Tala watched from the sidelines as Master Grediv slowly circled Adrill and Brandon within her sanctum.

They were all gathered on the sparring circle, though that was mainly for the wide, level, hard surface, not because anyone was going to fight.

Probably.

Master Simon watched from off to one side as well, sitting in a chair that Tala had called into place for him.

She stood, feeling quite a bit nervous as to what the head of the local Archon Council would say.

Toward that end, she felt a bit miffed. After all, the circling was entirely unnecessary.

Tala could already feel the Paragon’s aura completely permeating the two men who he was examining.

They had absolutely no resistance to his investigation, not that they would have tried even if they could.

Just like almost anyone of a lower advancement, their bodies—their aura and will—simply couldn’t resist his authority even as it allowed him to analyze them to their very core.

What made it worse was that such couldn’t even be felt by mundanes. They were as unaware as they were unable to resist.

-No, Tala. They aren’t mundanes anymore. Actually look.-

Tala changed her perspective, fully focusing on the two men rather than feeling pity for them and only watching Master Grediv.

Both Adrill and Brandon were visibly uncomfortable, but they were bearing up well.

They can feel a foreign authority claiming them?

That… actually made sense. Their bodies now had some level of real power. Still not anywhere near enough to resist, but they were acclimating to the feel of magic and that came with intuitive senses.

And… you know… the magesight that they now have perpetually active, so long as they are within sufficient magical density to use it. Tala mentally chided herself for her surface level thinking.

-You are still seeing them as powerless victims and yourself as the perpetrator. That doesn’t help anyone, them least of all.-

But they are victims, victims of an accident.

-Even if that were true—and there’s a lot of room in that ‘if’—if either you or they focus on that, they will be harmed by the mindset.-

Tala grimaced, but a moment’s thought made it clear that Alat was correct. If she treated them as victims, then she would try to ‘take charge’ of their ‘recovery’ and that would strip them of their own agency. If they saw themselves as victims, then they would never seize their opportunities for themselves, and they would be beholden to her and her whims for a lot longer, if not forever.

Alright. What happened happened. We can’t change that, but we can give them the tools to claim their own future.

-That’s the spirit.- Alat projected contented thoughts Tala’s way, and Tala found herself giving a small smile in return.

She still felt guilty, and she still felt like she needed to do something, but she wouldn’t treat them as helpless victims.

After completing one final circle around the two, Master Grediv nodded and pulled his aura back, the two men instantly relaxing and seeming to deflate slightly without the Paragon’s authority filling them up.

Adrill straightened first, Brandon taking another moment to collect himself, “So, Master Grediv? If it isn’t impertinent to ask: What is your assessment of my son and myself?”

Master Grediv grunted. “Obviously human, even without gates.”—he quirked a smile while saying that—“It seems that the exceptions I added to the city’s defenses can be removed.’

Tala blanched internally. I… did not think of that.

-Neither did I, and I really, really should have.- Alat seemed to contemplate for a moment. -You know what? We didn’t think of it, because we perceive things very similarly to the city’s defenses. The magic within them didn’t strike us oddly, so there was no reason to think the city grid would be any different.-

So… we subconsciously dismissed the issue?

-That seems likely.-

That seems like justification after the fact…

-No way to know, now is there?-

…We don’t Archive our subconscious thoughts, do we. It wasn’t a question.

-Do you want me to? I mean explicitly Archive them. I’m sort of passively recording our mental state all the time, so we do have a record of sorts.-

Oh? So, we could look and see?

-Only if I were to simulate our entire mind, somehow, and then look at our deepest internal thoughts.-

…maybe while I’m asleep next?

Alat sighed. -Fine. I suppose it makes sense to find out if we really were that reckless, or if we just intuitively dismissed it as not being a concern.-

Thank you.

-I’ll let you know if we were in error. If I say nothing, it’s because it is as I assumed.-

…you’re not just going to hide it?

-Absolutely not.-

Alright, I trust you.

