– Era of the Wastes, Cycle 215, Season of the Setting Moon, Day 37 –

Terry was facing off against Tara while Sigille wandered between the paired students.

“No matter which burst techniques you rely on, the primary purpose is always the same,” said Sigille loudly. “It’s all about rhythm. Some people talk about bursting as a final trump card, a finisher, or a desperate measure to escape from a desperate situation.”

Sigille stopped for a moment to observe Terry’s and Tara’s practice match. “While those are all valid, the primary purpose of bursting is all about rhythm. You burst to change up your own rhythm in unexpected ways. You burst to disrupt your opponent’s rhythm when they can least afford it. Used like that, bursting shows its true value.”

Burst techniques…

Terry barely dodged a spear from Tara. He was unable to properly focus on the match.

After Sigille had explained different burst techniques in one of her previous classes, Terry’s mind had jumped back to his own oscillating mana and the table of different behaviors he had noticed.

The lecture had made Terry realize that his column for his own mana when bursting needed some further experiments for clarification.

What is it about bursting? If it was about mana throughput, then I should see the same behavior without bursts after progressing some more in my mana foundation.

Terry had to burst his mana in order to evade one of Tara’s kicks.

Then again, if the spatial seal in the dungeon really shattered due to me bursting, then I should have already seen the behavior in Syn, even without bursting.

Not mana throughput then.

From the side, Sigille narrowed her eyes at the absentminded Terry.

Although throughput can mean different things, I guess. More resilient mana channels to better stand the moving mana. Better mana control to achieve higher compression of the mana so as to avoid straining the mana channels.

But both of those would follow the same argument… That leaves velocity? Moving the mana more rapidly? Or is it about actively taking control and pushing it a certain way? Or…?

Terry frowned. Without a dimensional mage, he had no way to verify any of his hypotheses. The uncertainty was gnawing at his mind.

Terry barely leaned back in time to avoid another spear thrust from Tara.

*Thwack!*

OWWW! Terry felt a sharp pang on his head from behind.

Tara stopped her movements and snickered.

Terry turned around to find Sigille glaring at him with an all too familiar staff in her hand.

Busted.

Terry could read Sigille’s expression enough to understand the reason for her disgruntled expression. He glanced sheepishly at her while mumbling: “Sorry.”

“I told you to not apologize unless you truly mean it,” stressed Sigille. “I take this to mean that you will focus from now on. I take that as a promise. Clear?”

“Clear.” Terry nodded hurriedly.

“You can worry about your mission or whatever later,” said Sigille. “You ought to make better use of your practice time.”

“Yes, Instructor,” agreed Terry.

“Good.” Sigille turned her gaze towards Tara. “If he has that absentminded expression again, I allow you to use aspected bursts. Preferably something that hurts.”

“Understood, Instructor,” acknowledged Tara with a grin that exposed her sharp canine teeth.

A slight shiver ran down Terry’s back. They had always kept some restrictions in their spars, and Terry understood perfectly well that this posed more of an advantage for him than for Tara.

Terry took a deep breath and promised himself to not get distracted anymore.

Aunt Sigille is right. Focus. One step at a time…

***

Terry swung himself up in the air and changed course by using one of his inscribed bidirectional attraction gloves to pull himself towards one of the many transfixed items in the air.

Next, Terry infused mana into his spear to activate the barrier inscription. He rapidly channeled mana to move the barrier forward along the spear and beyond the spear’s tip. He used the barrier to push himself away from yet another transfixed item.

Afterwards, Terry used a detached barrier from his second spear to hook himself to a transfixed ball. Then, he used the inscribed glove from the same arm to pull himself towards the opposite direction, which caused him to hover in the air while still having one arm and two legs free for movement.

Terry returned his barrier spears to his storage bracelets and relied on his two inscribed gloves to swing between his transfixed items before allowing himself to fall to the ground.

For the past hour, Terry had been experimenting with different ways to use his magic items together. He was pleasantly surprised with the new options that came with having two bidirectional attraction gloves available.

Terry had already been able to fight in the air somewhat and to rely on his imprinted equipment to attack from above or from unexpected angles. Still, being able to pull himself with no immovable anchor on his own body opened up some additional flexibility.

Another benefit was that Terry could now pull himself in one direction while using the second glove to collect items whose Immovable Object activation had worn off. This was a benefit that Terry would not underestimate after his experience with the inscribed earth giant.

Terry was less satisfied with his current applications of the barrier spears, but he figured they might serve to switch up his rhythm or give him an edge in certain situations.

Terry’s throat was parched, and he retrieved a bottle of mana-imbued ice tea that his family had included in their care package. While drinking, he let his eyes wander over the training grounds.

Huh? A follower of the Bright Lady?

