“Child, child, child! Don’t call me child. Sure, I got no fancy name like you lot, but I got a name all the same, Larynda!” she retorted sharply. Kidu’s expression changed not one whit, forcing her to answer his question, “I can take care of myself! Stab ‘em with the sharp bits, right? Also, bein’ that one my parents was an elf, I got a whole lot of life yet to live, so I’d rather use one of my stickers for me rather than on me, thank you very much!”
With no quick rejoinder of his own, he could only snort in annoyance. I simply found the whole exchange grating. Was the little brat going to be cooperative? Or had I, or Kidu, failed some sort of hidden Charisma check?
“Magic,” I said simply, “can you do it?”
“Old Ham…” she began in answer before I cut her off, seeking to get to the meat of the matter.
“I care not one whit for what that doddering old fool says, or thinks. Can you, or can you not do any sort of magic that could be of help to us if trouble finds us?” I asked as matter-of-factly as I could, wanting to cut through any further childish protests that she may have offered.
By her expression, I could see that she was concocting another pathetic excuse, so I decided a change of tack was in order. No matter how gifted the child in front of me was, I had to remember that she was still just a child. I would give her one of the drugs that all children craved.
“Hamsa is not here. Do you not wish to know the limits of your own potential? Here and now, you are free to explore your own powers. Indeed, I am asking you, for our sake as much as yours, to do so!” I entreated, hoping that this line of attack would be successful.
I could see indecision warring on her face and I was about to reinforce my argument before Kidu delivered the final blow to her caution.
“Gilgamesh speaks the truth. He too is walking down the path of the wise. You would do well to follow his example. Fear of unknown things is not a treasure to be held close to your heart,” he said gruffly. A part of me despaired at his rough command of the local tongue.
For all of his rough delivery, however, it worked. The young girl stilled for a moment in thought, before coming to the decision that Kidu and I had guided her to. She reached into her large pack and took out a few pieces of rectangular paper, about twenty centimeters long and about a quarter of that wide, a brush and black ink, and a writing board. Curiously, I watched her, afraid to break the spell as she furiously wrote down some mysterious, arcane symbols on the parchment.
“These are seals. I once overheard the old man talking with one of the customers about using ‘em to help guide novices safely down the path of magic. Hamsa told me, and made me promise, that I would never use my Mana directly or something like that. So, I like, maybe borrowed a book, and like practiced a bit here and there. These will act as some sort of, sort of, way to shape my Control or something like that,” she half-mumbled, her face a mask of concentration as she began to write new intricate symbols onto yet another piece.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
“So, I presume you know what you are doing and not just scribbling down some random nonsense?”
“Guess so, only done it once before though. Comes to me easy enough. ‘Haps I’m just talented like that,” she said offhandedly, as she continued with her work.
I moved nearer and observed her more closely. She drew, or wrote, the symbols with a consummate skill that made me believe her earlier claim. Intriguing, I thought to myself. The symbols did not move about in shifting patterns as they did with the Identify scroll I had found when I first came to this world, but they were every bit as esoteric and mysterious. It was a pleasure to watch her brush glide delicately across the paper, a true craftsman at work.
There was a passing mention in the book that Elwin had gifted me about Seals, the things that the girl was making now. They were a way to help new practitioners of the arcane arts manifest their chosen element. It was a form of writing their intent for a spell, a sort of magical memo instead of a transference of knowledge, like a magical scroll. They had been alluded to as some form of shortcut for the fast execution of simple and basic spells, to allow a magician a feel for the element that they commanded.
Unfortunately, the rest of the description of what they were exactly had been illegible. Still, it was truly fascinating to witness someone making a Seal before my very eyes.
As she was finishing inscribing the last Seal with her magical signature, I could see that her features had grown wan and a little sallow, the activity seeming to have drained her. I decided to spend another Mana point to check on her condition.
Larynda - Chaos Mage [Human/Elf lvl.5]
Health: 32/32
Stamina: 3/21
Mana: 0/19
It seemed that the activity had worn the girl out, something I could sympathize with. With shaky hands, she tidily put her things to one side and, with a small triumphant smile, presented to us her completed Seals.
“If you can truly use these, then perhaps you may well be of some use, instead of an albatross about my neck, like Elwin,” I praised her. Mention of Elwin’s name drew a warning growl from Kidu, who was busy being menacing in the corner. Knowing full well that the carrot was often as important as the stick, I offered the girl some encouragement with a smile, “Good job, now rest for a while and gather your energies. We may need them later.”
The wagon continued moving, and I looked out into the city of tents. My eyes were drawn to the great Ark at its center that rose above all of the dwellings and small buildings. "Good riddance to this cursed city, and if I should catch any of you unawares, I will happily sacrifice you all onto the altar of my advancement," I said under my breath, bitterly.
Her labors finished, I saw the girl fall into an exhausted slumber, a small ball of childish innocence, next to Kidu. Her delicate hands were stained with black ink, and I could tell by her even breathing that the rigors of the day had finally taken their toll. Kidu, too, in the manner of a veteran soldier, had also chosen to rest, and soon dozed off. With only the sounds and sights of the city for company, I was alone with my thoughts.