Chapter: 273 - This Time (Patreon)

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Tala sat in peaceful stillness, eyes closed, body relaxed, feeling the constant pleasant breeze against her front.

That cool sensation was suddenly joined by a counter point when the sun crested the mountains behind them, the first light of morning striking her like a physical thing.

She felt power in the light, though it was most easily explained as the heat the light brought to her skin.

She hadn’t been cold, per se, but the warm touch of that light eased tension she hadn’t noticed building through her long hours of barely moving.

Tala had spent most of the night in quiet meditation, focused inward separately on her repairing body and the iron now threading throughout.

They would arrive in Bandfast soon, so she took the rising sun as a cue to review what she learned.

First, and most importantly, her physical form was not regenerating as quickly as it should.

The damage she’d sustained should have healed effectively instantly, but instead, it lingered as if something foundational had broken within each cell, and her magesight was becoming precise enough to detect the detritus that was surrounding her body in the dimensions of magic. At least it was precise enough when she focused with all her will and mental acuity.

Alat helped too.

The picture wasn’t a good one.

-I don’t think we’ll survive long without Refining or something like it. That is a rather unhealthy aspect to our body.-

I’d have thought the teleportation would clean this up, but it’s tied to me, to my soul.

-Yeah, it’s a deterioration of your body, which is soul-bound to you.-

Tala scoffed internally. One of the unspecified ‘downsides’ of becoming Bound. There are some things that can’t be healed in the standard way.

-Mistress Holly knows of the issue, even if not the advanced state of it. We’ll get it all sorted.-

Yeah. It was odd, feeling like her body was betraying her, even if that was a radically unrealistic assessment. She’d abused herself, and now there were consequences.

-Marginal misalignments in regenerative scripts, due to our imperfect nature.-

Yeah, and with every regeneration, those have been amplified. Do you have your estimate?

-Yes, as soon as I noticed your desire for independent analysis, I kept you from seeing those thoughts and calculations.-

I estimate ten years until total degradation, losing roughly a year for the equivalent of each full body regeneration.

-I estimated eleven years, but near enough, yeah.-

Merging with the dasgannach really threw everything off…

-It did. Your biology is no longer really human, I suspect a similar issue to Master Jevin’s, but we’re aware of it before hand, so it shouldn't compound.-

Yup. Tell the more knowledgeable, find and enact a solution.

-Eh, we just need a perfect body, and we’ll be fine.-

Well, we’ll be Re-fine-d.

Alat paused for a long moment before sending a sense of disapproval. -Bad Tala, bad pun.-

It was amazing, and you know it.

But she was getting off into the weeds.

She had made some good progress. Towards that end, she purposely shifted the iron within herself towards the sun-side, darkening her skin by increasing the iron manifesting within it to increase her absorption of the warmth on this cold winter morning.

It also allowed the heat to radiate deeper, quicker, due to the properties of the iron.

She didn’t need the heat, but it felt nice, especially as a counterpoint to the steady wind of their travels.

She also lifted her hand and willed some iron out through her skin, forming a blob on her palm.

It was clearly iron dust, but it moved and held together more like a liquid.

Alright, here we go. She’d been able to move the iron within her body with almost perfect precision, but this was new.

Cube.

The iron lifted in the middle just a bit, making vaguely square corners, but the result was not a cube.

The deep ache that Tala felt was familiar. Will-power and spiritual fatigue.

She groused.

-Hey! But this means it’s a good exercise to improve both of those things? Especially since we probably shouldn’t do too much sparring or physical conditioning with these issues.-

She hadn’t considered it that way. She would have, but Alat was quicker this time. Yeah, that’s quite true. I’d be surprised if Mistress Holly wasn’t in the group we’re going to be talking to.

Ahead, now that her eyes were open, Tala could see Bandfast.

She allowed her focus to shift to the approaching city, and she felt a twinge in her heart.

Home.

She’d been gone a long time.

True, it hadn’t even been a year, but it felt like a long time.

In one sense, I’ve never actually been here. There’s not a continuity of consciousness from ‘me’ to the Tala who lived in Lyn’s house.

-Stop that sort of philosophizing. It helps no one and can easily be extended to say that ‘you’ die every time you sleep. It’s just not helpful.-

That’s fair…

Some of the outer defensive towers caught the light of the rising sun and almost seemed to glow in the morning light.

The farms, orchards, and other outer signs of civilization that had been absent around Alefast, Waning, were dusted with snow, while still showing obvious signs of use.

Even in winter the work never ceases.

Tala also knew that the grow complexes under the city would be in full swing with year-round crops and starters for when the snows receded.

We have to eat, after all. She more than most.

It was somewhat odd to realize that her magical healing depended so strongly on having a mundane infrastructure behind her. Well, it would, without my sanctum.

-Your sanctum can provide your day to day needs, but it is not sufficient to replenish your reserves when they’re this low. You’d strip the space bare and still be lacking.-

That’s true, and I’m going to need a cook or two…

-We’ll deal with that, once we’ve addressed the more pertinent matters at hand.-

True. I’ll be patient.