Terry thought that someone was looking at him. However, before Terry could react to the person, his attention was already drawn to a familiar – and unwelcome – mana signature that was approaching Terry from a different direction.

“Another match! This time, you better take it seriously!” The dismayed voice of a robed woman wearing a bob cut arrived.

Terry sighed and turned to his guest. “Greetings, Isabella. I told you before that I don’t know what you are talking about. I always take my matches seriously. I did the same for the spars we had afterwards.”

“Bullshit!” Isabella glared at Terry. “You still haven’t used any spellwork except for that weird spell. Don’t take us lightly just because you were raised with a magic spoon up your arse. We may not have learned in the fancy Empire of Magic, but spellwork is spellwork – no matter where you learn it.”

Terry held back a retort. He still recalled the advice from his aunt, as well as the conversation during the trip to the Preacher’s reception.

“You have no idea of how they make us struggle for even the most basic spell,” accused Isabella. “You are making a mockery of combat practice. That is an insult to all of us here.”

Terry forced himself to not roll his eyes. “I thought combat practice is supposed to hone yourself, which is why the instructors sometimes apply restrictions.”

Please go away…

“More bullshit!” spat Isabella. “You fed me that line before, but I have asked around and there was no restriction that would have limited you to not use any other spellwork.”

Terry suppressed a sigh.

Terry understood that he might avoid certain forms of trouble if people overestimated his connection to the Academy. He understood that people would be more wary of causing him trouble if they thought him a powerful mage proper.

However, despite his understanding, Terry hated this. If this had been in Arcana, he would simply shout his aspect impairment from the rooftops and be done with the farce.

Terry had told Derek, because they wanted to work together and, aside from a raised eyebrow, Derek did not care. He was mostly interested in the Immovable Object spell anyway, and for their planned mission, Terry’s abilities were more than sufficient as long as they found an additional member that was capable of healing spells.

Things had been fine until Terry had to face Isabella in combat practice. The woman had developed a gross misunderstanding thanks to Terry being more tight-lipped than his past self.

At this point, Terry was not even sure if Isabella would believe him, even if he explained his aspect impairment to her. Terry was becoming increasingly convinced that Isabella had already created a completely separate version of himself in her head. A version that was too far detached from reality to be shaken by his words.

Terry felt tempted to explain it anyway, just to be done with it. If she did not want to believe him, then it was beyond his sphere of influence and he could stop caring without constantly wondering if he should or should not share his limitations.

Maybe I could point her to Instructor Pelliana and have my former mentor vouch for my incompetence?

Terry smiled wryly.

“Do you think I am funny?!” Isabella’s glare unexpectedly intensified. “Another match and I will show you how funny I really am.”

Terry groaned inwardly and considered his schedule.

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“You can posture all you want, Isabella, but as far as I recall, Terry gained the overall victory in the combat practice matches against you.” The follower of the Bright Lady that Terry had noticed earlier had walked up to them.

Terry spotted a plain gold ring on the man’s hand. He recalled Cadence’s explanation that many of the Lady’s Circle wore rings summoned with the Bright Lady’s mana as a sign of faith.

“No one asked you, Harrison,” barked Isabella. “Aren’t you missing a sermon somewhere? Go light some incense and speak in tongues to ingratiate yourself with creatures from another realm. This is a talk between mages. I don’t need a freaking channeler to butt in.”

“Charming as always,” said Harrison. “Have you forgotten that I can cast spells on my own? I have chosen the Bright Lady for her wisdom and not for any powers she might grant. If my memory serves right, I beat you in the past without any channeled abilities. Isn’t that right?”

Isabella’s expression darkened. “I’m not talking to you. This is between me and the Arcanian.”

“Say what you want, but you are only making yourself appear ridiculous,” jeered Harrison. “If others win against you without using all of their power, then you should not get angry at them, but at yourself.”

Harrison’s eyes became noticeably colder. “What is the point in demanding them to show more power if they can beat you without doing so?”

Terry felt the urge to explain that this was not what he thought, but it was offset by the hope that maybe, just maybe, it would get Isabella off his back.

“I don’t care what you think.” Isabella turned away from Harrison and focused her gaze on Terry. “One more match.”

Alas…

Terry clicked his tongue and decided he would rather get this over with. From his perspective, Isabella was a good mage, but a mage that worked better in a team. He did not understand why she kept challenging him to duels. She was a pure spell flinger, and this represented a significant disadvantage once a mana cultivator came close. Unfortunately for her, Terry had enough mana to spare to close in quickly if he so wished.

By now, Terry also had enough experience against her to be familiar with her favored patterns and combinations. While Isabella’s spellwork had proved a challenge in their first encounter, their most recent spars were different.

Familiarity aside, Terry also did not have to refrain from bursting or follow the other restrictions from the combat practice. The only reason that their last spar had not finished quickly was that Terry took his time to test himself against whatever spells Isabella still had available.

