O5

Olivia held still while the diminutive Ardeni woman measured her for the third time. She was a lovely, older woman who’d been thrilled to show Olivia the many styles of clothing that were popular in the surrounding areas. She had sketchbooks, wonderfully painted in watercolors, that depicted women in everything from dresses to skirts to pants paired with various types of blouses, some with deep, revealing v-necks and others with tightly buttoned collars. Olivia was instantly enamored with the fancy coats that the seamstress had on display - they reminded her of Victorian-era military coats with long tails, shiny buttons, and colorful, ribboned brocade.

She’d asked the woman, Mrs. Ketti, for an estimate on three different outfits. When Olivia showed her the quad-attuned Energy beads, the woman had agreed to trade her three outfits for six beads. Olivia had no idea if that was a reasonable price, but the woman was so sweet that she couldn’t imagine she’d take advantage of her. Besides, she could make a bead in just a bit over two hours of work. Olivia figured these quad-attuned beads were worth more than their Contribution Store face value - their rarity seemed to make them rather coveted in and of themselves.

After Mrs. Ketti measured her and Olivia had chosen her favorite fabrics and styles, she told Olivia that she’d have the first outfit sized and ready within two hours, and she’d have to come back for the other two later tomorrow. Olivia decided to use that time to head back to the inn and have a nice soak. She and Morgan had both gotten private rooms, and they’d noticed the oversized brass bathtubs in their rooms with anticipation.

The innkeeper, a woman who had introduced herself as Mrs. Hane, was happy to see Olivia when she came in, just a bit after noon, and asked her if she’d be coming down for dinner. “Oh, no, tonight I have dinner plans, but thank you!”

“You’re welcome, dear. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

“I wanted to take a bath and get cleaned up. Is there any trick to getting hot water in the tub?” Olivia hadn’t noticed if there was running water or if she’d need to boil water or something.

“Oh, just turn on the faucet, dear. We have a pump and heater in the basement.”

“Really? Does Energy power them?” Olivia knew this was possible - the bathhouse they’d just built in First Landing had something similar; in fact, it had three components: a pump for water, a heating element, and a cube that the water passed through that somehow filtered it, all run by power-stones that had to be recharged regularly.

“Aye, lass, all the amenities are here for you. Please enjoy yourself. Let me know if you need aught else. By the way, there are soaps and towels on the stand near the tub.”

“Thank you again,” Olivia said, walking up the flight of stairs at the back of the common room. Her room was the third one down the hallway at the top of the stairs, next to Morgan’s. She entered, using the little brass key she’d been given earlier that day, and was once again filled with warm happiness at the sight of the comfortable room. The bed was large, something like a queen-size back on Earth, and covered with a fluffy, white down comforter and several plump pillows, also in clean white pillowcases. The floor was polished hardwood, and opposite the bed was a small fireplace, logs set and ready to be lit. The room was bright, sunlight streaming through banked windows on the far wall, and in front of those windows was the large, brass tub. The view from the windows was of the river and the far bank. Olivia could just make out people walking around across the river, between houses, and down on little jetties.

Olivia pulled the sheer curtains, making the view fuzzy, but still allowing in lots of light; then, she started the tub running. After a few seconds of hissing and clanking, the brass nozzle began to flow with steaming hot water. She undressed, a little annoyed that she’d have to put on her dirty clothes again, but cheered by the thought that her first new outfit would be ready soon.

As Olivia soaked in the tub, after washing herself with the fragrant beeswax soaps Mrs. Hane had left for her, she concentrated on creating another quad-attuned Energy bead. She only had five, and she’d promised Mrs. Ketti six. By the time Olivia finished the Energy bead, her skin had become wrinkly, and the bath was only lukewarm. Still, the time flew by while she was concentrating on the process, and she exited the bath in a very relaxed and pleasant mood. She dried her hair the best she could with just a towel, then slipped on her old, travel-stained, pajama-like clothing she’d gotten from the Colony Stone back in First Landing.

