A Soldier's Life-Chapter 187: Reunion with Renna

I liked the room I selected. It had a long bed with aged, worn dark wood and two antique-looking armoires for clothes. This small bedroom off the kitchen also had a modest window with a thirty-foot drop to the outer wall of the courtyard. Although it wouldn’t be pleasant, I could use it as an exit and heal the damage from the fall to make an escape if needed.

The assessment table was calling to me, and it filled out the room as a work desk. I wanted to see my gains and how close I was to learning a spell form for the earth affinity. I gripped the edges of the elven-crafted assessment table and channeled my aether.

The constant burn from maintaining my slow aging intensified with the added aether expenditure. I was already getting used to it and didn’t even wince. I was now quite sure the Inscriber had lied to us. The metallic runes on my bones pulsed enough that I could focus on them and sense their presence. I believe the runes didn’t draw aether, but my aether was constantly cycling through them, ready to counter a Truthseeker’s spell.

It was what it was, and maybe I had agreed too quickly to the procedure. I sighed as there was no going back now. I first focused on the right side to read my new magic affinities.

Elemental Magics (Common)

Fire

0

Air

0Water

0

Earth

13

Lightning (Energy)

8

Spirit (Healing)

23

Nature (Plant)

0

Unaffiliated Magics (Uncommon)

Charm (Mind)

5

Illusion

3

Clairvoyance

0

Protection (Guardian)

30

Necromancy

0

Celestial

0

Abyssal

0

Rare Magics

Space

98

Time

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90

Displacement

61

Materialism

9

Worlds

88

Void

22

Convergence

74

My earth affinity had reached thirteen, high enough to learn an earth affinity spell form, so it was time to review the spell forms and decide. I thought I would be able to reach over 30 after consuming my remaining earth essences. Should I concentrate on boosting my affinity by acquiring more essences before mastering my one spell form? I would review my options in the dreamscape tonight, but from what I knew, magic affinity essences were rare. I may regret not getting more essences from the Shimmering Labyrinth one day.

Before joining the Hounds training, I hoped I had time to consume all the essences I had collected in the Shimmering Labyrinth. I glanced at my attributes and saw that my progress was significant.

Physical

Mental

Magical

Strength (+1/+0)

50/80

Intellect (+0/+0)

31/56

Aether Pool (+5/+4)

21/26

Power (+1/+0)

48/84

Reasoning (+1/+0)

49/61

Channeling (-1/-1)

20/57

Quickness (+0/+0)

33/49

Perception (+0/+0)

52/61

Aether Shaping (+0/+0)

8/8

Dexterity (+2/+0)

43/61

Insight (+0/+0)

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33/49

Aether Tolerance (+7/+0)

42/51

Endurance (+1/+0)

68/95

Resilience (+2/+0)

49/71

Aether Resistance (+4/+0)

12/19

Constitution (+2/+0)

47/69

Empathy (+5/+0)

19/22

Prime Aether Affinity

Space

Coordination (+0/+0)

44/63

Fortitude (+3/+0)

52/90

Minor Aether Affinity

Time

I immediately focused on the four additional potential points in my aether pool. My aether attribute had also increased by five points. The summoner’s essence had been extremely lucrative. An odd thought occurred to me. The magic affinity essences only seemed to affect my aether core and aether channels. Could I then take a physical attribute essence at the same time as consuming an affinity one?

I turned the idea over in my head. Would the two enhancements clash, or would they have two completely different pathways? I decided to risk asking Zyna when I saw her next. I wanted to reveal as little as possible about my spell forms and essences as possible.

I settled into the weasel pelts and inhaled the fresh outdoor scent of the griffin pillow. The amulet appeared in my hand, and I retreated to the dreamscape. I had almost lost this precious training artifact. For now, I would maintain the secret chamber in the scorpion room but banished my copy of the Hobbit, the only item from Earth besides Oscar—Oscar was not going anywhere.

If I erased everything, I would have to recreate it and deal with the mental fatigue when creating it again. Castile and Maveith created some things here, but I could not reproduce them if I removed them, so they were also staying. On dropping the false wall, my cohort became active in seeing me.

