Tylee and I set out early in the morning the next day. I felt a small pang of remorse at not being able to fully explore Whelden, or even make a perfunctory visit to the southern offices of the Alchemists' guild. Of course, with my small amount of notoriety in that place, it was probably for the best. I would have probably been caught up in some kind of intrigue within that office.

Instead, I was caught trying to keep up with a great earth soul on foot. Horses were a luxury afforded only to the very wealthy who were passing through. This far south there was still a chance of the animals wandering into unconsecrated land and being subject to the Awakening. A Felsteed was a dangerous creature, and one which Whelden could ill-afford to have wandering around.

Of the four cardinal elementalists, a geomancer is the hardiest. This extends not only into the arena of resisting physical damage, but also in a truly staggering level of endurance. I was no slouch myself, having trained my body physically, and having completed two rounds of strength enhancing elixirs, but at this point I began to realize the true gap between myself and my companion.

"Do you ever get tired?" I asked, my breath coming in short gasps.

Tylee regarded me seriously, "Would you like me to carry you."

I jumped back, "No, that's unnecessary."

She tilted her head quizzically at me, "I am not unaccustomed to caring for those placed in my charge Master Dyre. You do not need to worry about inconveniencing me."

Yeah, but the real problem would be the sheer embarrassment if we came upon anybody. She was already weighed down by a steel breastplate, adding a lanky alchemist to her load would have made us appear more than comical. Plus, the idea of Tylee carrying me left distinctly uncomfortable.

"It's not that," I said, "You see, I'm working on my third round of a level two strengthening elixir. If I don't push my body to its limits, the effects will be drastically reduced."

Tylee nodded somberly, "Of course. Though I must ask how you were able to afford such a grade of elixir."

I grinned, "I made them myself."

Her eyes widened, "How long have you been an alchemist?"

"Two years." I responded.

Her eyes narrowed, "I hope that you are not making a fool of me."

I raised my hands, "Of course not. I'm just very good at what I do."

"You do realize that most alchemists train for five years before even thinking about making their first elixir, right?" She asked.

"I was an..." I began.

I wasn't sure how work in a hospital lab would translate over to this world, so I decided on the closest thing I could think of.

"Herbalist." I lied, "I practiced with non-magical herbs and substances long before I became an alchemist."

She nodded thoughtfully, "I see."

"The principles are mostly the same," I continued, "You have to measure things exactly, then know the order of placing them. Essence is something new, but I just treat that like another ingredient that needs to be added periodically rather than all at once."

Of course, I didn't really need to think about adding essence, but that was a secret that I intended to tell no one. I didn't want to become somebody's golden goose. People have a nasty habit of cooking those up and eating them.

As we continued our march, I decided to turn the questions towards Tylee, rather than risk revealing more about myself.

"So," I said, "What drew you to the Sisterhood of Light?"

She was silent for many moments. Just when I feared that she would ignore the question completely, she turned her golden eyes towards me.

"I am the fourth child of Duke Etrasz Arefina," She said, "He inherited the title from my mother, Amelie Arefina, when she passed. My elder sisters stand in succession before me. When I turned twelve I was given a choice. I could either begin my training and eventually challenge my sisters for supremacy of the house, I could join the military as a geomancer, or I could devote my life to the goddess Orianna."

"Oh." I said, "Wait... you're the daughter of a duke?"

"Duchess," She corrected, "And yes."

"Shouldn't I call you 'My Lady' or something?" I asked, suddenly worried about having offended a member of the nobility.

Vern was ruled from afar by a baron, though the church, through Father Lyorcha, had more sway in the town itself. I had no experience with the nobility of Esturia, but from what I remembered of the history of my old home, it was never good to get on the bad side of nobility.

"I forsook all other oaths to serve the goddess," Tylee said, "If I had chosen the military, then I would have had to take certain oaths to the first lady, which would have overridden my own familial oaths. My sisters have nothing to fear from me in terms of their inheritance."

