12
I laughed, I laughed like the 6 year old child that I was. I didn't know how long I had been running, but I had caught every rock Endar threw at me. Yet it was like an afterthought.
"We're not done, come back kid. »
I sulkily stopped my run and joined Endar.
“You look less miserable than a few hours ago. You could barely last an hour and now I have to stop you after two hours. »
It was amazing, I didn't feel any fatigue. I felt like I could run for several more hours.
"Don't overestimate yourself kid. Your body needs energy to function and water to stay hydrated. »
"Why didn't my parents tell me. I feel like I am discovering the world for the first time. »
"Don't blame them, it's instinctive for young elves, they haven't known anything else." But you had the memory of your past life and unconsciously had the same expectations for this new body. »
" Thank you "
“Ah it shows that I am a superb teacher, and this is only the beginning. Prepare to be blown away. »
And here we go again, I thought. But I was lucky to have met him.
"Now let's get to the magic. »
“Didn’t you say it would be risky at my age? »
"Do you really think that if your web and core hadn't already formed before your little attempt that you would have survived? »
“But I felt intense pain and I was forced to reduce the energy that I had absorbed. »
"And that's what let me know that you had a core already formed for a long time. It would have been impossible for you to get rid of this excess energy in such a peaceful way if this was not the case. Oh you really surprised me. This is the first time I have come across a child with a core so close to being atrophied. »
“What do you mean by atrophied? »
I didn't like that term.
“Well actually, had you not disobeyed your parents, you might have lost the use of magic at 8 years old. »
" What ? So initially self-absorbed was a dumb idea and now you're telling me it was the best thing I could have done? »
"Yes, doing what you did without a web or core already formed would have been fatal, but when I realized you already had one… When they're formed you can't stop absorbing essence or they will die and with them, your magic. Your parents by preventing you from doing this have put you in a dangerous situation. But kid even if in the end your misadventure turned out to be necessary, you should have been watched by someone. »
A laugh escaped my lips
"I was being watched by someone. »
" It's true. Now I would like you to sit down and absorb the essence of the air. I'll let you know if you take too much. »
I followed his instructions and drank the essence. Immediately I felt a difference. I didn't realize it at first, because my senses weren't open yet, but the essence of the air was making noise, it was like the blowing of the wind, if I slowed down the absorption it was a breeze. The air also has a smell. I had no word to define it, it was just an impression of fruity freshness, but I did not recognize the fruit.
I remembered the last time I had tried to absorb, I wanted to try something.
"Thank you" I whispered again
At that moment, like the first time, I had the impression that there was a presence. She seemed satisfied and the essence rose. It was about to reach me when suddenly it dissipated.
" What did you do ? Endar asked. Her hand was on the edge as if she had just hit something. He had dissipated the essence.
"I just thanked the element, for giving me a part of him." I explained
Endar laughed.
“Truly an elvish personality, give back what I took. Hadn't you told me you were a human in your previous life, I would have thought you had been an elf. But don't do that until you're able to survive a thank you. »
“Is the essence alive? »
“Why do you think there are spirits of the air. They are born from essence. Of course she is alive. Now resume, but with less enthusiasm. »
The month passed like this, I trained at dawn before returning to the castle to get another training session from my mother. She and my father were surprised when they saw the color of my eyes. Especially my father who was grateful to have such a handsome son who looks so much like him. My mom looked at me like she knew something I didn't yet. The most surprising was the reaction of the other inhabitants of the castle. When they saw my eyes, he moved aside in my path. That changed when he remembered who I was. But the most fragile looked away as soon as they met my gaze. Ilawen hadn't taken it very well. He looked at me jealously, but said nothing and before I knew it, the day of the summoning had arrived.
Summoning, a dangerous but essential moment in the life of a mage. Its complexity made it a rite of passage for apprentice mage, who at the end of the day would be either revered and jealous or mocked until they changed their destiny. But what was hiding behind all this noise that kept me from sleeping? The invocation encompassed the preparation and the ritual. Preparation included purification. For a week and just before the ritual, the summoner had to absorb only one type of energy. For example my brother must have absorbed only the element of air for a week. The day before the ritual, the summoner had to spend the whole day in total isolation. He would have four scrolls with him. But not ordinary scrolls. They had to come from an old and already condemned animal. He had to be killed in one shot. If not, it would be thought of as a bad omen for the ritual. Once the animal had been killed and its skin removed, it would not be eaten but returned to the wild, wrapped in leaves. “The elves will not bite his flesh and send him back to the cycle. »
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The summoner would only ever possess four scrolls and never more. He would use this day to reflect on what kind of spirit he was looking for. Would he be brave? would he be smart? On each scroll a word would be inscribed that represented a virtue he wished to see in his spirit. Unfortunately for Ilawen, with an air spirit it was much more complicated. Since the written words also had to agree with the personality of the summoner. Imagine for a moment being a selfish person but writing on the scroll that you are looking for a generous spirit. Well the result was obvious.
On the day of the invocation, three people of the same gender and age group were appointed to bear the burden of the other three elements.
The summoner would draw a circle with the summoning ink. It wasn't just any ink. This was extracted from an extremely rare squid found only in the Shining Sand Archipelago. The archipelago and a fringe of land west of Eteryddyn were part of the human realm. This squid called golden purse ejected a magical golden ink that was essential for the ritual. Unfortunately the animal only had a small pocket of ink, and it was necessary to kill at least three or four of them to have a small vial which would be sold at an exorbitant price. Before being taken to the place of invocation, the vial would travel to the four cardinal points.