Adrill and Brandon shared a look, clearly a bit concerned by Master Grediv’s mention of the city defenses. “Was that a concern?”

The Paragon shrugged, but it was Master Simon who answered, “No, it was not. I wouldn’t have let you out of the sanctum if there had been a danger of that.” He smiled. “Remember the scans we did yesterday before you went home?”

They nodded.

“I was confirming how you would appear to various magical senses and detection grids.”

That seemed to cause the father and son some relief. “Thank you, Master Simon.”

“My pleasure, Adrill. I was not about to let my assistants be struck down by over-zealous, automated defenses.”

Master Grediv interjected, “Regardless, as soon as Mistress Tala contacted me, I added exceptions that would have kept you safe in any case.”

Brandon smiled gratefully toward Tala.

Adrill, however, continued to focus on Master Grediv, “So… what does that mean, Master Grediv?”

“Well, it’s quite simple really. Arcanes rely on conceptual magic. The very magic within them takes on the concept that they embody or strive after. This is not a tainting of the power nor a distortion of magic. It is most akin to them being a colored flame, green or blue for example. The power near them—let’s pretend it is water—looks colored by their very presence, but that doesn’t change what it actually is.”

Tala nodded, that fit with her understanding. It was one reason why arcane magic failed within hostile auras even faster than human magic, if just barely.

Like a flame being doused more quickly when dunked in water than syrup.

-Sounds sticky.-

The Paragon saw her nod and gestured her way, “Mistress Tala? Would you care to add anything?”

She shrugged at that. “Humans can’t use conceptual magic. In your analogy, we would be like pure-white light, simply showing what is around us as it is. To extend the analogy, those with gates bring in water, and that water is as distinct between two people as that from two different springs or wells.”

Brandon frowned, considering, but Adrill had a slight smile as he nodded.

“Regardless, city defenses test magics either for the impurity of ‘spring water’ or the coloration of conceptual magic. You have neither. Effectively, you will not be seen at all by the automated defenses.”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Brandon seemed to have gathered his thoughts, “So, we look like a magical beast?”

Adrill immediately corrected his son, “No, Brandon. Magical beasts would have both. Their power is no longer pure as soon as they absorb it, and they have conceptual magic at their core.”

“Arcanous creatures, then?” The youngest present tried again.

Master Simon stepped in, there. “No, not them either. There’s a reason that we call arcanes, ‘arcanes,’ and it’s not just to be insulting.”

Brandon gave a slow nod. “That’s right. Arcanous creatures get their magic from either the environment or from coopted human gates. Their natural magics are also tinted by exposure to a fount.”

Tala chuckled. “Yeah, even though I understand it, I’ve always found it funny that arcanous creatures basically have conceptual magic forced into their very being by founts, which come from humans who can’t use conceptual magic at all.”

Master Grediv quirked a smile. “Not too strange, honestly. It is like two colorless chemicals that interact to create a dark stain. Neither has a dye or tint inherently, but together? Color appears.”

All present nodded.

Magic was… odd, but it was at least reasonably understood.

The Paragon cleared his throat. “All this aside, you are safe within human cities. Even if you are somehow able to advance further, you shouldn’t have trouble.”

“Thank you, Master Grediv. That is good for my son and me to hear.”

Tala cleared her throat. “Are there any dangers? Any implications? Any considerations?”

He gave her a long look. “They are healthier than they likely ever have been. There are no intrinsic side effects that I know of or can detect, and the natural magical pathways pressed into their being are deepening wonderfully. All told, I have to say that it was skillfully done.”

Tala smiled at the praise.

He then held up one finger. “That said—as it is you—I will state: Please don’t make this a habit without discussing it with me first? A few more should not be an issue—assuming they consent—but if you want to do anything… Mistress-Tala-like, please consult myself or the head of the nearest Archon Council.”

Master Simon covered his mouth to hide a grin.

Tala grimaced. “Yeah… that’s fair.”

