Eldritch Guidance

In the spacious lecture hall, Professor Hele Meti stood at the front, delivering an intricate lecture on the art of enchantment magic. Her voice carried through the room as she delved into the nuanced complexities of the craft, explaining the subtleties of this magic.

Amidst the scattered students, Sere and Alan sat alone, as they often did, quietly listening but keeping to themselves.

Hele: “As you know, most magic is only temporary in its effect. Enchantment magic is an entire branch of magic trying to make those temporal effects permanent. Although, we say that enchantment magic is permanent, it’s more apt to say it’s long-lasting. The reality is that all enchantments have an expiration date. It is just that any enchantment that lasts longer than a hundred years is labeled permanent, even though the enchantment will eventually break down. Now, does anyone know another interesting trait about enchantment magic?

A Silverwing student raised her hand, which Professor Hele pointed at to answer.

Silverwing Student: “Objects that are enhanced are indestructible.”

Hele: “That is partly correct. Enchantment magic does naturally make objects a lot more resilient, but not necessarily indestructible. That resilience is determined by the type of enchantment placed on an object. It’s often mistaken that enchanted items are indestructible because the permanent enchantments, the ones that last longer than a hundred years, have such a high resilience. Does anyone know any other interesting traits?”

The room fell into a profound silence in response to Hele's question. Each person seemed at a loss, unable to find anything to contribute.

Hele: “Hmm, I see. Well, another trait of enchantment magic I want you all to take note of is that enchantment magic cannot be applied to living creatures. The enchantment magic doesn't adhere very well to anything organic, and is nearly impossible when you're enchanting something that is alive. Now that we’ve covered the basics, I want you all to have a go at enchanting something.”

Hele made a gesture, and some papers with a white piece of quartz appeared in front of everyone in the classroom.

Hele: “In front of you are instructions on how to enchant the piece of quartz in front of you. Before any of you leave, I want you all to enchant the quartz to make it glow an orange light.”

Lionheart Student: “Excuse me, professor?” the student called out while raising her hand.

Hele: “Yes?”

Lionheart Student: “But, does not enchanting something take a long time to do? Won’t we be here all day if you want us to enchant this?”

Hele: “Ah, yes. First-time enchanters always take a while, but don’t worry. The quartz I have supplied you is already partly enchanted. All of you are just finishing it. It should take you around an hour. Now then, like our last practical lesson, if anyone is struggling, I shall come help you,” she said while gesturing for everyone to start.

Alan and Sere picked up the instructions and began reading through the steps for enchanting the piece of quartz. According to the instructions and the professor's earlier explanation, the quartz was already partially enchanted. The purpose of this exercise was for the students to analyze the existing enchantment, identify the incomplete section, and use their own aether to fill in the gaps, thereby completing and activating the enchantment.

Alan: “Hmm, I think I get it.”

Sere: “Yeah, it seems pretty simple.”

Sere and Alan picked up the stones they had been given and began to carefully examine them, turning them over in their hands and scrutinizing every angle. They focused intently, trying to discern how the aether had been woven into the stone's structure. They sensed faint traces of energy, but understanding the enchantment's intricacies proved challenging. The minutes ticked by—ten, then fifteen—and still, no one in the class had managed to make any progress in enhancing the stones.

Sere, in particular, was growing increasingly frustrated. She felt as though she had examined the stone a hundred times over, her eyes tracing the same faint patterns again and again, yet she seemed no closer to grasping the mechanics of the enchantment.

Several more minutes passed in tense silence as the students continued their attempts, frustration mounting with each failure. Then, without warning, a soft orange glow began to emanate from one of the quartz stones. Heads turned, and a murmur spread through the room. Alan had been the first to successfully complete the enchantment.

The quartz in his hand pulsed with a warm, steady light, a sign that the aether had been successfully woven into the stone's existing enchantment, filling the gaps perfectly. His face lit up with a mix of surprise and pride as he realized what he had accomplished.

Alan: “I got it!” he said, feeling proud of himself that he did it before Sere.

Sere: “How did you do that?”

Alan: “Heh, your aether control might be amazing, but I got really good aether sensitivity. And aether sensitivity seems like it is more important for this.”

