“Excuse me, I don’t think you heard me correctly. I’m leaving and going to New Dawn. With him, that guy you never met before. Did I mention he’s a guy and I’m a girl?”

Honestly, Kristina was expecting far more push back. The rabble flowing from her mouth was merely her brain trying to process what she had just heard.

“Yes, I’m well aware. Please don’t make me take back my words.”

Kristina ran over to her auntie, “Thank you Madam Heart.” Then Kristina gave her a hug.

“You, boy.” At this point Darius had given up on trying to get her to call him by his name. “You must know Krista is untethered by now, so I’d like to know your affinity. You don’t have a staff; could you be untethered as well?”

“No. I, well-” Began Darius.

“Aunt- Madam Heart, Darius has never been tested for his affinity, he’s from a village that prohibits the use of wattiez out in the east.”

Darius stood still for a moment, surprised at Kristina’s quick thinking. “Right, I came out west after-”

“How long have I known you?” interrupted Madam Heart. Darius could feel that urge to get back at her slowly rising but managed to mostly quell it… mostly. “All your life, it’s not hard to tell when you’re lying.”

Kristina was left tongue tied. In reality, she’d been going over what she’d say to Madam Heart about Darius’s past ever since they agreed to help one another. She didn’t think too far after that. She never considered that Madam Heart would figure her out within seconds.

Madam Heart continued, “However, I also know when you’re telling the truth, so if you trust him, I will too. Amelia!”

“Yes ma’am!” she shrieked.

“Before the boy leaves, it would calm my mind if he knew his affinity. Would you be a dear and clear out the closet in the living space?” Amelia didn’t need to be told twice, curtsying before exiting the room, leaving Darius and Kristina alone with Madam Heart. “Boy, do you know what an affinity is?”

“Yes, Kristina has already taught me a few things about wattiez,” responded Darius.

“She has?” Madam Heart asked in a worried voice.

“Only the very basics. Just some information about The Hex.” Kristina responded before realizing something. “Madam Heart could you preform synthesis?”

“Excuse me?” Madam Heart asked.

“Yeah, I happen to mention it to him before,” Kristina added, “Oh, and you should show him how your multiple affinities work.”

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These words peaked Darius’s interest, “You have multiple affinities? I’m assuming life and something else. Mental maybe, you do seem to have a way of controlling the minds of those two girls.”

Madam Heart’s scowl proved that she didn’t approve of Darius teasing, however, a deep look into Kristina’s pleading eyes kept her calm enough to comply.

Madam Heart took a deep breath and her eyes changed from a normal light blue into a dark green. She lifted a single finger until suddenly, a small ball of light was produced from her fingertips. She then took the ball and tossed it just in front of Darius who tried touching it; flinching back as it lightly burned him.

“Wave Wattiez? It’s my first time seeing it! This ball of light, it has no weight, but I can feel it generating heat.”

“At least he’s not dull. This is the most basic form of wattiez, where the presented ability requires very little effort from the user. Given enough time, anyone who could use Wave Wattiez could perform this action. This, however, is synthesis.”

Madam Heart said this as her body became tightly enveloped in a large aura that extended well off her body. The small ball of simple light disappeared, replaced by a pulsing, sparky energy that ran down her arm.

“Your aura! It’s much more compact around your body compared to when I saw Amelia use hers, or even Jhandis’s, but much thicker too. Does it mean your magic is more proficient, or are you just using more power?”

“Wattiez is not magic, at least you shouldn’t think of it like that.” Amelia’s voice rang out from behind them. Standing there in the doorway, she, somewhat nervously, continued, “Wattiez is just another form of energy, it surrounds us, and can be processed in your body through a physiological change we call an affinity. “Magic,” as you call it, is just the application of those energies.”

“Then what’s synthesis, the amplification of those energies?” inquired Darius.

“Not far from the mark,” Amelia responded with a grin, “Synthesis signifies a true connection with your affinity. That connection is usually built through, time, experience or inspiration, but some people have a natural synthesis that they are born with. Either way, your synthesis will reflect a piece of who you are or who you want to be.”

A change in Madam Heart’s face, a smile appeared before quickly becoming a scowl once again. “Absolutely correct, Amelia. I couldn’t have said it better myself.” Unlike her mother, when Amelia smiled, she never stopped.

“Madam Heart is an incredibly skilled user of Life Wattiez, probably the best in New Dawn,” Amelia said looking extremely proud of herself. “The tightness and viscosity of her aura proves her high affinity. Her control of her wattiez is also incredible, able to manipulate the amount she outputs however she likes.”

“Please, Amelia! Enough about me,” Madam Heart exclaimed, “Have you finished prepping the closet?”

“Yes, though I think we need to have a discussion about some of the things left in there.” Amelia presented a small but wide red coat, complete with a set of golden shoulder guards as she spoke. “I found this coat, but I’m pretty sure it’s from a man. I thought it might have been Darius’s but he’s too tall, so should I just toss it out?”

“No!” Madam Heart shrieked. “Give me that!”

Madam Heart moved quickly, snatching the coat from her daughter’s hand. Amelia and Kristina were in awe. They were used to Madam Heart being angry or upset, especially Kristina, but this was somehow different. Almost desperate.

“Mom- Madam Heart, is everything alright?” Amelia asked.

“Y-yes, I’m fine. Boy, girls come follow me.”

Madam Heart became entranced with the bit of cloth she carried. She no longer carried her scowl, clutching onto the coat as if it was a part of herself. She led them to a large, dark, and empty closet, pointing at Darius and gesturing for him to walk inside.