When the first circle was drawn a second circle was drawn inside it. The three people chosen to accompany the summoner walked towards the circle with three items: a bowl of water, a lit candle, a bowl filled with earth, or an empty bottle. It sounded simple, but the ingredients were anything but simple. The water had to be harvested from the mountains of the north, the candle had to be made with beeswax, but it was a species called the scarlet bee which from their stinger launched destructive jets of flame, the earth was to be harvested from under a tree harboring an earth spirit, it was the easiest ingredient for my brother to find, and the empty bottle was to contain the air harvested one stormy morning at dawn, before the rain falls. All these conditions had only one role, to appease the elements which could be… extremely capricious.
After bowing before the circle they went to the three cardinal points: to the north the water, to the west the air, to the east the earth, to the south the fire. They put the element on the ground. They bowed again and turned their backs to the elements. When it was done, the summoner carried in his hands the element he had chosen, he bowed and deposited it at the remaining point and entered inside the summoning circle.
Then invoked the spirit.
My mother came to pick me up just before noon. She had forbidden me to go to my training in the morning, which despite my disappointment had allowed me to recover hours of sleep that I did not know I was missing.
I accompanied her to the summoning room. It wasn't actually a room, but the doors leading to it were usually closed. I was surprised to enter an inner courtyard, resembling those that were built in Roman houses. A gallery placed around the courtyard and supported by columns was used to accommodate the spectators. Their number was limited and only adults with the exception of the Duke's children and participants in the ritual could be present. I'm sure if the Duchess could have excluded me, she would have. When we sat down with my mother next to my father in the gallery, he was already accompanied by his other wives and children, with the exception of Ilawen. Ionan was the Duchess's second son, he was 16 but already looked older, he had the build of a soldier. He had decided to join the army like his grandfather and would soon leave for a guard post. Palron was the 3rd son of the Duchess, he was also 16, he was Ionan's twin but I had never seen him. I only knew that he resided in the castle. Next to Ilari was Lidiane's 2nd daughter, Aliana. She was only 8 years old and very shy for her age. I didn't hate her, she ignored me when we passed each other and when Ilari wanted to talk to me, she pulled her by the hand and found excuses to keep her away. So, no I didn't hate her and in other circumstances we might have been close. Dalanne looked nervously at the table on which had been placed the ingredients necessary for the summoning in the courtyard. Torches had been placed. The ritual could last until sunset after which the ritual would be seen as a failure. When noon arrived we expected the ritual to begin, but a servant came running into the gallery.
“Your grace! he exclaimed before bowing to my father
" What's going on ? Where is my son? he asked
“An accident happened on the road. The son of the Marquis d'Ombré finds himself between life and death. »
Exclamations arose in the gallery. Etelien the Marquess' son was one of the participants in the ritual and a friend of Ilawen.
“Send our best doctors immediately to rescue him and notify his family. This poor boy. »
“Right away, Your Grace. the servant said before rushing out.
“It is a tragedy and during such an important event. It would be wiser to postpone the ritual,” Liamon said.
“How can you say that my husband. Our son has been waiting for this day for over a year. I feel sorry for the family of the Marquis at this time. But think about our son losing his friend and canceling his summons would be too much for this child. You know how sensitive he is. »
I found the Duchess Dalanne there. She was a cold, calculating woman. If someone hurt her, she would plan her revenge for ten years before taking action. And if anyone stood in the way of a bright future for her children, she did not hesitate to push them aside and if necessary to crush them.
"He's not dead yet." I heard Aliana whisper. Her sister had put her hand over her mouth before she could say more. Lidiane looked at her daughter in horror. That was the level of dread she felt for the Duchess. The Duchess pretends she didn't hear anything, but I was sure they would both have a private conversation about how to control their children. I was worried about poor Aliana.
In the eyes of the Duchess, Etelien had failed in the task given to him, even though it was not of his own volition and might as well have been dead.
“Dalanne even if I wanted to continue the ritual, there is no other person here who would be suitable. Iona cannot participate, the spirits are always upset when someone older than the summoner enters the circle. Inari and Aliana could have participated but they are not the same gender. We find ourselves at an impasse. »
“Are you forgetting that you have another son? said Dalanne, looking at me. The coldness that his gaze returned to me made me shiver.
My mother stood in front of me to hide me from her sight.
“Taylor is only 6 years old, the minimum age to participate is 8 years old. Its core is not even formed yet and the element it should hold is the most violent. The fire could consume him and still you want him to participate? Your level of cruelty is unbelievable” my mother finished whispering
“What right do you have to talk to me like that? I am a duchess, and I accept with as much grace as possible the presence of a peasant woman in my home, do not take my kindness for granted. »
“I never took your behavior for kindness. I would accept the bite of an adder more than your kindness. »
“Do you think I am blind? I know he's the old crow's pupil. He wouldn't have chosen him if he had no talent. A magical talent perhaps? " she says
This woman had spies everywhere, I had only spoken to my mother and father about my magic and yet she knew about it. This woman was more dangerous than I thought.
The two elves were now staring at each other.
“Enough said my father. We can postpone this…”
" I will participate."
" No !" exclaimed my mother, turning abruptly towards me
"It's far too dangerous for you. said Liamon
When I saw the Duchess's smiling gaze, I knew I had made a mistake. But if I had let the situation escalate the Duchess would have made my mother and me pay one way or another.
" I will participate." I said firmly as I anxiously eyed the lit candle on the table.