"A wise decision," Taegin said from behind the two of us. We turned to look at him just as the scar on his left cheek scrunched with the proud smile he wore on his face. "Thorn and I will handle the processing of the Gwynnleaf, while Thoma," he paused, looking at me. "You will be there, too. I have a gift for you before your journey to Caegwen," he continued.
"Of course, Master," I replied, bowing my head lightly.
Moments later, we left the training area, and made our way down to what we called the Awakening Chamber. While it wasn't anything grandiose, it did house the equipment required for refining the Gwynnleaf, as well as a large, runic circle traced along the floor. "What's that for?" Meliss asked, pointing down at the runes on the floor. "Those runes are to help guide your consciousness through initial contact with the Ethereal," Pyle explained as Thorn and Taegin worked the gwynnleaf.
"Guide my consciousness? Is there anywhere else for it to go?" she asked. "As I'm sure you might have guessed, there are two primary types of mana: Light and Dark. Cliche, I know, but to help us keep consistent naming conventions, these simplistic sounding names were put in place," he began. "These two are different from elemental and environmental mana, which, with enough training, can also be controlled, but today, we will simply work on your initial contact," he concluded.
"So what will you need me to do to make initial contact?" she asked, curiosity clawing at her more voraciously than before. "The best way that I can explain it is that you're going to have to quiet your mind, dispelling all thoughts, both negative and positive, away from your goal. Once that has happened, the Gwynnleaf tincture will guide you through the rest, and prevent you from getting trapped," Pyle said.
"What do you mean it will guide me? Like, it will tell me what to do? And what do you mean by trapped?" she asked. "Not verbally, but you'll feel it pulling you, in a sense. Oh, and by trapped he means that your consciousness, without the use of the Gwynnleaf, is at risk of being stuck between the realms. If you didn't have the tincture, and something distracted you, the odds of you getting trapped are far higher," I chimed in, feeling relevant for once.
It'd been so long since I was in her shoes, I'd almost forgotten what that initial contact felt like. "I-I see," she said, trying to find a memory she could use to relate to his words.
While Taegin and Thorn were working on the tincture, Pyle and I helped her meditate. We both pushed mana around her, enveloping her in the warmth she would feel when she first drew it from the realm. This was a process carefully tailored to each person, as depending on the amount of mana they could handle during this pre-process could help determine how much of an aptitude they would have.
Pyle and I glanced at each other when we realized she was handling about as much as a junior would after two years of training. "Are you sure you've never used mana before?" Pyle asked. "I'm sure. This is about the same feeling I had when I still wore the earrings, so if anything, this is my normal," she said, her eyes still closed.
"Are we about to have another monster?" Pyle asked under his breath, shaking his head. "Pyle, Thoma. It's time," Taegin said, handing a small, glowing vial to Meliss, while Thorn handed me a pair of cerulean flasks "What's this?" I asked, eyeing them curiously. Their structure was crystalline, wrapped in small, leather bands with runes inscribed along the length of the leather. The metal lids and mouth of the flask barely protruded out of the structures that were each a little larger than my palm.
"A gift from Ren to both you and Bernar. I don't know how or why he does many of the things he does, but after he told me what it is, I had to take it up with the Master," he began. I looked at him curiously, wondering what Ren could possibly have given him. "I know Ren has powers that few can begin to comprehend, but why would he give us a gift?" I asked
"He said you'd understand, but you're both not to drink it until you get to Caegwen. And, after having discussed a few things with the Master, I've come to realize that there was much more in you than just potential. I just wish I could see the look on your face when you find out what I mean," he said, patting me on the shoulder, and giving me a warm smile.
Confused. As. Fuck, I thought, but returned the smile just the same.
"Diolch, Thorn," I said, putting one hand across my chest and bowing lightly. He smiled even more brightly, and patted my shoulder twice before stepping away. Meliss also eyed her vial carefully. The glowing tincture inside had about the same consistency as oil as it gently sloshed around inside.
"There's still time to back down, you know. If you choose to go through with this, you will also become a synner," Taegin said, his piercing gaze searching Meliss' eyes. "I'll do it, Master," she said, nodding her head. "Like I said to Master Pyle before we even left Coltend: I never want to feel like I cannot fight back again," she said, her conviction much stronger this time. "So be it," he replied with a nod, stepping out of the runic circle.
"Drink," he gestured to her. She put the vial to her lips, and stared down its neck, watching the golden liquid flow towards her. Her eyes opened wide as she drank every last drop. "It tastes like a warm, summer day feels," she said, handing the empty vial back to me. "Indeed it does. Now, go sit in the middle, just like we practiced," Pyle said. With a terse nod of understanding, she sat in the center of the runic ring, crossing her legs as she descended to the floor.
"Remember, clear your mind, and let the tincture guide you. I will be here to pour mana into the circle," Taegin said, his voice soothed by some extra mana he exuded to help calm her nerves. She nodded once more, closed her eyes, and followed along with the breathing pattern we had taught her just an hour prior.
And now, we wait, I thought.