Wavebound Mentors by Kris Schnee

Author:Kris Schnee [Schnee, Kris]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2020-07-12T22:00:00+00:00

4. Witch Hunters

Ruyo got up early the next morning and washed, then made some sample materials to show off. The party from the east arrived before noon. Three carriages, fancier than anything Ruyo had ever owned, reached the stream and struggled just uphill before stopping. Out of them climbed eleven men and women dressed more for a noble court than for hard work. Most looked skeptical, a few excited.

The mighty Anemos was there in a fine yellow cape, hanging back while the others introduced themselves. The six students were young adults from important families, and the three teachers were a bewildered smith, a weaver and Vissio's cook, roughly as requested. The last person was an elderly, stooped scholar who wouldn't take his eyes off Ruyo.

That man approached Ruyo and bowed. "You are a fascinating subject, already the center of several arguments."

"Ah... thanks?"

His gaze drifted toward Ruyo's shoulder, where Nusina hovered invisibly. She hadn't yet introduced herself. He said, "Pleased to meet you as well."

Nusina appeared. "Few people seem to have your gift, sir."

"And gifts are to be used to aid one another, are they not? Tell me; can you handle this?" He offered her a Steadfast Church pendant of smooth stone.

Ruyo hesitantly took it. The rock had no effect on her. "It seems so. There was one that I touched that tingled unpleasantly. It was made with more care, I'm told."

"Is that so? Why do you think that is?"

"We think there's a distinction between ordinary magic, and mine."

"Then what about this one?" the old wizard said, holding a nearly identical charm.

Ruyo touched it like an animal that might strike her. Then she took it in her hands, passing it back and forth but making herself hold onto it tightly for a few seconds before showing her open palm. Truthfully she answered, "It doesn't burn me or anything, but it's... sharp, sort of. Buzzing."

A few of the students murmured. Anemos put in, "Ambiguous result?"

The old man turned to him. "Well, she's no demon. Unless she's also extraordinarily powerful, which I doubt, or our high priest is lacking in the faith to make a proper spirit-repelling artifact with his own two hands."

Ruyo asked Nusina, "Something like the ring of runes containing that fire elemental? I was too busy to get a good look at it."

"Could be. Careful, milady; this isn't just a magic lesson."

The scholar-sage said, "I'm not yet convinced there's a true separation between normal and divine magic, but this test shows that particular mages can detect a type of mana configuration that even masters cannot." He nodded politely toward Anemos. Then he ran Ruyo through a simple test of putting one pendant in each of her hands while she had her eyes closed, and saying which was which. Easily done, repeatedly. He concluded, "Something unusual is here, I can say. And consistent with certain other observations. I have shown my proper diligence."

Anemos said, "Then there's much work to be done. Ruyo, we ask that you use your powers to grant magic to our six students, here, and one of the teachers.

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