Umbra had forgotten her hunger while she was talking to Dovrag, but it was back now and Umbra heaped her plate with food. She ate quickly, trying to distract herself from the possible decisions. It wasn’t very effective, and her thoughts drifted back to her options.

The way Umbra saw it, she had 3. She could stay at the estate and continue doing what she was doing. She could leave, alone and explore the fabric and maybe try to find V. Or she could leave with Dovrag back to his home, and fight in a war for a world. Umbra didn’t really feel comfortable making big decisions especially in such a short time, she decided she would sleep on it, maybe the answer would become clear.

Umbra finished up her food and made her way to her room, she might as well try to improve her control, that was a good way of clearing her head and she couldn’t even leave until she had improved her control.

Umbra tried to build a figure of herself similar to what Nyx did, it was immensely difficult and a great way to improve her control it also seemed like it was a useful skill. There were a few issues with doing it though, the human body had so many tiny details that needed to be added to create a realistic copy and the longer it took to build the more magic it took, but if she built it fast she could hold it together with only a trickle of magic, of course, the appearance of the figure was barely humanoid if she did that more a blob.

Umbra had more magic than she could reasonably control and even though it leaked out while she tried to build figures, tainting the air, she still had impressive stamina allowing her to train far longer than usual. In between the bouts of practice, Umbra wondered, if Nyx was watching her and if she found it amusing.

Umbra eventually exhausted herself and fell asleep on the soft carpet not bothering to move to her bed. She woke with a few painful aches because of it, irritating and what was even more irritating was that sleep hadn’t revealed any new revelations on what she should do.

Nora and Hayao were in the Dining hall sitting as far as possible from Dovrag who was in his usual state; reading and poking his paste. Umbra sat down beside Dovrag and ignored Nora and Hayao, and they avoided looking at her.

Umbra ate then spent time with Dovrag refreshing her language skills, he didn’t pressure her about his proposition and Umbra was glad because she had no idea of her decision. After Dovrag left to go spend time with Apithe, Umbra decided she would go to the library. If she did decide to explore the fabric alone she needed to do some reading on portals.

Umbra asked the cat, who lazed on a table for books on travelling through portals and sat down to wait. She didn’t wait long the cat was fast and a pile of books lay in front of her in a matter of minutes. There was a lot, a popular subject it seemed.

Umbra got to reading, she tired herself out quite quickly though, the books were dry a lot of them were just studies on how portals functioned, not that those were very revealing, seems the only thing people knew for sure was that portals were built by the first deity Scrios. Umbra quickly looked over the rest of the books and one caught her eye. It was titled The Art of Portal Travel by Erik Sventsson.

It seemed Erik Sventsson lived almost 300 years ago and was one of the rare Yuul's without magic. He explored the fabric for over 30 years, travelling through the portals and eventually writing this book and he had a few theories on how portals worked. The first was portals knew where you wanted to go and they would try their best to help you get there.

Second, he thought that portals were connected to a limited number of other portals, so when you travelled through a portal you rolled the dice on whether it was connected to a portal at your destination. If the portal was not connected to a portal on your destination, it would direct you to a world with portals that could take you closer to where you wanted to be. Which made travelling through the portals exceptionally painful more a game of chance than anything else.

The final theory and something he claimed he stumbled on around the end of his travels before he retired due to old age. He thought that there was actually a pattern to the portals and if you learned it travelling through them would be extremely simple and quick, unlike the long and stressful journey it was.

Umbra remembered her travels through the portals with Master Otaro there were quick and at the time she had just thought that was the norm. But from what the book said portal travel was a game of chance and could take a really long time. Somehow she doubted Master Otaro was just lucky maybe he knew the pattern of the portals. Umbra made a mental note to ask him about it the next time she saw him.

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Umbra fell into her basic routine, Control magic, sleep, eat with Dovrag and practice his language, then the library. Repeat.

Dovrag was focusing on channelling more magic before he tried for a second spell, spending time in the lava pits at the base of the mountains. He said he was worried he didn’t have enough magic. Umbra didn’t mind the wait, it meant she still had time to think about her options which admittedly she’d made very little progress on.

The excursions to the library were relatively helpful as well and were a nice break from working on her magic. There was a heap of mentions to the patterns of portals and Umbra spent a lot of her time sifting through them with interest.

Umbras control was improving at a glacial pace. She couldn’t control the leakage of her magic and every now and then her concentration wavered and the magic would escape from her in a rush before she could rein it in again. She knew that this was partly because she was a battle mage, control was a lot more difficult for her and with the amount of magic she had, Umbra guessed that she would just have to get used to it seeping from her grasp.

It had been a few weeks and Dovrag stopped showing up in the dining hall, at first Umbra was worried that something had happened to him, but it seemed more likely that he was finally trying for his 2nd spell. Which didn't really quell her awakening spells was a dangerous business.

A few days passed like this, Dovrag not appearing at the dining hall, and her worry started to mount she couldn't pay attention to her control, it was for that reason she decided to take a break and go for a walk.