Alan had always possessed a high sensitivity to aether, a trait that had set him apart from others since he was a young boy. Unlike most, who could only perceive the faint hum of aetheric energy, Alan could feel its presence with remarkable clarity. He could sense its ebb and flow, its subtle shifts and ripples in the air, and he had an uncanny ability to discern the nature of a spell before it was even cast. What seemed to others like uncanny intuition or a gut feeling was often Alan’s heightened sensitivity to aether at work, warning him of things to come or guiding his actions in subtle ways.

This natural gift of Alan’s was proving invaluable in his current lesson.

Sere: “I helped you out last time, wanna give me some tips?”

Alan: “Sure. Try to feel out the aether in the quartz. There are lines, or paths, weaved all over it. You just gotta follow it until—”

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Alan's was abruptly interrupted when the quartz in front of him began to flicker. The steady orange glow that had signaled his success wavered, then, with a sudden shift, the quartz transitioned from its warm, vibrant hue to a muted white glow. The change was unexpected and immediate, as if the aether within the stone had become unstable or was responding to a new, unforeseen force.

Alan: “Um, what’s going on?”

Sere: “Miss Hele, we have an issue.” she called out to the professor.

Hele heard Sere call out and started to approach the both of them.

Hele: “What seems to be—wah?” she said, sounding confused.

Hele noticed the quartz glowing a faint white and felt a jolt of confusion. She stared at it, her brow furrowing, as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing.

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Hele: “Why in the world is it glowing white?” she said as she picked up the quartz. Hele rotated the stone a few times in her hand, carefully examining it. ”Hmm, if only I could consult Alexandria on this.”

Sere: “Who?”

Hele: “Just someone who developed this training method, don’t worry about it. Alan, correct?”

Alan: “Yes?”

Hele: “Tell me, have you done any elemental affinity test?”

Alan: “Um, yeah. A long time ago, before I entered the university.”

Hele: “Did you get any weird results?”

Alan: “No, I was just told I had an affinity for wind, vitos, and fire.”

Hele: “Have you done an advanced affinity test?”

Alan: “No.”

Hele: “You may want to do that sometime after this lesson.”

Alan: “Why? I already know my elemental affinities.”

Hele: “Sometimes people have unique qualities to their affinity or aether. And those qualities can sometimes bleed over into their spell crafting, causing unexpected effects, like with the quartz enchantment.”

Alan: “You think I have some sort of weird quality to my magic?”

Hele: “Possibly. This is twice now in my lessons, you have demonstrated an unexpected phenomenon with your magic. Once is a coincidence, twice hints at something potentially more. An advanced affinity test would help you find out if you have any unique qualities. The university provided free testing for any attending students. So, no reason not to.”

Alan: “OK, once I get a chance, I’ll do that.”

Hele: “Good. Well, regardless, I’ll still consider this a success. You may leave now if you wish,” she said before walking off to help someone else.

Although Alan was free to leave, but chose to stay behind to help Sere until she successfully enchanted her stone. He patiently guided her, pointing out nuances in the flow of aether and suggesting small adjustments to her technique. Despite his steady focus on assisting her, his eyes kept drifting back to the white-glowing quartz he had enchanted earlier.

Each time he glanced at it, he felt a strange sensation, like an unseen presence watching him from just beyond his field of vision.

♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦♦

Beside one of the expansive dining halls, Alan and his friends had managed to secure a private room—a cozy space with a table and several chairs that students could use to eat and study in peace. Alan, seated at the table, was in the middle of stuffing his face with some fried potatoes smothered in cheese and gravy, which he and Jafar had picked up from the cafeteria for themselves. Jafar, sitting beside him, was equally absorbed in his meal. Across from them, Sere was seated, enjoying a much lighter option—a fresh salad.

Alan: “Food on campus isn't as good as Benny’s,” he said while stuffing his face.

Sere: "Nothing we can do about that. If we go off campus, we’re likely to get swarmed by reporters."

Jafar let out a tired sigh.

Jafar: “Tell me about it. The fame we got was great for like two seconds until they showed.”

Sere: “So, when are you gonna do that affinity test?” she said, directed at Alan and changing the subject.

Alan attempted to answer Sere’s question, but a chunk of food in his mouth slipped down the wrong pipe, instantly triggering a violent coughing fit. His face turned red as he choked and sputtered, hacking loudly while bits of half-chewed food flew from his mouth. After a few agonizing seconds and several thumps on his chest, he finally cleared his throat enough to catch his breath, his eyes watering from the ordeal. Only then did he manage to croak out a response.