"Then why would you father want you near?" I asked, "That's part of the reason why you are even escorting me."

She looked at me carefully, "You are awfully curious for a simple alchemist Ethan Dyre. Are you perhaps intending on marrying a baroness for a title someday?"

I stumbled slightly, but managed to keep my footing, "Honestly Tylee, I would rather stab myself in the foot than get involved in Esturian politics."

She tilted her head, "Yet you ask questions of a clearly political nature. You are a walking contradiction."

"Well," I said, shrugging, "If it's about you, then I am interested."

She fell quiet at that. Glancing over, I saw that she was examining the ground rather more closely than it deserved. From the way she refused to look at me, I could tell that I had put my foot in my mouth. Thinking quickly, I remembered a proverb from... somewhere.

"Where I come from," I said, "There is an old proverb about saving someone's life. Once you have done so, you become responsible for them. I know it might seem forward, but I am concerned about you Sister Arefina."

"You need not concern yourself with me," She muttered, "I am a great soul, and I am supported by my sisters in all things."

I glanced around, "Funny, I don't see your sisters here right now. Just me."

She turned a glare on me, "You presume too much, alchemist."

I met her glare for glare, "Is that the reason why none of the sisters spoke with you while we were at the waters of life? I noticed many of them chatting, but the area around us was unnaturally quiet. Is that why you have been accompanying adventurers on patrols around Whelden rather than the Sisterhood?"

She glared for another moment before dropping her eyes.

"I might be nothing more than a commoner," I pointed out, "But I have eyes. Something is weird about this entire situation. You were almost killed a few days ago, and I don't believe for a moment that it was just the act of two rogue great souls turned to banditry. You were targeted."

She grew quiet again, and I let the silence lay. We traveled for the rest of the day without speaking more than a few words. When we finally stopped for the night at a small stone structure along the road meant for travelers, Tylee finally spoke to me again.

"My eldest sister was assassinated last month," She said, looking into the small fire that I had started in the rough hearth.

I remained quiet. The reason why the nobility of Aramor are nobility is because, with few exceptions, they are all great souls. At least all of those who are in the succession of the house leadership.

"My brother," She said, "A middling soul and adventurer, was killed under mysterious circumstances almost a year ago while adventuring in the west."

"Only my second sister remains alive," She said, "though she is afflicted by a curse which the Church's white mages cannot find a remedy to. I am being called home because I will probably be released from my oaths to the Sisterhood so that I may take up my place as daughter-heir of house Arefina."

I felt a sinking sensation in my gut, "So you were targeted."

She nodded, "If not for your intervention, the house of Arefina would almost certainly been called up for dissolution right now. As it stands, I will be called upon to lay aside my oaths to Orianna in order to maintain the honor of my house."

I stared at her for long moments before muttering a word to my recall ring. Another violent yellow potion appeared in my hand. Without words, I proffered it to her.

"What is this?" She asked, taking it from me.

"It's a level two speed potion," I responded, "Best I could make with the materials I could find in Vern. If we get attacked again, it should give you about twenty-two minutes of speed usually reserved for a Lark."

She nodded quietly, tucking the vial into a bandolier that she probably wore for the purpose of carrying such potions. Though she was adorned with none right now.

"May I see your sword?" I asked.

She hesitated, then handed it to me. I took the blade and removed a small whetstone from my pack. I felt mildly self-conscious as she watched me go through the motions of sharpening and oiling the blade. While I cannot forge a blade, I found early on that if I personally maintained a weapon, I could imbue it with the strengthening properties of my magic, albeit to a lesser extent than the power I had woven into my staff.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

I felt a trickle of essence flow from my fingers as I carried out the work. Focusing, I pushed my will into the work, bidding the blade to become sharper and harder. In ten minutes I was done. Sheathing the weapon, I handed it back to Tylee.