Grabbing her satchel, Olivia hustled out of the inn, waving to Mrs. Hane on her way, and made a beeline right back to Mrs. Ketti’s clothing shop. The tiny silvery tinkle of the bell on the door alerted Mrs. Ketti, who came bustling out of the back room. “Olivia, you’re just in time. Lori is just finishing up the brocade hem of your coat. Come in, and we’ll see how the pants and shirt fit. Olivia was pleased to find that Mrs. Ketti sold undergarments that were comfortable and not unlike what she could buy at a boutique back on Earth. She’d had fears of bone-ribbed girdles and scratchy wool garters, but this world, with its Energy enhanced crafting, seemed quite advanced in the clothing department when compared to its medieval weaponry, transport, and architecture. She reasoned that having access to the clothing from other worlds via the Colony Stones must have influenced them in this regard.

A short while later, Olivia exited the shop feeling immeasurably better about her appearance. She still wore her dirty, travel-stained boots, but tucked into them were a pair of deep navy leggings made of a cloth that seemed to be somewhere between silk and cotton. Mrs. Ketti said that the material was very durable and easy to wash. She wore a silky royal blue button-up blouse, and over that was her favorite purchase: a sharp-looking, double-breasted, navy blue coat with shiny brass buttons and a turquoise brocade hem and lining. The lining felt like silk, but the outside of the jacket was almost felt-like. She loved the way it accentuated her waist and how the coat’s tail hung just a bit over her butt. It felt smart, in a faux military manner, and she couldn’t help standing up straighter and strutting just a bit as she walked.

Mrs. Ketti had recommended she pick up a pair of knee-high, black riding boots to complete the ensemble and had recommended a nearby cobbler. Olivia didn’t know how soon boots could be made ready for her, but she figured she’d check it out. Olivia walked past a few storefronts, inadvertently admiring her reflection in the glass panes, then stepped into the cobbler’s shop. She had to wait a few minutes while the shopkeeper, a young Ardeni man with long orange hair, helped a customer. She browsed the shoes and boots on display, admiring the wide variety, from elegant ladies’ slippers to heavy, thick-soled workboots.

“How may I help you, miss?” the man asked, and Olivia realized that his customer had left.

“Oh, hello, I was looking to buy some boots like these,” Olivia answered, pointing to a pair of shiny, black leather boots that looked exactly like what Mrs. Ketti had described.

“Alright, those are three standards,” the man said.

“How long will it take to make my size?”

“No need, they’re artificed. After you bond, they’ll match your foot size. That’s the only enchantment, though - they won’t self-repair or clean.” Olivia’s mind was boggled at the implications.

“You mean clothing can be enchanted?”

“Naturally.” He looked at her askance, perhaps only at that moment noting her strange appearance. “You ain’t a Ghelli, are ya? Sorry, I thought you just had your wings folded away.”

“No, I’m a human. We’re a bit new to your world. Can any clothing be enchanted or ‘artificed?’”

“Nah, some material can’t hold the Energy. Some material can hold a lot more Energy, though. Them boots could probably also be artificed to self-clean, but that would double the cost.” Olivia knew that some of the colonists were learning about artificing, but she’d been so busy that she hadn’t spent enough time understanding what exactly they could do. The ideas flooding her mind at the thought of self-resizing boots left her reeling. “You okay, miss?”

“Oh yes. I’ll take them!” Olivia handed one of her remaining dual-attuned Energy beads to the man and then sat down on the nearby bench. The man nodded, making the bead disappear into some container he had on his person, and then grabbed the boots. He gently took her hiking boots off, and Olivia reached down, stowing them into her satchel. After he slipped the boots on, which were at least four sizes too large, he stood up and nodded.

“Now, just bind ‘em. Just like ya did your satchel there.” Olivia did, and as she trickled her Energy into the boots, they shrank before her eyes, sizing themselves perfectly for her feet.

