MageLife (8 page)

The mob of people were still there. Taking care to weave through without any collisions this time.  I quickly made my way through to Rysan’s office. Master Jase was where I had left him. Although this time he was giving orders to Orb.

“Orb, I need to change your permissions. You will need to be able to act more autonomously than you have when Rysan is around. The sudden surge in numbers of mages could be a problem.” Jase said.

“Master Mage Jase. Only you, Rysan and the wizard's council can change my structures.” Orb cautioned. “Anyone else forcibly doing so, will result in my deactivation,"

“Yes, yes I know Orb,” Jase dismissed with a wave of his hand. “This isn't a change in structures, it just adds a new rank and permissions. More specifically, it adds Mage Representative to your list of authorised senior personnel.”

“Yes Master Mage Jase, that is permissible. What level of access will Mage Representative have?” Orb queried. Colours flickered rapidly through it before settling at a deep blue.

“Senior but locked. He can access everything but cannot change any of your functions, and only in the pursuit of his duties. Please use your discretion functions to determine what is needed.” Jase replied firmly, his eyes locked on Orbs form.

“Rank added. The Wizards confirmed your request.” Orb announced its form resumed its pale slow shift in colour. “Mage Representative Tristan Sodden is at the door.” Jase turned to look at me a smile spreading across his face.

“Tristan, Nice to see you’re back. How are you feeling about the promotion?” Jase asked gently.

“Startled, Sir to say the least.” I replied trying to be honest with him.

“Well yes, I can imagine," He chuckled softly “Being startled is a common thing for us mages in the new era," His eyes went distant. Humour drained from his face.

I had no idea what was going through his head.

“Well on to your task," He said forcefully, his eyes coming back to me. “It’s quite simple. Head down to the stone guild and offer our assistance. No task stone though.” a smile flickered on his face at that.

I stood there facing Jase, with no idea what to say. I closed my eyes and took a breath, trying to get my thoughts in order.

“Sir, I have no experience dealing with people. You above all should know that," I pleaded. My people skill were appalling.

“Tristan” Jase started. Standing then walking around the desk towards me. “How do you think you will get experience?” his tone told me it was rhetorical, his eyes focused intensely on my like he used to during my training “Think of this as a chance for learning.” no matter how gently he said that I still shivered. Jase saw my discomfort. “I doubt it will be painful”

“Alright Sir. I will do my best.” I said hesitantly after swallowing my fear.  I didn't want to promise more in such an area of weakness.

“That is all we can ask for.” Jase replied “As you heard you now have access to Orb, It is a wonderful tool, all sorts of information. Your amulet was damaged during the explosion. This promotion has been planned for the last few weeks so a modified enchantment has been designed for it.  I have the transfer shard here if you will do the honours.”

“I haven't touched my magic since then” I responded uncertainly, the lingering fear that my channels were permanently damaged forefront in my mind.

“Don't worry. I've seen your Healer's reports.” a comforting hand placed on my shoulder as he continued. “You are fine.”

“You’re sure?” I insisted. Looking him straight in the eyes.  I didn't need false comfort.

“Very. I examined you myself when you walked in.” Jase firmly with a small nod.

“Okay. Where is the shard?”  I asked.

Jase walked over to a small green shard on the edge of the desk. “Here it is Tristan.” he said before handing it to me.

I looked at the shard with my active othersense, it was swimming with forms, far more than I could understand with my limited experience of enchanting. I knew the process though. One of the few useful things we learnt at the academy. It was one of the simplest. Just a touch of power pushed into the shard. A shaped link to the item being enchanted, in this case my amulet... Knacks could do this if provided with a shard and had very fine control of their power.

“Done I think Sir.”  I announced. The enchantment had settled nicely, far easier than things like the irrigation system, as they need to be tailored.

“Yes. Very well done.” Jase said proudly not hiding the fact he had been supervising the process. “It will provide a link to Orb greater than the one previous. It’s far more direct. The exact details will need a bit of work to get a handle on. Now you need to be heading to stone guild. The offer of assistance is limited to you.” A smug smile appeared on his face. The bastard just turned and walked back to his chair picking up his glyph-screen

Feeling a bit unwelcome. I saluted and turned on my heel. Quickly walking through the door.