"It's not much," I said, "But it should be sharper and more resilient than any other blade. That is about all I can do right now. I'm afraid that my skills as an enchanter are lacking. I don't know any inscriptions used for weapons."

Tylee quietly drew the blade and tested my words. Whatever she saw in it seemed to satisfy her, because she replaced the weapon and smiled at me.

"I thank you friend Ethan." She said, giving a slight bow from her seated position, "It feels as if the weapon is singing when I hold it. I will treasure it."

I held up my hands, "It's just temporary. The power should hold for the next couple days. I will re-empower it as we travel."

She nodded, "I understand. It is still a gift that I accept gratefully. I also... Thank you."

I felt like she had wanted to say more. Possibly about her family. I decided to let the matter lie. Tylee offered to take the first watch, I let her.

The next morning found us on the road early. There is a trick to sleeping as a mage. If you meditate for thirty minutes before resting and set your essence to circulating in a certain way, you can get by with less sleep than the average person. At my level of control, I was capable of turning five hours into a full eight. Tylee could turn three into seven, just about the limit of that particular trick. It was something even a wick could accomplish, which made even their miniscule talent useful.

Tylee's recent admission filled me with more than a little paranoia. The mother superior of the Whelden temple had been shrewd in offering Tylee as an escort for me. She had known that using a great soul such as Tylee for something as simple as escort duty for a master alchemist would be overkill, which would have turned many eyes away from our travel. In addition, she had probably bet on the fact that I would be able to ensure Tylee's survival if the worst should happen.

In a way, I was the one escorting Tylee, rather than the other way around. I can't say that I was happy about this turn of events.

By the third day my paranoia had faded, and I had even begun to read a book on simple inscription which I had acquired for two gold sovereigns at a store in Whelden. While it contained little of use for practical enchanting, there were some theories and basic exercises which I took to practicing at night.

"What is that?" Tylee asked, pointing at the pencil I was holding.

I held up the object, "A pencil."

"A what?" She asked.

"It's a type of rock," I explained, "Graphite, you can find it in some of the areas around Vern. It's kind of like charcoal in that it rubs itself away."

I demonstrated the crude design of my writing implement. I had drawn inspiration from a memory of extendable crayons and spent time with the local blacksmith to draw steel, then coil it so that it could be used to extend the graphite out of the tube. I had been rather proud of my invention, especially because it meant that I didn't have to work with an inkpot and quill whenever I needed to make quick notes.

I still used ink for anything I wanted permanent, like recipes in my grimoire. But the pencil was especially useful when I started practicing the fine calligraphy necessary for a master inscriber. Maybe I could find someone to help me invent the ballpoint pen when I arrived in Aramor.

"Interesting," She said, regarding it, "May I try?"

I shrugged and handed it over, though my heart skipped a beat as she took it from my hands. While I was sure that Tylee could be as gentle as a lamb, the woman was a geomancer and a knight. She could probably crush the little tube between her thumb and forefinger with less than a thought.

Instead of destroying my precious creation, she took a small piece of paper from her own pack and began writing. A small gasp of wonder escaped her lips, mildly ruined by her frown as she touched and smudged the written words.

"It's not perfect," I explained, "After a number of years the writing will eventually fade into illegibility just like a charcoal imprint, but it is useful for short notes or practice."

She held up the pencil and regarded it carefully, "I believe that you have misled me Master Dyre. You had told me that you were merely an alchemist. You did not inform me that you were also an artificer."

I shrugged, feeling vaguely uncomfortable, "I have a very broad, but shallow depth of knowledge in quite a few fields my lady."

She shot me a look, "I would prefer if you refrained from using such a title with me."

"I'm going to have to get used to it," I suggested, "After all, we both know what is going to happen when we arrive at Aramor."

"What may happen," She corrected me, "And afterwards... I doubt that we will see each other."

I raised an eyebrow, "Is that what you really want?"