“Amazing!” Olivia stood and walked around the shop, marveling at how well the boots fit. They had a bit more heel than her other boots, and she felt tall, clean, and elegant. What a difference a bit of shopping and a bath could make! “Do you mind telling me how to find the mage’s guild?”

Olivia reckoned she had a couple of hours to kill before she was supposed to meet Issa and Morgan, so she was making her way over to the mage’s guild. The cobbler had smirked when she’d asked about where it was, but he’d gotten over his initial reaction and told her the guild was on the other side of the bridge, not far from the southern gate of the town. As Olivia made her way through town, she smiled at people, and they generally responded in kind. The town was bustling; everywhere she looked, people were carrying goods, standing around talking and laughing, or calling out their wares. Guards were omnipresent, wearing their tell-tale mustard tabards with some kind of bird of prey embroidered on the chest. Not so much that it felt like a police state, but enough to feel like help was just a shout away.

When Olivia neared the gate, she noticed that the buildings were a bit more run down on this side of town, and the crowds, while still heavy, were made up more of kids playing in alleys and people that looked a bit more run down and wearing more threadbare clothing. It wasn’t hard to find the mage’s guild - she called out the question to a group of Ardeni kids playing with a ball, and they pointed her down a side street just a block from the gate. When Olivia turned down the road, she saw a squat wooden building, its stain long dried out, leaving the planks gray. A sign hung above the short deck depicting an eye on a black field with stars around it. The eye had once been painted silver, but most of the paint had flaked away, and the black had faded to dingy charcoal.

Olivia stepped up to the door, pulling it open. The interior was a lot better off than the exterior; the floors were polished hardwood, and plush, comfortable-looking leather couches made a sitting area in front of a stone fireplace. It was too warm to warrant a fire, but the scene was inviting, nonetheless. Off to the left of the sitting area was a desk absolutely buried in books and sheaves of paper. A white-haired, very thin Ardeni man was sitting at the desk, holding a magnifying glass up to a large, faded map. “Hello,” Olivia said.

“Hmm? Oh, hello there, miss. What brings you to the mage’s guild? I’m sorry, but I can’t do any contract work today.”

“Oh, no, I’m here to enquire about the mage’s guild. I mean, you were referred to me by, um, Mr. Wyn? He owns a shop in town selling foci; are you familiar with it?”

“Ah, yes, yes. Wyn. What a good lad. So, he said you should come here?” The frail-looking man stood, setting his magnifying glass down on the table. Olivia didn’t think there was an ounce of fat on the man and very little muscle. He couldn’t have been more than five foot four, and his beard was long and unkempt. Something about his eyes made her forget the idea that he was frail, though. When he studied her, she felt like he was looking right into her soul with those sharp, mint-green eyes. “Hmm, interesting. May I ask permission to Analyze you? It’s a skill I have that will let me get an idea about your potential.”

“I suppose I don’t mind.” Olivia stood up straight, self-consciously, and straightened the lapels of her coat. The man kept staring at her, and then she felt a push. Almost like an invisible hand were gently pressing its palm against her forehead. A bit of warmth spread through her skin, and she felt the nudge again, but this time right below her solar plexus. She stepped back, holding her hands to her stomach, suddenly uncomfortable with the idea that he was feeling her with his mind.

“You could feel that?” He arched an eyebrow.

“Yes!” Olivia was blushing and looked over her shoulder toward the door.

“Don’t be alarmed! I was simply trying to evaluate your Core. Most people don’t have enough Energy affinity to be aware of my probing, at least not most people your level.”

“Are you Magister Karn? I think I’d like to make sure I know who you are before you go ‘probing’ me!” Olivia didn’t know why, but she felt a little violated.

“Yes, yes. But who are you? I didn’t get a full look, but it seems you have a Core with multiple affinities?”

“My name is Olivia Bennet, and yes, I have four affinities.”

“Remarkable! The first I’ve seen in a long while. Are you able to channel more than one at a time?” Olivia, still annoyed at the invasiveness of his first inspection, wanted to retake the upper hand in this meeting. She used her Orb Manipulation ability and summoned her four elemental balls, channeling a bit of Energy into each of them so that they grew to the size of baseballs and began to spin and orbit one another in a complex pattern.

