Chapter 95

"I don't know if I like this," Riley said, facing off with Tobias, who was on the other side of the room.

Barring any other direction beyond the permission they were given,

Tobias had spent part of the morning clearing the commons area of any tables or chairs that sat against the wall, of which there were few.

An empty stone space now surrounded her, devoid of all definitions save for the rough-hewn stone.

"We need to practice, and the way this place is built makes it a good casting room. We'll start slow," Tobias encouraged.

"Ok, I understand..." Riley trailed off as Tobias charged forward, his hand taking on an orange glow.

Fire bolts flew to her right and left while Tobias drew his sword.

Riley scurried, rolling to one side, forcing Tobias to change his motion before she pulled at her veil.

Vanishing away, he stopped, scanning around.

She tapped the back of his leg, reappearing, "Tag! You're it."

Tobias chuckled, "Tag?"

Riley let a few memories from her former childhood flash to pictures within her mind.

"Oh, interesting," he said a moment later.

He drew his blade with the tip centered between his eyes, "Let's try without the veil this time. Dodge and move around my blade."

"I really don't like that," Riley complained again.

Tobias went down on one knee and pet her ears back with his free hand.

"I know you don't, but I like what happened yesterday less. We've got to get better about thinking quick and responding right. Sabine's not always going to be there to keep us from getting killed."

"I know, I just don't like the idea of you attacking me," Riley said, pushing up into his hand.

"I'm not. I'm preparing you. I'm preparing both of us," he assured.

"Ok then," Riley firmed up and dropped down on all four paws.

Tobias began moving through his forms. Riley scurried back to a casting position, rising up on her hind paws, only for Tobias to come at her, disrupting her cast.

"You're more vulnerable vertical. Try to cast on all fours," he criticized, coming at her again.

"It's hard," she whined as he wove in, moving slowly, being careful to not hit her.

"Adapt!" Tobias chuckled darkly, "Change how you visualize the flow of your power."

"Like it's that easy!" Riley dodged a downward swipe, form two, hugging the wall, moving to the opposite side of the room, using her speed, forcing Tobias to pursue.

"No excuses!" He launched a firebolt, punctuating his reply. It sailed across and ablated on the stone, stopping her direction of travel as she again braced on all four paws, moving to go the other way.

He fired again, stopping her.

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Riley grunted in frustration.

Focusing, trying to innovate, Riley visualized the power localizing between her ears. A bright orange glow briefly suffused her vision before a bolt launched in Tobias' direction.

He dove out of the way and rolled, "Good! Let's go again."

"Says the burgeoning expert that couldn't cast three months ago!" Riley teased.

"That's low," Tobias challenged, forming up for another assault.

"Psychological Warfare!" She replied with a twirling spin, starting to find the fun in it.

An easy half-hour passed. It turned into a game, their movements growing more dynamic as each lost their fear. Riley would veil, then send a firebolt, tapping Tobias's leg, or Tobias would catch her, sword stopping just inches from her ears when she rose to cast.

Old habits died hard.

"Riley, why rise at all? You can cast from any position," Tobias challenged.

"It feels right, it's comfortable. You have your hand motions. Whenever you pull something from our inventory or cast a flame wall you rotate your palm up. When you throw fire bolts, you roll your hand forward and palm out," Riley countered.

"Being comfortable will get you killed," Sabine said, emerging from the shadow of the stairs.

Tobias spun and raised his sword to a defensive position as Riley scurried up beside him.

"How did you do that?" she asked dumbly.

"I'm a dark mage. Darker magics are my specialty, as is the manipulation of shadows," Sabine reported.

"Chaos?" Riley replied.

"They're related, a lesser version. I have a few necrotic spells, but most of my skillset relates to stealth. The way magic forms within the user is related to the construction of their soul. We all have affinities," The older ranger explained.

"How long have you been watching us?" Tobias asked.

"About fifteen minutes, you're doing well." As if in reward, she drew a coin purse out of a pocket on her apron and offered it to Tobias.

"Four months' pay, there's eight silver there. It goes fast."

"It does. I spent a silver on that damn map. From now on, can you see that half of my salary is sent to my family?" Tobias asked.

"You're the cobbler's son in the lower quarter, just off Tadrey's butchery, right?" Sabine asked, prompting her memory.

"The very same," he smiled, hefting the coin purse in his hand, "This is more money than my Da brings in a year."

"I'll see to it. Your plans for the day?" Sabine asked.

"My Ma should be off from her work, so I plan to head home, then check in with the Abbot on my way back in. There's little to do beyond that at this juncture. Have any records from Valenheim arrived for me yet?"

Tobias, with familiar flourish, caused the coin purse to vanish away as Riley saw it pop up in their inventory space.

"See!?!" She pointed her forepaw accusingly.

"Nothing has arrived as of yet. You two go carefully today. Remember if you are unwary you are liable to be followed or watched, especially now. Do not think one failure will deter your enemies," Sabine lectured.

"Yesterday sobered me quite a bit, but I cannot let that turn into fear or keep me from doing what I need to do," Tobias sheathed his sword and scanned around.

"I agree. This is an unfortunate reality of what we do. Making enemies is a time-honored tradition, especially when we operate in cities. There's always someone who thinks they should be able to get away with everything and doesn't care who they hurt," she sighed.

"That sounds like a story," Riley prompted.

"We're all recruited from the academies. Do you know Salstholm?" Sabine asked.

"It's in the northwest, isn't it? That's rustic country," Tobias, sensing this might be a long conversation, pulled some chairs from the room he was using as storage.

"You're certainly making yourself at home," She said as she sat.

"Give me permission, and I'll have my walls painted," Tobias chuckled, sitting across from her.

Sabine chuckled, "Don't get cocky, Ranger. You have it right about Saltsholm. I come from a solid family of second-tier nobility, but it's different on the frontier. Monsters range closer to the walls of the town, and my father was often campaigning when he wasn't dealing with politics."

"That doesn't sound good," Riley surmised.

"Our lands were small but prosperous; a great river ran through half of it, making us the enemy of our neighbors, the fiefdom of Toristen. Nothing was ever proven, but my father was poisoned and died. Strength matters most, and he had the strength to suppress any kind of official investigation. Shortly after, the King of Ashes merged our family's lands into his own and dispossessed my mother. I was 17 when she was reassigned as an instructor at my academy. Then I was recruited to the rangers a year later after having passed my trials," Sabine fidgeted in her chair as if sitting still was painful.

"How long has it been since you visited?" Tobias asked, leaning forward.

"She's been gone for years now. One day, when I retire, I plan to visit, but it's a long journey, and I may never see the hills of my home again. In truth, though, it hasn't been my home for almost forty years. The son of Toris now rules in his stead, and all is forgotten of my father save for the fading memory of a few," She rose as if challenging the long-held sadness to a duel.

"See your family and then the Abbot. Chadrick is a distraction; thwart him by doing good work and serving with distinction," She said; without further word, she glided out.