She handed the pencil back, "It will be dangerous for you to be even loosely associated with my family at this time Master Dyre. I would not wish to bring injury to your rising career. Having spent time with you, I believe that you will one day be one of the great alchemical masters. It would be a pity if your life was cut short due to an... accident."

"Don't you think that I should get a say in the matter?" I asked, "For your sake?"

I mentally hit myself. For some reason, I had decided to become a bleeding heart for this temple mage. I had sworn up and down to myself that I would avoid becoming embroiled in the politics of this world, yet now I was professing my devotion to somebody who was about to step into the very heart of that maelstrom.

But a goddess had asked it of me, and it gave me the one thing I never had. Purpose. I hardened my resolve and fixed her with a hard look.

"Would you become my bondsman?" She asked, weighing me carefully with her eyes.

Hell no.

I raised my hands defensively, "I was thinking more along the lines of a friend that you can call on in need."

She regarded me, then turned away to prepare her bedding. She didn't speak to me again until morning, and the topic didn't come up.

On the eve of our fifth day the capital of Aramor, aptly named Aramor, came into sight. It must be very confusing for the citizens of the city to sort out whether a census was speaking of them, or the citizenship as a whole.

The first thing I noticed about Aramor was the castle around which the city had grown. The fortress was like something out of a fairy tale, with sweeping battlements and towers that threatened to touch the clouds. In truth, it looked alien in the midst of the much less impressive city which was built around it.

"Castle Aramor," Tylee said, disrupting my train of thought, "Built before the last days, when Esturia was shattered, giving birth to the Broken Lands."

I turned to stare at her, "How old is that thing?"

"It has stood for more than a thousand years," She replied, "And will most likely stand for five more centuries. The enchantments laid upon it during construction are such that the stone itself does not show weathering even now."

I turned back to the city, staring in awe at this artifact of a fallen age. There must have been an aquifer inside of the mountain, as there was a sweeping aqueduct which arced lazily through the castle's structure, eventually ending at the base of the thing, where it probably fed into a cistern.

The structure itself was constructed of stone in soft, cream colored hues, that reflected a gentle light. Seven towers were capped with what I assumed were shingles, dyed in a deep cobalt. Stained glass winked cheerily at me from almost every window. This looked more like a work of art, though I supposed it would serve as a fortress in a pinch.

"Castle Aramor is the reason why humanity still exists in the North." Tylee explained, "When the world was broken during the Time of Calamity, the noble house of Aramor took in tens of thousands of refugees. This bastion threw back the Awakened and Risen hordes, holding this point and protecting the Northern lands. This was the first land to be consecrated, and some say that it was by the hand of Orianna herself."

"More than half of the noble houses, my own included, can trace their lineage back to Lady Rosalia Aramor, First Lady of the kingdom." Tylee said, a hint of reverence in her voice, "House Arefina is descended from one of her seven daughters when she split the Northern lands among them and took her place as the First Lady."

"Every First Lady since then has foresworn her familial ties to serve the kingdom to its fullest." She concluded, turning to face me, "You do well to show awe in the presence of this place friend Ethan. If there is any city on the continent of Esturia that may be considered holy, it is this edifice."

The city may have been holy, but the guards were still out for their entrance fees. I obligingly handed over three coppers for myself, though Tylee merely showed them the badge of her office and was granted entry.

We made our way to the temple of Orianna and entered. The interior here was similar to that of the one found in Whelden, all white with gold trim, although the sweeping cathedral chamber directly before us with a massive statute of the goddess was new.

A woman with dark hair and faded blue eyes approached us, "Sister, how may I assist you?"

Tylee stood at attention, "Tylee Arefin, Knight of the Sisterhood of Light, reporting as ordered for transfer to the temple of Aramor."

The woman smiled lightly, "I know you are of the militant sisters, but there is no need for such rigid formality. Do you have any wounds that need tending?"

As she spoke, I felt the telltale whisper of white magic boiling inside of her. This sister was a white mage, and from the way she eagerly offered her gifts and the washed-out color of her eyes, likely two steps away from burnout due to magical addiction.