Maybe that Harrison has a point? Perhaps I should pick a different course for the spar this time around. All out from the beginning…

“Fine, but then it’s now or never,” said Terry.

“Now!” insisted Isabella.

“Don’t mind me,” said Harrison, and stepped aside to give the two the required space.

Terry took a deep breath and nodded towards Isabella.

As soon as Isabella nodded as well, Terry burst his mana and charged forth.

Isabella quickly established a barrier and unleashed several fire and rock spears at Terry.

Terry waited for a suitable moment and then unleashed a layered disruption discharge with both arms at the same time.

In one giant wave of mana, the spell splicers broke apart the condensed fire-aspected mana of the Fire Spears and the earth-aspected cores of the Rock Spears.

While the rock remnants continued their trajectory without the guidance of mana, the spell splicers reached and eventually shattered Isabella’s barrier.

Terry continued his charge without breaking his stride.

Isabella canceled her Wind Blast spell that was intended for a combination with the fire spears.

Her barrier had dammed the incoming wave for a moment and taken out the speed, but she still had to retreat a few steps to avoid having Terry’s mana crowd out her own and impair her mana harvesting.

Isabella replaced her barrier and narrowed her eyes because of Terry’s behavior, that differed greatly from their previous encounters. She was used to Terry probing for openings and conserving mana.

Proper spellwork was way more mana-efficient than discharges. It cost her way less mana to erect a barrier than it cost Terry to disrupt it.

As soon as the new barrier stood, it was already shattered by the arrival of another powerful disruption discharge.

Terry sensed the expected shaping for Isabella’s favored Shadow Bind spell. Instead of trying to disrupt it, Terry used his boots to air-jump up and forward. If the shadow on the ground could not reach you, then it could not bind you either.

Isabella felt herself being pulled towards Terry and recognized the effect of his inscribed gloves. She scowled at the speed at which the distance between them was shrinking.

Isabella unleashed several attack spells in quick succession while also mixing in spells like Raise Icicles that blocked Terry’s path.

Unfortunately for Isabella, Terry never stopped channeling mana into his gloves. He relied on some of his recently learned burst techniques to narrowly avoid the casting centers of spells that would block his path while mixing in disruption discharges to break the spell structures of spells that might hurt him.

Terry reached Isabella and before she could react, he had thrown her over his shoulder and up into the air.

“Wh-what?” Isabella was taken aback by the action.

A moment later, she was suspended in the air and she realized that Terry had activated the Immovable Object spell on some of her equipment while he had thrown her. “HEY!”

Isabella was about to complain when her gaze met Terry’s.

Terry was just standing there while staring into her eyes with a spear in his hand.

Isabella grit her teeth. “DAMN IT! Face me as a mage! Not as a damned cultivator!”

“I have faced you as myself,” stressed Terry. “This is how I fight. I think we are done.”

Terry bowed lightly, as he had seen Tara do occasionally during a spar. “Thank you for accompanying me in my learning.”

Terry did not know if such words would worsen her misunderstanding, but he meant them. Including Shadow Bind, Isabella had confronted him with several spells that Terry had never faced before, and he was grateful for the experience.

Afterwards, Terry walked towards the exit of the training grounds.

“That was not much of a spar.” Harrison walked up to Terry. “You know in the army, they have a saying: ‘Mercy to your enemy is cruelty towards yourself.’”

Terry paused and looked at Harrison.

After a moment, he looked back at Isabella, who was disrupting the active spells on her equipment. “Maybe so, but she is not my enemy. She is just acting like a pest beetle for some reason.”

“Hahaha, well said,” approved Harrison. “A retort that would please the Bright Lady. You know, you are not quite like the rumors are saying.”

Terry raised an eyebrow. “Rumors?”

“An arrogant Arcanian that considers Tiv company beneath him and even shuts himself in his room for meals,” said Harrison. “The person who described you to me finished by saying: ‘bloody rude.’”

Pardon?

Terry did not know how he should react to such a statement. True, he had taken most of his meals alone in his room, but that was to practice while eating and to ponder over his notebook and not because of some aversion or even contempt.

How was that ‘rude’? And I do interact with others… Okay, mostly in Sigille’s personal instruction time or combat practice or when Thena comes knocking, but…

“Haven’t heard about it?” Harrison chuckled.

Terry frowned and shook his head.

“Don’t sweat it.” Harrison smirked. “People just like to gossip and if there is not enough drama, then they will create some. You are from Arcana, which marks you as different. It was the same for me when I joined the Guardians. Back then, there weren’t many that openly professed their faith. Bright Willow has done a lot for us here.”

Terry was not sure what to think about that. On the one hand, Terry felt inclined to agree with Harrison’s words. On the other hand, he found it hard to agree with praise for Willow, considering what he himself knew about the woman.