Chapter 9

The way to the stone guild was one I had never been despite living all my life near town. It was new as in built in the last few years. Taking a turn at the fountain outside headquarters took me down the wide pale cream streets, glow globes hung on either side of the street. Unlit for now.  I went slowly taking in the scenery. The buildings on either side of me were tall but with separate small gates between, I assumed for access. The sun cast stripes of light and shade across my path. The streams of people about their business continued. I had never seen the town so alive. Even at the height of the waves, the town had been quiet, but after a lot of the survivors in the area migrated here, it had livened up, but then the town had been traumatised. Rebuilding had been slow while the wizards set up an infrastructure, but their hard work could be seen everywhere. The paved streets. The lights, the cleaning systems. We even had a basic sewer network. Running water. Disease while not eliminated was greatly reduced. Crime was rare. Theft was pointless as the credit shard couldn't be tampered with. While not everyone was in work all were paid a basic amount. The rich and the poor were as equal as the had ever been. It was amazing that just the sight of a town could bring such a wash of pride. I was a part of the organisation that had done all this. The wizard’s council was still young. The future looked bright.

My reverie had distracted me while I was still on the right path I was no longer focusing on the way. Signs made it unnecessary. Arriving outside, all I could do was stare.

The sheer mass of the stone guild stunned me. A massive flowing building of almost white stone. The guild house rose higher than it neighbours by a large margin. Sweeping artistic flows of green-flecked marble wove up the building ending in a green arched roof. Windows were everywhere. I had thought the mage academy was impressive, and it was. It couldn't compare to the utter majesty and beauty of this. Magic used for the practical was good but magic for the sake of it had never entered my mind. I was overwhelmed to say the least. Lots of men were going in and out of the arched entrance. Most were wearing heavy boots and tough overalls. Skilled knacks mainly earth focused, by my othersense of them. Magic had flourished since the wizards had taken over. I shook myself out my head. Time to focus on work.

Taking myself through the arches took every scrap of willpower I had.

Knacking people. Why couldn't I be given a task that didn't require interactions, or even a few classes?

The smooth stone of the floor echoed with every step. Light poured in through the large coloured windows. Creating intricate patterns on marble that reminded me of the transfer shard. Swimming forms that sense could be pried out of if I had enough time. A shadow fell across my vision.

“Hello mage-” came the gentle request. A young woman had approached while I was contemplating the patterns. Looking up to her brought me the sight of long red hair framing an oval face with bright hazel eyes standing out from pale skin. A small smile twisted her lips.

“Mage Representative Tristan Sodden. I’m here to offer my assistance to the stone guild” I blurted out. Heat rushing to my face. I'm a knacking pixie again. What is wrong with me? I reprimanded myself before doing my best to pay attention

Her smile had grown. Suppressed amusement radiated from her face. “Well Mage Tristan I am Lyphia Terra, the guild master's daughter. If you would follow me, I will take you up to Master Terra’s office. He should be able to slot you in if you don't mind waiting.” she said. Looking expectantly at me. Her smile still very much present.

“Uh yes of course, lead the way please.” I hesitantly replied. Embarrassment can be a great motivator. I had moved past my discomfort of dealing with people to annoyed with myself for being so clumsy with women.

Lyphia guided me through the beautiful building.

Thick columns reached to the high flat ceiling. Hidden behind one at the back of the foyer was a deeply recessed door. Large and densely covered with incised with flowing patterns. As we entered and trudged our way up the stairs a thought occurred to me. Well two.

One was Lyphia really filled out her dress in all the right places. Two was once this place would have been a sign of wealth the sort of extravagance the nobles lorded over us poor unfortunates. Now it was a show of expertise. You don't contract a tailor who can't dress well. You equally wouldn't hire a stone guild member if he couldn't build. The stairs turned once to the left as we neared the top. A huge window was centerplace in the wide open hall. A similar door to downstairs on either side.