From this sky-down perspective, it was fascinating to see the bubble of civilization ahead and below them.

There were occasional flashes as arcanous creatures were killed trying to enter at various places around that bubble, but that was nothing new.

More than anything, what stood out to her magesight was the deep pit that the city was to the magic of the region. Power flowed downhill, in a sense, and this city was at the bottom of a crater in the magical dimensions dozens of miles in circumference.

She’d never seen the siphoning scripts so clearly before, though she was still only seeing the evidence of their existence rather than the scripts themselves.

Such is required with so many gated humans living close together. It was certainly more efficient than keeping the city moving at all times. At least at this scale, it’s more efficient.

Master Grediv broke his silence. “We’ll be through the defenses in less than ten minutes. Mistress Ingrit has gathered some interested parties to meet with us upon our arrival.”

Tala nodded. Mistress Ingrit had said something similar in her latest message. This is so convenient.

-Yes. We are going to upgrade our Archive connection so we’re never out of range again.-

Agreed.

The blue sapphire disc passed through the outer edges of Bandfast’s defenses with ease and barely a ripple, and they were suddenly directly over the outer ring of the city, passing at the pace of a slow sprint.

The walls drew closer, and Tala glanced towards Master Grediv. “Aren’t we going to scare some people?”

He huffed a laugh. “We are quite invisible to mundane sight, Mistress.”

“Ahh, that makes sense.”

She saw farmers clearing paths in the snow, or checking their fields. She didn’t know what they were doing, precisely, as she’d never really looked into the profession.

-Do you want me to find out?-

Not particularly. Not right now.

-Alright.-

They were still flying fairly high above the ground, and so Tala was able to start picking out familiar features.

That’s the work yard I used for my trip to Alefast, and over there is the one I used for all my trips to Marliweather.

She easily spotted dozens of restaurants she’d visited in the past, and she started building a list of places she wanted to eat, once she was free to do so.

She saw the Guardsmen’s training yard where she’d received so much instruction.

The Way of Flowing Blood was vastly superior to what she and the guards had pieced together, but the aid that they’d given her was invaluable. It had kept her alive so many times even before her capture, and the mental structures and physical habits they’d helped to engender within her had allowed her to continue to improve even after she’d left the specific patchwork fighting style behind.

She obviously saw the teleportation tower that had first brought her to this city from the Academy, but that had been visible for quite a while.

They were closing in on the central districts, and Tala was able to pick out the Caravaneer’s Guildhall.

I’m going to have to go talk to them about my contract. There is no way I’m doing caravan runs… at least not for a while.

The Wainwrights might be a bit cross with her, though she believed that she’d gotten them their money’s worth for their custom wagon.

I wonder if there’d be any benefit for Kit imbibing those…

Probably not.

Finally, she saw the park and Lyn’s house.

Her house.

Emotion tried to build within her, but Tala suppressed it.

No. I need to be strong for this meeting. Then, I can go have a good cry.

-Stuffing your feelings isn’t good for you, Tala. I think you know that already.-

I do, but what other choice do I have?

Master Grediv brought them in for a smooth landing near the center of the city.

They came down in a small courtyard very close to the Archon compound, which made sense to Tala.

As the large blue disc settled down, Tala, Rane, and Master Grediv stepped off before the sapphire simply vanished, presumably back into Master Grediv’s untethered, soul-bound, dimensional storage.

That is a lot of qualifiers for such a common item.

Alat sighed internally, clearly aware that Tala was trying to distract herself. -There really should be a simple name for something like that, yes.-

Yeah, but what would it be?

-Inventory?-

That’s an oddly specific suggestion. Why?

-Well, what is an inventory? It’s a list of things kept in a certain location. For untethered, soul-bound, dimensional storages, all they are is an inventory, a list of contents, that you can pull from.-

Huh… that actually makes a lot of sense.

The internal conversation had taken virtually no time in actuality, and so Tala wasn’t in the middle of the exchange when she saw the people coming out of a side passage into the courtyard.

At the front of the group was Lyn who was quick walking, pulling ahead of the others.

She covered the last few feet with something akin to a leap, accompanied by an almost childlike squeal. “TALA!”

The older woman wrapped Tala in a tight embrace that felt more maternal than anything Tala had experienced in… She couldn’t remember the last time that she’d experienced anything particularly maternal…

“Oof! What are you made of these days, girl?” Lyn didn’t pull back, but her squeezing embrace didn’t seem to deflect Tala’s flesh at all. “This is like hugging a statue.”

-You’ve not really had maternal contact recently. Certainly not since you upgraded your mind.-

Tala felt her own thoughts breaking down as she curled inward, wrapping Lyn in tight hug in turn.

-Careful! She’s fragile.-

Tala jerked slightly, keeping herself from crushing her friend even as she felt emotions roiling within her.

Keep it together, Tala. Come on. You can do this.

Rane walked up behind her and laid a hand on her shoulder. “You’re home, Tala. Everything will be alright.”

That broke the hasty dam she’d been trying to throw up within herself, and a shudder of emotion roiled through her.

