[Mkguild] Life As We Know It VII

[Jack Moore]

Life As We Know It - VII

Past – 699

Somewhere South of Metamor
Two months had passed since then.  Now I was preparing for my finaltest.
In the next few days I would meet with Mr. Sotto’s three previous
protégées, the three he had trained before me.  They would be the ones
administrating my exam.  For now, though I was resting.
“How do the others know to meet you here?” I asked Mr. Sotto.
“Trick of the organization.” Mr. Sotto stroked my hair, “I’ll let you know
when, or if you join us.”  If?  I grit my teeth.  'I’ve earned this, I
stood on a tree stump for an entire day...no no no.  Calm Janelle.' I
exhaled slowly.  I’ve earned this, show him.
I lay against Mr. Sotto’s lap, between his legs.  His hand stroked my long
red hair.  We had a fire going, trying to keep us warm.  Sadly we were just
far enough north that March is still brutal cold.  I bunched my cloak
tighter against my body.  Mr. Sotto in contrast didn’t move at all.
'He feels like stone.' I took his hand in mine. 'How did he do that?  I
wish I wasn’t affected by the cold.  He probably thinks I look silly
shivering…   I glanced up at him, and he wasn’t looking at the flames.  He
was looking past them, somewhere far away..  He began to speak.
“Do you know much about the Sondeckis?” Sotto asked.  “Or any of the
Southern Mage clans?”  I shook my head.  “I’m not surprised.  You’ve been
isolated most of you life.  I think about them a lot though.  The Sondeckis
in particular.  I was born in Sondeshara you know.”
“I did not know that.” 'I don’t care about this. I want to hear about my
last test.' Sotto readjusted against the log he was laying against.
“The Sondeckis are just one mage clan, there are others.  And they’ve all
got certain things in common.  Tradition, color schemes and a history to
them.”  I could almost feel Sotto starting to smile in the dark.  “Long and
self important histories. But they all had to start one place.  They all
had to start like we do.”
“I guess.” I mumbled, readjusting.  “I’ve never really thought about it
Sotto.”  He didn’t respond.
“I look forward to the future.  Janelle, you and the others will be my
legacy.  The legacy of our abilities.  We are the first of the Avolbe.  One
day they will look at us and say “Those are the Enlightened!””  I forced a
smile of my own.
'Well that’s something. Something corny.' Sotto began to rub my shoulders
so I nuzzled him.  He’s so nice and warm.
“I often think about other mage clans with their respect and history.  They
have those things because they got started a thousand years before we did.”
Mr. Sotto rasped.  “It’s not fair that they have had years to understand
and study their powers but we’re just getting started.  But one day those
with our abilities will have our own clan.”
“That would be nice.” I said.  “I would like to not have to hide myself so
much…” In my experience it’s a good idea to hide when you can read people’s
minds.  That tends to scare them.  Best to avoid the subject.
“I’m tired of hiding.” Mr. Sotto said.  “I had to hide when I lived in
Sondeshara even before I discovered my abilities.  We were Lightbringers in
Sondeshara.”   I smiled.  “That makes you happy?”
“No I just get that too well.” I said.  Sotto cocked his head.  “Well my
mamma died shortly after having me.  Her last words were of course ‘Her
name is Janelle’ but the other thing she said?  ‘She will be raised a
Follower.’  No big problem right?”
“I don’t see a problem.” Sotto said.
“Well their was one.” I said.  “The place she took me to be a Follower in?
Metamor Keep.”  Sotto burst out laughing.  “I never found it that funny.”
“I doubt there was a worst place out there for your mother to take you to
be raised a Follower except the Hells.  Such is life.”  Still laughing, Mr.
Sotto disentangled himself from me and stood.
>From the folds of his cloak Mr. Sotto pulled three small clay vessels.
They were unusually shaped, seemingly looping into themselves.  In the
center of each was a single black soul gem.  I smiled   I don’t need to Tap
to know what you’re going to do.
“My first three protégées will be here tomorrow to test you Janelle.  And
trust me you will be tested.  But it’s worth it to be tested.”  One of the
jars snapped open.  I could feel him channeling.
'I’ll never get used to that.' As the spirit in the jar joined with Sotto’s
spirit, his body began to shift.  This change was subtle but still
noticeable.  Sweat glistened across his forehead.  His shoulders grew
broader, and his legs slightly longer
Most notably though were the appearance of new muscles.  They grew from
within him, giving his body a solid look.  Not huge, more lanky muscular.
Sotto grinned at me. 'Oh Eli it’s amazing.'
“Of course getting a spirit in is easy.  Getting it out is harder.” The jar
snapped shut.  Sotto’s body shifted back to its original form, little
changes disappearing.  “Hard for most, not for us though.”  I grinned.
The second jar then popped open.  Now Mr. Sotto seemed to wither slightly.
His face grew gaunt and his hair wild.  His nails grew out by an inch.
 “The biggest shock for your body is always the initial change.  As you
acquire spirits, you will have to adjust to the many changes your body will
go through.”
Sparks shot off of Mr. Sotto, followed by lightning from his palms.  I
jerked my head to the right as a bolt flew past me.  My grin never dipped
for a second.  “Magic for me is the absolute hardest to get used too.  Any
time of magic you naturally don’t take to.  You have to tame the spirit to
get it to do what you want.”
'Tame is an odd word.' Still I nodded.  This is going to be me some day.
I’m going to look amazing.  Everyone is going to be impressed by me.  Mr.
Sotto sent the second spirit back into its jar.
“I was very lucky Janelle, to have the chance to study spirits.”  The third
jar popped open.  “And I am so proud of your growth over these five years.
You have learned all that I know.”  This third spirit wasn’t like the
others.
In truth I don’t know what it was.  But I know what it did too him.  I
scooted back until I felt the log stabbing at me
Sotto ignited into bright blue flames. His body could still be seen beneath
the flire.  It didn’t burn him, instead it danced on him, leaving him
untinged.
I had once tried to feel this spirit, only to feel my mind burning.  It was
impossible to believe such a thing could exist, much less that Sotto was
controlling it. Yet here he was, unarmed and in control.
“Enough for tonight.”  The flames extinguished and into the jar the spirit
went.  Sotto laughed and collapsed.  “Gods, even with my experience it
still takes a lot of energy.”  I crawled over to him.  Sotto stroked my arm.
“And I’ll be able to do that?”
“You’ll be doing a lot more than that.” Sotto said.  “In a few days you
will undergo your final test.  Janelle, you will be doing the one thing
every channeler has to do.”
“Which is?” I asked.  He didn’t respond.  I puffed out my bottom lip to
look sad.  “You can tell me!” Sotto laughed again.
“Nice try.”  Worth a shot.  “You’ll discover it tomorrow.”
Why do people do that?  Not telling me did nothing but build up suspense,
suspense that kept me awake long into the night.
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