“Looks like you are getting soft, Eryk.” Konstantin immediately accused me. “Grab one of your fancy new weapons, and let’s practice.”

Oscar interposed himself and barked at Konstantin, protecting me from the veteran—or maybe claiming my time as his. “Looks like my dance card is full,” I said while materializing a ball to play with the Aussie.

“I like to dance,” Zorana stepped forward after a few tosses of the ball. Jokingly, and to spite Konstantin, I took her hand, and the goliath woman took the lead to educate me on an unfamiliar dance. I was flustered as she kept correcting me. I was confused because I didn’t know this dance and had never seen anyone dance this way.

Realization came to me: Maveith had created this instance of his sister, so her knowledge was that of Maveith, not mine. It presented an interesting possibility of having people create constructs in the dreamscape that could then teach me. Sparring opponents would be much more effective since the current manifestations only drew from my own memory and observations. Could I get a mage instructor in my dreamscape this way? Maybe Zyna? Or was the risk too great?

After a very short dance lesson, I did what I came for and grabbed the books to figure out what the summoner’s rings did. I stood in the center of the massive ten-foot ring and highlighted the runic script with a thought. Oscar jumped over the ring to join me in the center while I worked. It didn’t take me long to puzzle it out. The runic script was simple, even though the ring was powerful.

As best as I could understand, the ring enhanced aether channeling by ten relative points on a tablet, effectively doubling my ability to recover my aether pool. The exercises Castile had taught me only enhanced my aether recovery slightly, and only when I focused on processing aether from the environment. I was sure mages would kill for this ring. The second ring was also extremely useful, and the runes were familiar. It was another ring of sustenance. I could see why the summoner had grown so powerful; he needed less sleep and recovered aether so quickly, that coupled with his elven longevity had given him all the time in the world.

I pulled down the earth spell form book from the shelf and reviewed the index.

Earth Affinity Lesser Spell Forms

Shape Stone (10)

Imbue Glowstone (10)

Shatter (25)

Earth Affinity Major Spell Forms

Earth Speak (25)

Earth Glide (25)

Stoneskin (25)

Earth Apex Major Spell Forms

Manipulate Earth (50)

Earthquake (70)

Quicksand/Liquify Earth (70)

Konstantin interrupted me, irritated, and spat, “You have us all in here at your disposal, and you come here to read?” Oscar barked, supporting his assessment. “Without me on your back all the time, you are going to lounge about in the real world as well as in here.” He sounded disgusted with me, and I realized this was my subconscious way of talking through the veteran.

“I promise I will train with you and stay sharp outside too, even though I have consumed enough essence to maintain my physical attributes without training.” I was essentially making the promise to myself, but Konstantin tossed the black-tipped spear at me, thinking we would get started right away. I wondered if talking to myself in the dreamscape was the beginning of some sort of insanity. I decided to review the spell forms in the dreamscape tomorrow night.

I tested the spear with a spin and then spent my remaining time in the dreamscape practicing with it. It was the most powerful runic weapon I had. The magebane could be more useful against mage opponents, but this spear delivered the strongest attack against the specters. Xavier and Konstantin took turns attacking me with sword and shield while I wielded the spear two-handedly. Then, we practiced with the spear in my left hand and a shield in my right. The thick shaft made it somewhat difficult to wield with a shield, but I managed.

I woke early after approximately six hours in the dreamscape. I decided not to wear the channeling ring. Being in a Mage College, I was worried someone would recognize it for what it was and cause me problems. The amulet had caused me enough complications and forced me into my current circumstances. I took some time to dirty up the ring of sustenance to conceal its luster identifying it as an artifact.

I considered storing the assessment table but held back. Could I trust Zyna? I definitely liked to mage and she had been very amiable to me in our interactions. I debated internally and finally decided to test Zyna. I left the assessment table out but covered it with the weasel pelts.