Alat had to help keep the cathartic spasms from squeezing Lyn too tightly.

At some point, Rane wrapped both women in an immense hug that was only possible because he was just so much larger than them both.

It felt like a year, and also like just an instant before she pulled back, smiling with tear-filled eyes at her friend.

Lyn similarly smiled back. “I thought we’d lost you.” She shook her head. “Welcome home.”

Tala almost descended back into tears, but instead, solidified herself and nodded once. “I cannot express how glad I am to be back.”

She then looked around at the few other people around her, waiting patiently.

Mistress Jenna and Mistress Ingrit were the only two who’d come closer, and Tala focused on those two women, for the moment ignoring other shape waiting back in the hallway.

Tala pulled a cloth from Kit to wipe her face clean as Mistress Ingrit walked forward.

Tala smiled. “Thank you for all you did once you had my message.”

Mistress Ingrit didn’t respond, instead stepping in to give a surprisingly powerful hug.

Tala stiffened for an instant, the gesture utterly unexpected, but she didn’t have any real resistances at the moment, and so after that brief hesitation, she accepted the gesture unreservedly.

The Archivist whispered for Tala’s ear alone. “You poor dear. You’ve gone through something truly awful, and there is more to come, but I am on your side—and I’ll be at your side—through all that is left.”

Tala felt a huge amount of comfort from that. “Thank you, Mistress Ingrit.”

Mistress Jenna came forward and gave her a quick half-hug. “Welcome back, dear. There is much we need to discuss before my husband will be happy with you staying in the city, but I think we can sort it soon enough. Mistress Ingrit hasn’t given details, but she’s gathered… quite the group.” The wife of the Lord of Bandfast gestured towards the archway. “Let’s finish the reunions and get down to business, shall we?”

Tala had returned the much older woman’s brief hug, taking it for a greeting rather than an offer of support or comfort. At the Reforged’s gesture, Tala finally focused on the singular figure who waited in the hallway, alone.

“Child. I see you’re still finding yourself in… unique situations.” Mistress Odera stood, bent over a cane, hunched in a way that Tala had never seen, her usual energy seemingly drained out of her. “Well, don’t just stand there, staring, girl. Come give an old woman a hug.”

Tala crossed the distance and gave a careful hug to the woman who appeared to be the oldest person present. Now that I think about it, Mistress Odera is likely precisely in the middle of the group, age wise.

As a Mage, Mistress Odera was longer lived than a mundane, but that paled in comparison to even the shortest lived Archon’s natural span of years, and everyone else present was at least an Archon.

Even Lyn was more than halfway to Fused, her aura showing as a beautiful burnt orange to Tala’s magesight.

Tala once again had to wipe her nose and eyes. “You never responded to my message.”

“You told me you would come to see me when you could. You asked no questions.” The woman shrugged slowly. “What purpose would there have been in replying?”

Tala groused a bit but had to admit that Mistress Odera was correct. “I was worried about you.”

“Then, ask a question next time.” Mistress Odera hesitated, seeming almost to stutter in place. “Actually, let’s not have a next time, hmmm?”

“I’d prefer that, yes.”

Mistress Jenna walked forward. “I will lead you to the room where the others are waiting.” She grinned. “We’ve arranged for a large quantity of food as well, per Master Grediv’s request.”

Tala gave the Paragon a grateful look. “Thank you, yet again.”

He gave her a nod in return. “I am glad to be of service and grateful to learn what you have to share.”

The group followed Mistress Jenna, and Tala took the opportunity to lean over and inquire of Lyn, “How are you? Are you doing well?”

“Well, yes, mostly. Kannis is progressing nicely, and I left her in charge of the work, today. It will be a big step if she completes it all correctly, but it’s more work for me, as I’ll have to review it after the fact.” She shrugged. “She’s a good mageling, and she helped after…” Lyn’s eyes flicked to Tala and away again. “I know it was probably worse for you, but I did not like you disappearing like that.”

Tala placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “I know, and I’m sorry. I definitely didn’t choose it.”

Lyn nodded, giving a weak smile. “I know. I really do.”

They stepped out of the hallway into what seemed to almost be a lecture hall.

True to Mistress Jenna’s word, there were tables covered in food lining both walls.

There weren’t a lot of people within, but Tala saw Master Boma from the Constructionist Guild, Mistress Elnea the current head of the Archon Counsel of Banfast, and Mistress Holly waiting for them.

Additionally, quite a few more chairs were filled others, including by Master Himmal from the Wainwrights Guild, Aproa—Mistress Odera’s granddaughter—, and Cazor and Jean, the Mage Hunters who Tala knew.

Mistress Holly was the first to spot Tala, and she immediately pulled out a small, obelisk looking thing, and Tala felt a prickle across the back of her neck.

The Insciptionist’s eyes widened as she clearly got some sort of informational download from sub-sections of Alat.

She didn’t take long to scan the information before she’d gotten enough of a gist to start shaking her head. “Well, rust my biscuits, child. What have you done to yourself this time?”

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