Alan: “Sorry,” he apologized for coughing. “Um, not sure. There is just no free time for me. When I’m doing classes. I’m helping the enforcers. I guess it will have to be whenever I can get a free moment.”

Sere: “What do you think is up with the weirdness that’s going on with you during the general magic class?”

Alan: “Not sure. Never had something like this happen to me before.”

Jafar: “Sometimes weird affinities with your aether can manifest later in life. I’ve heard of people losing or gaining an elemental affinity randomly.”

Sere: “If our professor thinks it has something to do with your affinity or aether, then it’s important. It could cause problems later down the line. It might be better to get that looked at sooner rather than later.”

Alan: “I will. Just gotta figure out this Sleuth-Hawks thing first.”

Sere: “Speaking of that, how's that going?”

Alan: “It was exactly as I was worried about, we’ve been relegated to paper duty.”

Jafar: “Yeah, it does seem like that.”

Sere: “Why are they making you do a bunch of administrative paperwork?”

Alan: “It is not that. We're going through a bunch of documents that Sorin took out at the Archive.”

Sere: “Oh, I see what you mean. Yeah, I imagine Alan’s struggling with that. You’re not a big reader.”

Alan: “It’s not that. And, I don’t mind reading! Just not a big fan of reading a bunch of books on theory.”

Sere: “Then what’s the issue?”

Jafar: “We’re not really making any progress. And, more work gets piled on by Mitra and Archmage Dakka.”

Alan: “Yeah, it feels like they're locking us away in a room with a bunch of paper to read while everybody else is getting real action, with no chance for us to rack up merit.”

Sere: “Eh, not every job or task is exciting. I’m sure your time will eventually come.”

Alan: “Maybe if it felt like we were making some sort of contribution. We haven’t really found anything meaningful during the hours we’re working for the Sleuth-Hawks.”

Sere: “Well, if you're feeling like working as an enforcer, why don’t you do something in your off hours.”

Alan: “What do you mean?”

Sere: “Like, you two have the enforcer uniform and badges. The both of you could go around campus asking people questions and gathering more information that you can then add to your investigation. No one would bat an eye at you questioning anyone, even other professors. And, no one would be able to refuse answering you because of your enforcer status.”

Jafar: “Are we even allowed to do that?”

Sere: “I don’t know. You tell me.”

Alan: “Hmm, I never thought of that. Yeah, that’s not actually a bad idea.”

Jafar: “Um, maybe not that great of an idea. I’m sure the enforcers have already interviewed every person related to Sorin. Any information we collected by talking to people on campus would be redundant at this point. And, talking to random people would be even less helpful than what we’re doing at the Archive.”

Alan: “Oh, yeah… you're right. It might be a waste of time. I’m sure they talked to everyone related to Sorin, like you said.”

Alan stared down at his plate, his eyes fixed on the mess of cheese-covered potatoes as his thoughts drifted elsewhere. His brow furrowed, and after a moment of silence, he let out a long, weary sigh. For a brief moment, he had felt a spark of excitement at the idea of discovering another way to make a meaningful contribution to the investigation—an uncharted path that could prove valuable.

However, Jafar’s calm and rational perspective had grounded him again, pulling him back from his daydreams and reminding him of the need to stay focused and practical. The flicker of excitement faded, replaced by the familiar weight of reality.

Alan: “It’s too bad that we don’t know anyone who the enforcer wouldn’t think to talk to... Wait…there is someone.”

Jafar: “Who are you talking about?”

Alan: “The one person they would never think to ask. Someone we all promise to never talk about.”

It took a second, but the realization hit Sere like a bolt of lightning—she instantly knew who Alan was talking about. A wave of panic and fear began to crash over her.

Sere: “ALAN! NO! He’ll kill you!” she yelled.

Jafar: “I-If you're talking about who I think you are, then Sere is absolutely right. We can’t talk to him,” he said nervously.

Alan: “But, he obviously knows something. I’m sure he knows where Jixi is.”

Jafar: “We don’t even know that for sure. It’s too dangerous.”

Alan: “I know, that’s why I’ll go talk to him by myself. If he gets mad at me approaching him, he should only go after me,” he said as he stood up and walked out of the private room.

Both Sere and Jafar exchanged a tense glance, their expressions betraying their uncertainty and nervousness. For a moment, hesitation flickered between them, but they ultimately steeled themselves and decided to follow after Alan. They weren't about to let their friend face that person alone.