The Paragon smiled. “This is a known possibility, Mistress. But there are not really many convenient ways to implement it. If your created leave your sanctum—and Alefast, waning—they will revert to a mundane existence rather quickly. I would guess that at the moment it would take less than half a day. Even so, they will have extra pep in their step for a while—even after they have lost all extra magic—but generally speaking, their lives won’t be meaningfully improved.”

She frowned at that. “I thought that it was more extreme than that.”

“Oh, it would be anywhere but in these Wilds. We do all we can to keep the magical density incredibly low, even going so far as to stymie zeme from balancing us with neighboring regions. It is a costly process that I won’t bore you with at the moment. Needless to say, it is one of our most potent defenses against arcanes, but the unfortunate side effect is that the gateless don’t have magic available to them and suffer for that.” He gave the two men a sad smile. “We have effectively made this land toxic to those like you in order to keep out those who mean us harm.”

Adrill nodded, obviously unsurprised. “We know. The offer was rejected.”

Master Grediv quirked a smile. “Ahh, yes. I forgot for a moment.”

Brandon straightened. “We won’t be sent away. Our place is here.”

Both Master Simon and Tala showed visible confusion, so Master Grediv decided to enlighten them. “It isn’t a perfect solution, but whenever a known gateless reaches the age of majority, they are told about the situation, and we offer to provide them transportation and resources to set up elsewhere. Somewhere that they will not be so disadvantaged.”

Tala’s eyes widened. The moving villages.

However, before she could say anything, Master Grediv shook his head slightly, “We purposely do not tell them all the details, just that they are always welcome to accept the offer, and that it would be a life alongside others with similar needs. It wouldn’t be a choice of barbarism and want, more one akin to moving to a new city.”

Even so, Tala understood why these two had said no. Indeed, she understood why many seemed to say no.

It was effectively choosing banishment for the sake of their health.

She frowned at that. “If you know, can I ask how many accept the offer?”

Master Grediv shrugged. “Roughly half?”

She grunted at that. I guess not too crazy of a notion, then.

The Paragon was nodding to himself. “Now, your natural magics are solid, but I highly recommend that you get inscriptions to reinforce and help maintain those, just in case.”

Tala nodded, smiling. She felt some pride that she’d anticipated this need. “I’ve already reached out to an expert, and she was intrigued by the challenge.”

He cocked an eyebrow, seeming genuinely surprised. “Truly?”

She shrugged. “What can I say? Mistress Holly is nothing if not up for experimenting and learning something new about her craft.”

* * *

Tala sat across from Adrill, Brandon, and Artia within her sanctum.

Specifically, they were in her sitting room, the sun casting the ethereal light of evening across the landscape.

The father and son were both drinking in power from the air around them, even as they took sips from their tea.

As their magesight and enhancement scripts used up power, their bodies were always at a deficit when compared to the air around them, which is what created the constant flow.

In time, they would learn to draw in power regardless of the relative densities, and if they were very lucky, they would be able to hold it in at higher densities than the air that surrounded them.

But humans were specifically notorious for being very bad at that.

Artia’s body held a misting of power from her own gate.

Her power made her body not naturally accept the power in the air around her. With training, she likely could draw it in and use it, but it would be unnatural in the extreme, not to mention harmful as well if it wasn’t handled precisely properly.

Thus, she was left with just enough power to keep her healthier, make her a bit more robust, and extend her life just a touch.

It was the most basic advantage gated humans enjoyed over their gateless counterparts.

That bias had been reversed in a very real way, and their family had a lot of decisions to make.

Artia was sitting very straight-backed, regarding Tala warily.

They’d collectively requested this meeting with Tala, after taking a couple of days for the three to consider it as a family.

“Well, Mistress Tala, the first thing I want to say is this: Thank you for taking care of my boys. I don’t know what I would have done if they’d both been taken from me like that, and the fact that you were able to help pull them back from the edge…” The older woman visibly swallowed, her eyes gaining a bit of a sheen with unshed tears, “It hurts my heart to even consider it.”

