been walking with Michael towards her home. "Apologies for interrupting your work, Michael, but I thought it a necessity to speak with you." The elderly woman said plainly.
"Certainly and it is no trouble. I hope, I haven't cause problems." He replied sincerly.
"Well... not quite, but... there have been those about the village who haven't gotten to know you as the few of us that spoke to you, do. And... I was told that you have grabbed food along the day for the prisoners and that you might be plotting to let them escape." Urla explained straight forward, but in such a casual manner, it would almost pass over someone's head if they didn't pay attention.
"Pardon?" Michael said as his eyes widened and the expression on his face almost seemed to show his mind had gone blank for a moment.
"That is what they said, but Spek had also told me, what you were actually doing and although, at first I will admit, I was quick to judge your actions, after he told me the information you gathered and shared with him. I must say... I was pleased." Urla said in a patient tone and as the two, had reached her home, she entered it and then signaled Michael to follow inside.
The young man followed suit, closing the door behind them. The interior was dimly lit by a few candles spread all over the place. "Oh. Thank you. I know it wasn't my place to use that food, since it was your people's, but..."
"No, no. Do not apologize. Things are still unsure about you with some of our people. Runny is worried for her kids, as you have shown to be quite... brutal when necessary, she is our tanner and also the one that handles rationing, smoking and salting our food stores. Her husband, Brekda, has also been on edge, ever since you had... beaten up the guard captain. But... for example gatherers like Yunnai and Oslok, have been quite happy as they can fish with ease when they aren't harvesting Kokoberry bushes. So, things are split, opinion wise, between them and others." Urla said as she seated herself in a wooden chair covered with a pelt.
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"Alright... but I am guessing that is not the only thing you wanted to inform me about?" Michael questioned as he seated himself on a near by stool.
"Indeed. Two things. First. To show that you can be trusted, I wished to propose that we admit you officially between us. Which would require a pledge and vow and would also require you follow the rules of the Tuskir. Of course, certain things we might have to adjust as you aren't of Tuskir blood, but you have no kin here, so my proposal was more to... make you part of the family so to speak." The woman said plainly as her weary eyes looked upon him.
"Oh... wow. I... don't know what to say... I... can I think on it? It's not that I don't want to accept, it just feels like... that is... a lot to... take in? Is there like a rule book with what this entails?" Michael asked with a nervous laugh, which got a slight smile from Urla, before her expression turned neutral.
"We can talk about the details another time and sure. You may take your time to dwell on it. Tis only a proposal." The older sow said with a gentle nod.
Michael nodded along as he looked at her and then into space, clearly contemplating the proposal. "Uhm... was there... anything else?" He asked as his vision focused back on the village elder.
"Yes. I have been told by Oinna about your mana situation and I have been dwelling on it myself and I have come to a realization." The woman said as she then turned and seemed to look about for something.
"O-oh. Yeah... I have given up hope on doing anything magic, I think there are other things I should focus on, that can be more useful sooner rather than later." The young man expressed himself with a slightly defeated tone.
"Believe me when I say there is still a hope for it, of sorts." The woman said turning as she held what looked like a magic crystal conduit with runes on it.
"Really? Without having to deal with nearly a life time of training to make sure I don't magically spit out a tornado if I ever wish to conjure up a light breeze?" Michael said with a slight cynicism in his tone.
"Well. If you were to go down that path, yes, that would be your only option, but then I began to think of it not as a matter of a user of magic, but as a container of it. You see, all magical conduits have mana, like all objects and they replenish it over time. We mainly use conduits as a focus for our spells and use their mana to... hmm... start the fire of it. So to speak? When it comes to starting a spell, it costs more to initiate it, rather than maintain it, so the mana with a focus is used for that mainly. At the same time, we use our own mana to main the 'flame' of a spell." Urla began explaining while seating herself and holding the crystal with runes carved into it for Michael to see.
"Right... so if I am understanding this... you want to train me to be a... conduit?" Michael said confused as he looked at Urla and then the crystal.
"Of sorts. You see, technically users of magic can also use their own mana to begin a spell and then sustain it through the mana in a conduit, but that requires conduits that can store lots of it, which not many can do. The quality of the conduit is mainly based on the material at the base of it and the runes used with it. If one or the other is of a lesser quality, mana is burned through inefficiently and the conduit can be exposed to unnecesary wear and tear, which with time... results in it being destroyed..." The elderly sow said plainly as she looked at Michael.
The young man said it all as he uncomfortably sucked on his teeth with a wierd expression. "Oof-... ho boy... That doesn't sound good... question... how does a conduit break exactly?"
"Well... if its not because of mana over flow and instead of mana burnout or wear and tear, it slowly crumples and turns to dust? Which I imagine is not a prospect you might find too endearing." Urla said as she puts her crystal aside.
"Y-yeah... not really... I would like to not turn into ashes..." Michael said with a strangled voice, clearing his throat afterwards.
"Well... a living conduit is not something that has been done before and with you absorbing mana from the air, there isn't a real risk for mana burnout... I am more worried how the wear and tear of mana burn through you, might affect you, hence why runes on you might be necessary to act as funnels to focus it and minimize wear." The elderly woman said as she gave Michael a look over.
"Oh wait... this would be a first time?" The human asked confused.
"Well... conduits made of creatures are not necessarily new. There have been some made of the bone of strong druids or mages before or from remains of magically potent creatures. At least in legend is mentioned of the first example. The new part would be well... using a conduit while it is alive." The older sow said as she got up and began preparing a fire and a pot of water.
Michael sat silent thinking on it and contemplating the situation. "So I would still be unable to cast, but people could cast through me?"
"Indeed. If it works like we hope so, it means you could maintain draining spells for much longer than we could normally if we maintained them, I have some other speculations as well, on what might be possible depending on results." Urla said as she now face away from Michael, slowly and gently preparing two mugs of tea. "I presume that is still a lot to consider, as well? I am sorry for putting all of this on your shoulders at once, but I felt that you might busy yourself with too much work soon."
"No, no. It is fine. These are just more projects to possibly consider... uhm... I presume one of those teas is for me?" The human said as he nervously cleared his throat.
"Yes. They are almost done." Urla said casually as she kept checking on the water.
"Good. I'm going to need it... uhm... if you have anything calming... give me a double portion. I think I can feel an anxiety attack coming." He says wiping his brow.
"I presume anxiety can't literally attack you?" Urla said glancing back at him.
"Nope. Not literally, but it... it's a lot to deal with..." The young man said leaning back and inhaling deeply.
"Understood. I will make you what I make for Runhar when his mind runs too quickly for him to catch it, due to his duties." The old woman said with a hint of a motherly tone in her voice.
"Much appreciated." Is what Michael replied with as he sat leaning back, to allow himself to breath easier.
The two then shared some tea, as they spoke a bit longer. As the night settled properly, Michael eventually left to think on things and to get a well deserved sleep for that day, as it was the first day he was in the village, without Gharna or Azhul around him.