Lyphia headed to the one to the right of the window. A quick look thrown over her shoulder, I assumed to make sure I hadn't got lost. I smiled at her. She quickly turned back, her red hair flicking with her. A moment later she rapped on the door with her knuckles. “Guild master, its Lyphia.” she called through the door. She rolled her eye at me. I assumed about the obsequious manner she had adopted.

“Come in” came a sharp command.

Lyphia opened the door. It led to large office that would have been plain if not for the intricate models scattered about. Tiny structures of houses, larger buildings that looked similar to the mage headquarters. Others were around, that I couldn't begin to guess at. Many glyph-screens with drawings of buildings were scattered about. While I was taking this in Lyphia had walked through the obstacles to the desk. An older man, almost entirely average looking apart from the strong green glow in his eyes and the delicate look of his hands.

“Father, this is Mage Representative Tristan Sodden. He is here to offer his services to the stone guild.” Lyphia said to her father. A quirk of an eyebrow and a slight head tilt indicated me. Her voice was still amused.

The guild master glanced over to me, his green-glowing eyes brightening. He put a hand out to shake.

I stepped forwards as quickly as I could being careful not to knock anything in this tangle of a room. I placed my hand in his, a tingle of magic ran through me.

“A full mage. Strong in earth, probably first knack. A touch of water too. Complex first blooming.” He muttered before raising his eyes to meet mine. “Sorry, I'm Guild master Terra. We could use a mage around here.”

“What was that?” I was incredulous. I had never seen or heard about magic like that.

The guild master just shrugged and released my hand. “Just a little quirk of mine.” he replied dismissively. He strolled back to his desk. Grabbing a glyph-screen and ignoring me.

Lyphia looked at me sympathetically as I stood there baffled by the exchange. “Father, can you pay attention please. Mage Tristan is here to help, you can’t treat him like this!” she squawked at him.

The guild master looked at her blankly. “Why are you shouting at me Phe?” he asked with what appeared to be honest confusion.

“Dad focus please. We have a mage. He doesn't know what you are like.” she pleaded.

I was watching the exchange, my confusion growing. What was going on?

The guild master looked at me. His eyes showed no recognition. A hand came out as if to shake.

“Dad, you have done that already.” she said, moving forward to block my sight of him. She bent forward whispering into her father's ear.

I couldn't catch any of it. Using my magic to eavesdrop when it wasn't needed felt wrong. So I just stood waiting. Feeling rather useless. This really wasn't helping my confidence.

Lyphia pulled away. Patted her father on the hand before gesturing for me to leave.

I carefully made my way out of the room. I waited outside the door hoping I wasn't expected to leave the building.

A few moments later Lyphia came out carrying a glyph-screen “Sorry about that let's go to my office” her earlier smile had died. All lingering amusement washed away.

“You have an office?” I asked

“What do you think I do here?” she retorted.  Her eyes firmly locked on mine. A tensing of her shoulders betraying the anger that was missing from her tone.

“Um, I have no idea. You picked me up from the foyer. I thought that was your job.” I said earnestly.

“No that's not my job” she replied with a small laugh. The tension disappearing. “My job is far more, than picking up strays. I would rather not discuss it here.” she pointed to the door on the other side of the window.

I was left speechless. I hadn't brought it up.

She walked ahead of me, opening the door without knocking. This office was spotless. Plain stone and wood. Deep wooden shelves covered the walls. Stuffed with neat folders. She head straight for the desk, deposited the glyph-screen on the desk and turned to me.

“I guess you want an explanation about my father” she said fiercely. The passion behind it made me want to leave.

“If you want to explain. I’ll admit I'm curious but I don't want to make things difficult," I replied gently. I was doing my best to keep calm. This wasn't my thing at all.

“You may need to know.” she stated. Her earlier passion seemed to have shifted into something else. She leant against the desk, her arms folded.

“It’s simple really. My father was a bonded mage, who broke his bond. He is also the one who put up the dome to protect this town.” she said