The rumors bothered Terry somewhat, but he reminded himself that these people did not really know him and that, therefore, their opinion did not necessarily reflect on him. He had gotten along fine with the people that approached him.

At least, if you excluded two particular encounters. One with the green-robed man that had insulted Thena and Clayson and tried to get Terry to bet his barrier spear. The other with Isabella, who evidently had a version of Terry in mind that was not exactly in line with reality.

“Anyway,” started Harrison. “I was wondering if you would be up for a friendly spar. I am curious to test myself against your abilities.”

***

Terry was waiting for Derek at the training grounds.

Terry’s gaze paused when he saw an elven man with a little toddler on his shoulders. Little children were a rare sight in the outpost, and Terry recognized the elven man as one of Sigille’s students.

An old elven woman with a weak mana signature joined the group.

Family visit? Grandmother? Little brother?

The man should be around my age.

No parents…

Terry sighed to himself. The prominently absent parents made him remember the orphanage in the Chara Settlement, remember the tragic stories and the lives claimed by the Wastes.

Briefly, Terry thought back to the time he had left the Academy, wondering what would have happened to him if it wasn’t for his whaka, but he quickly shook his head.

Even as an abandoned dropout, his life in Arcana would have been peaceful and, in all likelihood, comfortable. While Terry had no sense of perspective during his time in the Greenhouse or the Academy, his Guardian missions had shown him the lives of normal folk in Arcana.

While Terry had felt lost back then because he had lacked the required knowledge, there were places where he could have gotten support.

The basic necessities were cheap to come by in Arcana. For the most part, it was the magic luxuries that motivated people to work… or turn to crime.

Terry once again felt lucky to have been born in Arcana. He was certain that if it wasn’t for the good people in the Chara Settlement, the tragic stories would not have ended with dead parents.

“Did you ever have children?” Derek’s voice jolted Terry from his thoughts.

“Huh?” Terry blurted out.

“I did once.” Derek stepped next to Terry. He was also looking at the elven family. “Or nearly did anyway. Never knew how common miscarriages were around here…”

Derek shook his head with a sense of loss in his expression. “People never tell you something like that before it happens and after it happens, none of what they say means anything, anyway.”

Derek wrung his hands in thought. “Neither of us could deal with it, and being together just made it worse. Still, even after all these years, I sometimes wonder what if…” His voice trailed off.

Terry’s mind stumbled over itself and, involuntarily, the picture of Thena tripping flashed in his mind.

Terry had thought of Derek as similar to his own age before, which did not match any part of this conversation as far as Terry was concerned. He was reminded of old man Kimutai’s comment on the age of mana users.

Quite confusing that…

How… What… am I supposed to say here? I…

The silence that followed felt companionable to Derek and increasingly awkward to Terry.

“Ah well.” Derek shrugged while his eyes retained a tinge of sadness. “No point in useless thoughts. Better to keep oneself busy. So what’s up?”

“Uhh, right.” Terry cleared his throat. “I think I may have found a healer, but I thought to talk to you first, since you know more about the people here.”

Derek nodded, clearly happy about being consulted first. “Who is the candidate?”

“His name is Harrison. He introduced himself to me, and we have sparred a bit since then. Follower of the Bright Lady. Trained as a cultivator to some degree and he is also a mage proper. He—”

“Yeah, I know him.” Derek glanced at Terry with an expression of schadenfreude. “I can only assume your spars were challenging.”

Terry smiled wryly. “That is one way to put it. I haven’t won a single round yet.”

“Yeah, I remember my own combat practice matches against Harrison.” Derek mirrored Terry’s expression. “I thought it more than a little unfair to be outmatched not just in one, but essentially in two mana pools. To make it worse, draining the Lady’s mana is like sucking rubbery goo through a tiny straw.”

Derek curiously looked at Terry. “So what did he use? His gold shrapnels? Golden cage? I don’t think he would try his Camouflage against you.”

“Lots of liquid gold turned solid, lightning, and the occasional gold-coated earth wall,” grumbled Terry with tired eyes. He raised an eyebrow. “Shrapnels?”

“He has a few air spells and the ability to move summoned gold around,” elaborated Derek. “You can imagine the rest.” He raised his hands and held his own nape. “He was one reason for me to learn Haste.”

“Anyway, from what I know, Harrison is alright.” Derek shrugged. “No nasty rumors. Very sensitive when it comes to the Bright Lady and extremely protective of their circle, but overall, he mostly gets along with everyone. Some bickering with the more vocal supporters of lifting magic restrictions, but it stays limited to bickering. Nothing I would consider a deal breaker.”

“Sounds good, then I will ask him next time.” Terry was already looking forward to his first aspect being culling.

***