Chapter: 312 - Baby Steps (Patreon)

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Tala ran through the wilds and read as the sun moved across the sky.

Terry kept close and checked in on her fairly often, but he didn’t bother staying within sight most of the time.

In the end, they came to the edge of the city’s defenses with the sun barely showing over the horizon. Ahh short winter days, how inconvenient you can be at times.

They stood on top of a particularly high rise and looked down upon Marliweather, the city of Tala’s birth.

It covered so much more land than Bandfast, given that its mines were still operational. They still have almost fifty years left to drain the mines dry.

Within the ring of massive gantries and equipment to transport workers and materials down into and up from the mining tunnels, the familiar farmland lay just as dormant as it had been around Bandfast.

The city also looked very much like Bandfast, and she was yet again struck by the similarities. The layout of the streets was nearly hauntingly familiar, as were large portions of the skyline.

Even with the steadily falling snow, the view wasn’t that obscured.

She was reminded of her first time returning after her Academy days, and she looked over to Terry, shifting the metal away from her lips,. “Wait a minute.”

Terry froze in place and glanced her way, letting out a questioning trill.

“You were learning to fight with weapons. Throwing them until you were a hurricane of blades all by yourself. What ever happened with that?”

He lowered his head and glowered.

“You were getting really good! Even before I was… taken. Why haven’t we gone back to that?”

Terry shook himself and turned back toward the city.

“Ahh, right. Too much else going on… well, we should get back to it. You were rusting terrifying.”

He tilted his head slightly, giving her a side-eyed look.

She held up her hands. “Not that you aren’t terrifying as you are now.”

He bobbed once and chirped in satisfaction.

Tala found herself grinning. “You know, you really do make everything better.”

He preened slightly, trilling happily.

“Come on, let’s get into the city.” She had a realization as she said that; she didn’t actually have any pressing need for anything within the city.

She didn’t need to find a place to stay or supplies; she had Kit.

She didn’t need to find food; she had Mistress Petra.

She didn’t need safety; she was more than capable of handling anything that this region was likely to throw at her.

Why am I here again?

-…your family.-

Are you sure? I think I can just go back to Bandfast. We could probably get back before dawn.

-Tala.-

She let her shoulders drop slightly. Fine…

“Let’s go.”

Terry flickered to her shoulder, and she allowed her through-spike to activate, shrouding her in an illusion of her real, uncoated appearance. She also let her elk-leathers re-cover her in appropriate clothing.

Then, together, they moved down the hill, toward the closest road.

The work hours in the mine didn’t need to follow the sun, so the traffic on the road was still rather light, with only a few comers and goers.

Those they passed waved and greeted her, and she returned the courtesy.

People are so nice.

-Yeah, it really is good to be back.-

Tala felt a bit of wetness building up in her eyes. It really is.

She didn’t actually cry, but she definitely had a tightness in her chest.

Come on, Tala. It’s just people saying hi. People said hi to you in Bandfast too.

She shook off her wave of emotions. She knew that her reaction was likely due to being in her hometown again, and the mindset this location moved her toward.

This was a homecoming, even if not the same type as returning to humanity as a whole, or even returning to Bandfast.

She should expect it to dredge up some powerful feelings.

Terry had been occasionally shaking himself free of snow, and he seemed to finally have enough, glancing down toward Kit with an inquiring chirp.

“Sure. I can let you back in.”

Tala opened the pouch, and Terry flickered within, vanishing into her sanctum.

Now without a companion, she focused more inward.

Walking the last stretch allowed her to reaffirm her emotional state and her plans.

She’d told her siblings that she’d be in Marliweather in the next few days, so she could delay if she wanted or needed.

She didn’t think that she would. If she waited too long, she’d leave without seeing them and make some excuse.

Tomorrow. I’ll see them tomorrow.

-Do you want me to message them to that effect?-

…Maybe? Is it a school night? Will they even be available?

-They won’t have any school tomorrow, Tala.-

Okay, thank you. Yes, please send them a message.

-Do you want me to say anything other than, ‘I’m in town and will be by tomorrow morning’?-

No, that sums it up pretty well.

-Alright, I’ve reached out to Master Leighis. He’s been a solid connection to them.- Alat only paused for a moment before continuing. -I still say we should have tried to connect with one of your siblings directly…-

Oh, I know that’s your opinion. You’ve been very clear. I like the little bits of separation…

-Do you think that’s going to stand?-

No. Not after… all this.

She walked through the main gates to the city and felt a wave of power pass over her, reading her projected aura.

One of the guards off to one side stood up a bit straighter, seemingly hearing something that she couldn’t. He then oriented on her and strode her way.

What is this, now?

-I have no idea.-

He stopped near her and bowed. “Mistress.”

“Guardsmen. What seems to be the matter?”

“Nothing is the matter, Mistress. I was instructed to greet the Refined Mistress and see if there is anything in particular that has brought you to our city.”