“Yes, I can channel all four at once.” She thought Magister Karn’s eyes were going to pop out of his head.

“Impressive! And to think, you’re only level eight! Unclassed yet!” He practically capered over to her, staring at the orbs that were circling about her left palm. The fiery orb circled the rocky, earth-toned sphere, and around both, she had an ice orb and a little ball of clouds sparking with tiny lighting bolts spinning. “Miss Olivia, you must attend the Fainhallow Academy!”

“The what now?”

“It’s a school for magically gifted people. I don’t mean just anyone who can manipulate Energy, but truly gifted, like you.” Olivia frowned. She hadn’t been called gifted since they had come to this planet, and the word sparked a lot of memories - her parents introducing her to friends and family, her professors talking about her research, her employers doing the same. Magister Karn saw her frown and hurriedly continued, “You don’t know what a great opportunity this is! I’ve had a token of admission to give to a promising student for forty-two years! You’re the first who I think meets the criteria. Listen, you can’t go to the academy if you already have a class, and you have to demonstrate skill on a level similar to what you just did, though I’d have settled for much less! Nobody has been able to do that around here in my time as the Magister of this branch.”

Olivia let her elemental orbs dissipate and wink out of existence. She looked at Magister Karn and could see that he was earnest; he desperately wanted her to go to this school. “Where is this school, and how long would I have to go? I have people depending on me back at my settlement.”

“The school is on the Thelican Peninsula. It’s a thousand miles from here, but I have a teleportation token for a promising student! Your time there could stretch into the years or decades, depending on your aptitudes and courses of study.”

“Out of the question, I’m sorry. We’re facing an invasion.” Olivia shrugged helplessly. “I’m sorry, I actually quite enjoy school. I’d love to learn more about Energy and magic, too.”

“Wait, wait. The next enrollment isn’t until the first of Belintide; you have two weeks to decide. Miss Olivia, listen; as I said, you’re the first promising student I’ve met in many, many years. Please take the token. If you don’t use it, you can bring it back next time you come to Tarn’s Crossing.” He hurried over to his desk and pulled open a heavy bottom drawer. He rooted around, pulling out books and notebooks and pencils, and then, finally, a box that looked a lot like the kind of box a fancy watch comes in. He blew the dust off it and then brought it over to Olivia.

“Are you sure? I don’t think I’ll be able to go to the academy. What if someone else shows up…”

“Nonsense! Of course, I’m sure. Take it. You are meant to go!” He cut her off, smiling and looking at her ingratiatingly. She took the proffered box and opened it. Tucked into the maroon felt material within was a silver token embossed with the image of a book.

“Alright, but if I don’t use it, I’m sure I’ll be back to Tarn’s sooner or later.”

“Excellent, excellent! You’re going to do wonderful things, Miss Olivia!” The diminutive, old wizard looked like he’d gained a new lease on life. He was beaming, his teeth on full display. “Would you like to sit down and talk about the Academy? Perhaps I have some cookies around here.” He turned and started moving toward his desk, a searching expression on his face.

“No, no, I’m sorry, Magister, but I have to meet some people. I’m afraid I’ll be late.” Olivia put the teleportation token into her satchel and turned to the door.

“Very well. I hope you don’t mind if I send word to the Academy. I’m sure they’ll be excited to hear of your pending arrival. To be honest, I just want to toot my own horn; I have some rivals there who never will believe I’ve found such a promising student.”

“Well, aren’t you going to feel embarrassed if I don’t go?”

“I might, yes, so I’ll just trust that you’ll be going! The fates wouldn’t be so cruel to an old man.” He laughed loudly, and Olivia had a hard time not smiling. She walked to the door and opened it.

“Thank you, Magister. I hope things work out for both of us.” Then she stepped outside and hurriedly walked toward the inn; she didn’t want to miss dinner with Morgan and Issa.