I stepped forward quickly and rested a hand on the mage's arm, pushing it down, "We have not sustained any injuries sister. Please reserve your magic for the assistance of others."

Something akin to anger flashed through her eyes and she pulled away from me. I let her go and felt a strong hand fall on my own shoulder.

"This is Master Dyre," Tylee introduced me, "Master alchemist and friend of the Sisterhood. The mother superior of the order directed me to seek out priestess Mali, could you direct us to her?"

The woman gave us directions, along with a spiteful glance for me, before sending us on our way. As we walked, Tylee addressed me.

"It was unwise to lay hands on a white mage friend Ethan." She said, "There are strict penalties for doing so. If I had not intervened you may have found yourself in a cell for the night."

"But I used to touch Father Lyorcha all the time," I protested, "I've treated him for several ailments!"

"This is not Vern, and you would do well to remember it," Tylee replied.

"That sister needs some time off," I said, changing the angle of my attack, "She's about ready to succumb and become a babbler."

Tylee sighed, "She had probably already been ordered to do so. It is not unlikely that she is lurking around the cathedral in the hopes of running into someone who is in need of healing. All magic is inherently addictive, but white magic is much worse. I am told that touching it is like embracing the goddess herself."

I shivered, "So she's just going to..."

Tylee nodded wearily, "It happens to many white mages with middling souls. The access they have to refined essence is far above what they could usually handle. At first, they tell themselves that they are doing it to help others. Slowly, it becomes more about just having the feel of magic flowing through them."

"Someone should stop them." I growled.

"It has been tried," Tylee told me, "If locked in isolation, they harm and then heal themselves repeatedly until they either succumb to the addiction completely or they go too far with the harming. The church trains its healers in discipline above all things, but sometimes even that isn't enough."

We arrived at Priestess Mali's office, where Tylee gives a confident knock.

"Enter." Came a voice.

Upon entry we are greeted by a woman with brown hair, and green eyes that were a shade too light. Another white mage then.

"Ah," She said, "You must be Sister Arefina and Master Dyre. Please, sit."

She shuffled through some paperwork, then pulled a sheet from the pile and inspected it briefly before looking up at us.

"Quite a tale," She said, "Though when great souls are involved, the tales are usually at least interesting. Sister Arefina, you understand why you were sent here?"

Tylee nodded, then turned to me, "Before I am released, I would like to perform a rite for my... friend."

The priestess looked at us with calculating eyes, but shrugged, "As you wish daughter."

Tylee stood and bade me rise with her. When he stood facing each other, she lightly tapped her right foot, then with two fingers, touched the remaining three outflow tracks of the other three cardinal elements. Finally, she held her fingers under her right eye while speaking.

"Ethan Dyre," She said, "In my capacity as a Knight-Sister of the Sisterhood of Light and acting with permission of the mother superior of that order, I hereby name you a friend of the sisterhood. May you always walk in the light, and may the warm embrace of the mother of all living shelter you in your darkest hours."

Falling silent, she moved the same fingers to my forehead over the inflow track there. I half expected to feel the flow of magic until I remembered that Tylee was no gray mage. Although I did wonder if she put her foot against my head...

I was brought out of my musings as Tylee placed a small steel chain with the sunburst of her order attached to it in my hand.

"This has been attuned to you," She said, the formality of her tone fading, "If you show it to any of the sisterhood, they will do their utmost to assist you. We do not treat out debts lightly."

I clasped the necklace, feeling a strange prickling in my eyes, "Thank you, Sister."

She smiled, "I am glad that you were able to call me that one last time. Now go. I will seek you out in time."

I nodded, giving an awkward bow, "As you wish Sister."

And with that, Sister Arefina disappeared from my life. The next time I would see Tylee would be in her capacity as Lady Arefina, daughter-heir of the house of Arefina. For now, I had a lot to learn, and a sudden, burning desire to do so.