Alat? What is going on?

-I still have no idea.-

“My apologies, but why?”

The man looked vaguely uncomfortable. “No, Mistress, I must offer my apologies, but I do not know either. I am simply following instructions. Now, is there any way that we can assist you?”

She frowned, feeling the whole situation was odd. “No, thank you, Guardsman. Good night to you.”

He bowed again, clearly seeming relieved that their interaction was coming to an end. “And to you, Mistress.”

She walked into the city without further delay, but she felt the need to glance back.

Instead of actually turning her head around, she simply put more focus on the aspect mirrored perspective from the bloodstar at the base of her neck.

The guard watched her go even as he returned to his station.

Please let Mistress Ingrit know what just happened and ask what this might be about.

-Done.-

Alat would let her know as soon as a response came back, so Tala didn’t feel a need to wait.

She walked through the streets of the nearest market, the falling snow continuing to build up. Tala shifted her metal and drew in a deep breath, taking in the feeling of having people around her again after being in the wilderness all day.

Oddly, the mere presence of so many people was relaxing to Tala at that moment.

She liked her usual isolation, but the mass of humanity held its own sort of appeal.

-Alright, Mistress Ingrit said that it shouldn’t be anything to be concerned about. It might be because you were a new Refined, not in the city’s records. It could also be that the city defenders have been doing surprise inspections or defensive drills, and so the guards are more on watch for more advanced Mages. If there was any real issue, you’d have been greeted by an Archon at the very least.-

Okay, then. Please thank her for us.

-Already done.-

Thank you.

She wandered a bit until she found a shop with a clear wall on the side, in an alleyway that wasn’t too shadowed or foreboding.

The shopkeeper was meticulously keeping her wares cleared of the little snow that drifted under her canopy, ensuring they were visible and ready for the evening crowd.

Tala walked up to her with a smile. “Good evening.”

“Good evening. What can I interest you in today?”

“Well, I was wondering if I could use your exterior wall.” Tala gestured at the alleyway she’d been eyeing.

“My… wall?”

“Yes. It won’t be damaged, or affected at all, long term, but I thought it would be polite to ask.”

“May I ask what for?”

“Of course, I want to anchor my dimensional storage against the wall for the night.”

“Oh! Mistress, my apologies.” The woman bowed politely. “I did not realize that you were a Mage.”

“It is no matter. Do I have your permission?”

The woman glanced in the direction that Tala indicated. “If it will cause no damage or disruption…”

“It should not.”

“Then, you are welcome to use it. Thank you for asking.”

Tala gave a shallow bow. “Of course. Good night.”

“Good night, Mistress.”

She walked around the corner and placed Kit on the wall where the pouch expanded into a door that seamlessly fit in with the building’s aesthetics.

Honestly, Tala felt tired.

Once again, she didn’t know if the feeling was just an artifact of all she’d been through, combined with being back in her childhood hometown, but she felt like she would sleep solidly all the way through the night.

Dinner first, then sleep.

That was a plan she could tackle with ease.

And tomorrow, the siblings…

That part would not be as easy.

*  *  *

Tala had been correct.

She slept all evening and through the entire night.

When she woke, she felt rested at a level that she hadn’t realized she was lacking.

It seemed that the events of the previous day—more like previous months—had been even more draining than she’d realized.

It was still before sunrise on the outside, but the sky of the sanctum was beginning to brighten, and that light was likely what drew her awake.

She moved through her stretches before aspect mirroring and hopping to free herself of what little grime had built up through the night.

Then, iron in place and through-spike active, Tala went to get breakfast.

She didn’t have her iron in the ‘everyday’ configuration she was trying out because she was about to eat, then go talk with her siblings. Thus, having her face thickly covered would be quite the irritant.

Even so, she did close off her ears, leaving only her airways open.

She could still see and hear via her bloodstars, and it was good practice for the oddity of her hearing not coming from the expected locations.

When Tala entered the dining area, she saw that Mistress Petra had her breakfast ready and waiting, while being out of sight.

The Mage had learned quickly that Tala enjoyed a bit of peace and quiet in the morning.

She is a treasure.

The food was as excellent as always, and Tala savored it while she watched the sun rise over her domain.

It was an odd thought, that this was her domain, but it really couldn’t be considered anything else.

This place was controlled by Kit, but Tala was its benefactor, its ruler.

Her power sustained Kit and everything within the sanctum.

If she were to die, or withhold her power, this place would crumble away.

In the best case, Kit would abandon the too-large dimensional pocket in an attempt to exist for a bit longer, and this would simply become an unattached pocket of existence which may or may not ever encounter Zeme again.

If it did, it may or may not have become an ether hold by then.

Tala really didn’t know how such a process took place, but with dimensional storages being one of the most common types of items sought and used by Archons, there had to be millions of tiny spaces floating around.

I wonder if they collide, combine, or… something else?