It was noon outside and the sun was warm and pleasant. Umbra decided to walk across the beach. She took off her boots carrying them in one hand, her bare feet crunched pleasantly in the sand and the wind ruffled her short hair, which Umbra noticed had barely grown in the time she had been here. Now that she thought about it, almost a year had passed since she came to the estate. She was well and truly Grown now. She was nothing like the girl she had been, the tattoos of shadow crisscrossing her skin the most obvious change.

Umbra was roused from her thoughts when she noticed someone up ahead, blue skin. “Apithe” Umbra said to herself. Apithe seemed to be sitting calmly on the beach and Umbra turned to go, but she remembered Apithe’s apology, it would be nice to talk to someone else especially since Dovrag had been gone so long.

Umbra walked closer and Apithe opened her scarlet red eyes and regarded Umbra impassively. Umbra couldn’t help but think that this might’ve been a bad idea, Apithe didn’t really look like she wanted to talk, but her face started to clear, “Hello Umbra” Apithe said in a friendly tone. “Sorry about the blank face, channelling magic empties me of emotions, it always takes a while for me to get back to normal.” Umbra nodded in reply a bit relieved that Apithe was still friendly. “What are you doing out here than,” Apithe asked. Umbra mentally hit herself, she had come over to make conversation and she hadn’t even said a word.

“I was walking, trying to clear my head.”

“Dovrag asked you to come with him didn’t he.” Apithe said scooting around to face Umbra.

“He did, I’m not sure what I'll do though.” Umbra considered sitting down, but she didn’t think she was that comfortable with Apithe yet. “You agreed to go with him didn't you, Why? it seems pretty dangerous,” Umbra asked.

“A few reasons really,” Apithe said leaning back slightly, letting the sound of the waves cover the silence of her thinking. “Partly because I feel I owe it to him, he pressed me into awakening my first spell and though it pains me to admit it, I doubt I would have even my first spell by now, without his help.” Apithe said then her red eyes glinted and she leaned forward suddenly. “But if I’m being honest the real reason is that war is the best way to force spells out, mages have been known to awaken multiple during even a single battle.” A smile lit her blue face. “War is the best way to improve.” Umbra nodded, Apithe was going because she felt like she owed Dovrag and wanted to improve. Similar to the reasons Umbra would have to leave with Dovrag if she decided to go. Umbra noticed she had drifted into her thoughts again and not said anything.

“Sorry,” Umbra said shaking her head.

“Its fine, you have a lot to think on,” Apithe said. “Is it ok if I have some privacy, I would like to continue channelling and it is difficult with you close by.”

“Oh, yeah, I’ll be going and thanks for the talk,” Umbra said.

“Of course,” Apithe replied some of her haughty manner returning.

Umbra returned to her room to try practicing her control again, her mind wasn’t really in it though and a few hours later there was a knock on her door. She answered the door, a brownie stood on the other side, Umbra was surprised she had forgotten they had even existed. “Master Otaro requires your attendance at the courtyard, now,” it said in a squeaky voice.

“Ok,” Umbra replied worried that she had done something deserving a reprimand, but not able to think of anything she had done recently deserving one.

Umbra let out a sigh of relief when she saw that everyone was in the courtyard, including Dovrag. Jeeani wasn't though, Umbra wondered where Jeeani was and if she just lived in the forest now.

“Now that everyone is here I can start,” Master Otaro said giving Umbra a look but all Umbra noticed was that Master Otaro had completely ignored the existence of Jeeani. “I’m leaving to attend the Choosings, I’ll be gone for 2 to 3 months, depending on a few factors. An important rule while I’m gone, no one is to cross into the swamplands in the north, or to go past the mountains, they are dangerous and without my supervision, they can prove to be fatal.” Master Otaro said, then waved his hand and a stag taller than Master Otaro appeared beside him. “This is Saale, he is one of my daemons and he will be my eyes while I am gone. I will know what happens here,” Otaro said and gave Umbra a pointed look. “That is all, you may go now.”

Dovrag pulled her over a bit roughly after Master Otaro left the courtyard and Umbra let out an undignified yelp of surprise. “Where did you get your second spell,” He asked urgency in his voice.

“The swamplands,” Umbra said feeling a bit uneasy. Dovrag's face fell and he released her arm. “What’s wrong,” Umbra asked the unease morphing into worry for her friend.

“There is nothing dangerous enough on this side of the island,” Dovrag said. “I can’t get my spell, there isn’t anything dangerous enough on this side of the island.”

“There is something pretty dangerous in the forest,” Umbra said, she couldn’t remember the name though, Jeeani had told her.

“Yes the Snarlark, I killed it.”

“Oh,” Was Umbra’s only replied, slightly impressed that he had killed something like that. “What does this mean?” Umbra asked as a follow-up.

“It means I will need to wait another 2 months while my people die,” Dovrag said angrily split away from Umbra, walking towards the mountains.