It was early, hours before sunrise. I went through some stretching and weighed down my black blade, tightly wrapping it with large silver dungeon coins. Then, I went through the sword forms I had learned in legion training until my muscles burned, focusing on perfect movements. I worked up a good lather by sunrise.

There was still no Zyna or armorer, so I started cleaning the suite. I started with the kitchen, as I had only cleaned the sink and a small workspace yesterday. I was almost done with the first cleaning pass when a knock at the door made me pause to answer it.

Opening the door, I found the two mage aspirants from yesterday and a red-haired woman with a furious countenance dressed in gray robes. I don’t think Renna recognized me because she stormed angrily past me, not giving me a second glance.

Livia and Flora looked meek, following the irate Renna more slowly. “What happened this time?” I asked, arching an eyebrow at the two young women.

Livia answered for the pair as Renna was already cursing further in the suite at seeing all the dust. “We couldn’t answer the questions from the readings. But it wasn’t our fault, as Mage Aspirants Daniela and Petra took our books weeks ago. If we don’t have time to get to the library to use books there, we can’t do the readings, and we were here all evening yesterday.” She was morose but quickly added, “Thank you for last night's incredible meal. We don’t regret cleaning at all!”

Renna had circled the entire suite and returned. “Servant, where is High Mage Zyna?” Her angry tone told me she was familiar with the High Mage and that she was planning to give her some serious lip.

“Well, it is good to see you too,” I stated with a half-smile. I didn’t have my armor on, and I was covered in filth. I hoped that Renna just hadn’t recognized me yet.

She studied me for a long time, her eyes widening as recognition finally dawned. “Eryk? You got kicked out of the legion! How? You are a porter! Even if you fucked one of the Emperor’s wives, they would have still sent you to die in a battle rather than demote you to a servant.”

This was not the small-town, self-conscious young woman I remembered from the griffin and bulette hunt. A few short months had transformed her. “Chancellor Zyna needed someone to practice her spells on,” I said merrily, indicating my filthy state. The two young aspirants looked shocked, and I figured it couldn’t hurt to spread some rumors to help out the Chancellor’s image that she abused her bodyguard.

Renna’s face twisted in confusion before some shock as she drew her own conclusions. “Are you why she sent me here to clean for failing a second-year exam when I have less than half a year at the college?”

“I thought you might want to see your old friend,” Zyna’s harsh voice came from the archway to her bedroom. How she got there without coming up the stairs was a mystery to me. “You mentioned him a few times when you stayed with me to learn your spell form for fire.”

Renna blushed a bright red. “I didn’t…I mean, I did, but not that way…I just…”

Zyna’s mischievous smile told me she had tried to embarrass Renna, and it worked. Flora and Livia were turning between the two of us, surprised we also knew each other and drawing their own conclusion as well. I wanted to learn more about what Renna had told Zyna about me, but Zyna continued imperiously, “I need my private residence cleaned top to bottom. I will ensure you come up here after your afternoon class every day. Once my suite is cleaned to my satisfaction, I will start giving you private lessons.” She was addressing Renna, and I looked at the two meek commoner mage aspirants.

“The mage aspirants too?” I asked for them as they were dumbstruck by the informality of the conversation.

Zyna sighed, “Yes, that pair as well. And thank you for giving me the idea of using you as a live target for my fire magic class, Eryk. Keep your old armor, and you can wear it to that class when I need to demonstrate.” My jaw started to unhinge, causing Zyna to smile, “You can heal yourself, correct?” I nodded dumbly, not sure if she was serious. “Now, you need to go meet the master armor smith next to the Imperial Legion Barracks.” She produced a sealed scroll and handed it to me.

“I will just go clean up,” I said, moving toward the bath.

“No,” Zyna smiled mirthfully. “I think the students should see how I treat my bodyguard. You look like I just mopped the floor with you.”

I slowly nodded and shrugged internally. I didn’t care how the students perceived me. As I descended the stairs, I could hear Zyna giving sharp orders to the three mages, having all three start in her bedroom so she could spend the night comfortably. I figured I could find my own way to the Imperial Armorer with the scroll in my hand apparently giving me passage there.

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