-First of all, they have to be over a certain volume before they truly become separate spaces, without specific interference. So, most dimensional storages simply ‘flatten out’ with Zeme upon their dissolution. Second, I believe that even for the larger ones—those that are truly separate and only loosely connected with Zeme—most degrade over time. Finally, you’re delaying.-

Tala smiled ruefully; she had finished her breakfast a few minutes earlier. Fair enough.

The doorway out appeared in front of her, and she pulled it open, looking out onto the falling snow.

You know, if I do soul-bond Kit, and go through the process of having her only tethered to my soul, that would mean that the entrances could appear anywhere around me, or rather anywhere around my soul.

-That is my understanding.- Alat’s voice was hesitant, clearly sensing Tala building towards another delay, even if only a cognitive one.

And we have a part of a soul-bound ring in the Library in Bandfast.

-I… huh.- Alat actually sounded a bit surprised by the obvious connection.

And I could leave a bloodstar… well, anywhere. Could I open an entrance to anywhere I’d left a soul-bound… anything?

-I… I don’t honestly know. Most Archons only soul-bind things they want to use all the time. Thus, they keep the items within easy reach. Even so, I’m sure someone has experimented with the idea.-

We should look into it.

-Yes, we should, and you should stop delaying.-

Yeah, yeah. Tala stepped out into the well-lit alleyway, moving through a reasonable amount of still-falling snow.

The sky was still dark overhead, but some people were out and about, walking past on the nearby street.

Tala hesitated for only a moment before pulling Kit free of the wall and hanging the pouch from her belt.

She could leave the entrance to her sanctum there on the wall of the random shop, but that would end up being really inconvenient for her.

Terry hadn’t come out with her, but he would likely ask to at some point this morning.

-You’re delaying again.-

Tala turned and walked toward her childhood home.

The snow that had started the previous afternoon had continued.

It hadn’t mattered much the previous day when she was maintaining a bounding run through the wilderness. Walking through the streets was a different experience.

By some quirk of the local climate, Marliweather got a lot more snow than Bandfast, reminding Tala of her previous trips and of her childhood when the snow would sometimes pile up to four or five feet in a single storm.

Tala didn’t have any issue pushing through the growing drifts to get to the main street before continuing on her way.

She didn’t see any familiar faces as she traversed the city, but she didn’t expect to, and Tala actually made sure to pick a route that avoided the haunts of such people that she was aware of.

Baby steps.

-What about Bob?-

The Constructionist? Tala was confused as to why Alat would bring him up.

-Yeah, didn’t we hear that he was going to be in Marliweather?-

I suppose so. Why?

-Well, you could ask him for anything we need the Constructionists for, like a way to relieve the burden on communication through the Archive?-

Ah, yeah. That would probably be reasonable, but who's creating cognitive delays, now?

-Fine, fine. Get back to your introspection. Don’t let me provide distractions while you’re on the move.-

Tala huffed a laugh and shook her head but didn’t otherwise respond.

Her mind wandered back to the large amounts of snow.

Work crews were moving through at the early hour, some using artifacts powered by local harvests to melt or move the snow. Some were physically moving the snow to melting zones, where larger workings or Mages were liquifying the buildup and that which was brought to them, allowing it to flow down the storm drains and clear of the city.

Tala saw a few Mages working to move the snow as well, obviously working with ice or water related inscriptions.

Another few seemed to be spraying powder across the streets.

What is that? Incorporators?

-It does look like it, if the smell is any indication they are hot, salt incorporators. At least close enough to salt to closely mirror the smell of the ocean when mixed with water.-

Now that her attention had been brought to the scent, Tala could easily smell salt on the air just as Alat had said.

-Look behind the Mages. They are being careful in where they apply it, otherwise it would just leave behind sheets of ice, and that’s worse than snow.-

Yeah… I suppose they were doing this when I was younger, too. I remember some, but this seems like a whole other level of effort.

-Well, you didn’t come to the market districts very often.-

That’s fair enough. Even when she’d been visiting her family quite often the previous year, she’d mainly stayed near their house or at the work yard. There also hadn’t really been any big storms while she was around, then.

I was only in Marliweather for a couple of days every two weeks or so. So, I suppose it makes sense that I might have missed seeing something like this.

It was interesting enough that Tala specifically watched the goings on as she moved deeper into the city, toward her destination.

Finally, she approached the alchemist shop, the sun still not peaking over the surrounding rooftops, though the sky was bright enough that she expected it to come into view shortly.

Well, with all the clouds it might not come into view all day. It should get a lot brighter soon, though.

Just as she remembered, the street her family lived on was much less important, so it wasn’t being cleared with the same fervor. Still, there was an easy path to walk, so it wasn’t like the people who lived here were being abandoned.

When she finally got a good look at the storefront, she stopped in her tracks.

There beside the door, bundled against the cold and sitting in a sturdy chair, was her father.

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