Tala nodded, still feeling guilty over the whole situation, but she’d also had a couple of days in which to collect herself and sort out her thoughts. “Of course, Artia. They were helping me when the… condition came about. I just wish we’d known to be wary beforehand.”

Artia waved that off, “My Adrill has never been healthier. We’re well used to being more careful and mindful with his health after all, Brandon’s too.”

Brandon smiled briefly at his mother.

“I know that two days is hardly enough time, but a wife knows, and a mother too. They are better… themselves. Adrill’s been up later, going through all his older notes finding new inspiration on projects he long abandoned, and still he wakes early, and I feel he’s more energetic than ever.”

Adrill cleared his throat, coloring slightly, but Artia moved on, not seeming to notice.

“Brandon has jumped headfirst into an exercise program, and he’s completely reshaping his routine. It’s like he’s suddenly doing all of the things he wanted to but never got around to.”

“Mom…”

“Hush, Brandon. Mistress Tala needs to know the good that’s already come about from this.”

That quieted him down.

Tala nodded again, giving a tight smile. “I am glad that it has turned out for the best.”

Artia’s eyes hardened. “Now, I didn’t say that.”

Tala opened her mouth to respond, confused, but Artia continued before she could.

“Our dear Kedva is beside herself. Brandon explained some to her, and she has a good head on her shoulders, she knows what this means. She has to take this terrible gamble, or she suddenly is an awful match for my boy.”

Brandon’s face had paled, but he didn’t correct his mother.

“You did not intend this, I accept that, but if she leaves him because of this, I will be very cross with you, Mistress Tala.” The woman’s demeanor was hard and her eyes practically glittering with determination.

Tala swallowed, unable to put together the right words to respond.

Brandon took the need from her. “Mother, if she decides to take the safe, sure road, that is Kedva’s choice. I love her, and she loves me, but it still isn’t an easy choice. I would think less of her if she just blindly jumped into danger with no consideration. She is acting—and will act—in wisdom, and I respect her more for that, regardless of her final decision.”

That quieted Artia, the woman seeming to deflate, but after a moment, she continued, “Then there’s the matter of taking me from my husband.”—she closed her eyes for a moment before continuing—“We have built our careers, our very lives, around working with artifacts. That means we are going to be in high density areas. I know we could go to another city and return things to normal, but we would effectively have to start over, then. No. As to staying here, in your sanctum, or another high density area? Well, I fully planned to outlive my Adrill, caring for him in his last days before spending mine with the grandkids.”

Brandon colored at that, but Adrill simply smiled, this was clearly not a surprising plan to him.

“Now, he’s the one who will have to care for me as I age and become infirmed. Then, he will be alone when he is aged. That’s not fair to him. That’s not right. While the first years will just be a rebalancing of our effective ages—I do know that I’ve aged slower than he from my first breath—there remains more time to us both than is required for the scales to tip the other way.”

Adrill placed his hand on her shoulder. “Artia, we discussed this. There was always the possibility of illness, or the like. We are bound, you and I, and I want—and will have—no other. You are my wife, and I will be your husband, by your side, as long as we both shall live.”

She turned to him. “I know that, Adrill. That isn’t the point. I had arranged my life—our lives—and planned to be your wife and with you until your death. This changes everything. I won’t be there when you finally do grow old. You’ll need me and”—her voice caught, but she closed her eyes for a brief moment before continuing—“You’ll need me, and I won’t be there anymore.”

Tala really didn’t know what to say, and though this wasn’t surprising, she really didn’t know why she was being told this explicitly.

As if she’d read Tala’s thoughts, Artia turned back to the much younger woman. “I tell you all this for one reason only.”

Tala found herself leaning forward in anticipation, and when Artia didn’t immediately continue, she prompted the older woman, “Yes?”

“You owe me. You owe me, and I aim to collect. You will do your gilded best to teach me to be filled with magic so that I can be there for my husband for the rest of his life, do you hear me?” Her voice was shaking near the end, but she held firm.

Tala nodded, “If that is your wish, absolutely.”

“It is, unquestionably.”

“Then, let’s get started.”