Chapter 120: Champion, Chapter 51: Embers in the Wind

Aidan

The Realms

Thirdday, 2nd week of the 10th month, Age of the Chosen 1

Late Morning

Caer Macht, Mistvale Highlands

"Wait, wait," Aidan protested. "You're saying that when I talk in Divine Speech, I'm actually using some mythical skill? If that's the case, why isn't it listed on my status screen?"

"No," Ailis shook her head. "I do not know how to use Language of Origin or any of the other Arcana. However, the results of your Divine Speech are too similar to be a coincidence, would you not agree?"

"Coincidences rarely are," he had to agree. "Do you think I should focus on trying to gain the skill?"

Ailis chewed on her lip. "No, not right now. It is a gamble, and I do not think we can afford it. With your Quest deadlines coming up soon and the dragon lurking, you should focus on the most reliable paths to advancement."

"What do you recommend, then?"

"I may be biased, but I think Beast Magic is still worth pursuing. It is one of the most versatile common magics. Few other schools offer as much utility, although it lacks direct offense. For that, although Karsarrym will be expecting it, Fire Magic may be your best route. It is the definitive warmage school for a reason. The difficulty will be in finding someone to guide your growth in it; Brighid is the only remaining fire mage, and I believe you already surpass her in skill."

Aidan frowned. "Only Brighid? But I remember someone slinging fireballs against the manikins at the Battle of Ceallach Macht."

Ailis nodded and let out a quiet sigh. "Yes, that was Eoin. He was with the second caravan when Karsarrym attacked, and his magic proved less effective than yours—but similarly distracting."

"Ah." Another name for the list. "Are there any other options for teachers in other offensive schools? I'd rather not rely too heavily on fire."

Ailis wiggled her hand. "We have a couple of air mages, and I am sure the Sisterhood does as well. That said, I would urge you to concentrate on your strengths rather than trying to shore up your weaknesses. There are two things I can offer to persuade you in that regard:"

Ailis held up one finger. "One, the relationship between level and power with spells is not linear, and this becomes more and more true as their tier increases. I do not know the details of your magic, but I can assure you that whatever you receive for reaching Journeyman in Fire Magic will be a defining spell in your repertoire."

A second finger joined the first. "Two, while I cannot teach you Fire Magic, I can teach you how to make your own spells, including multi-school spells. As I am sure you have already observed, my Lord, each additional school needed to cast a spell increases its tier and thus its base power—and that is a nonlinear increase as well."

"That explains some things I'd been wondering about," Aidan said with a nod. "I knew that multi-school spells are more powerful—or, at least, that mine are. And, well, Phoenix's Pyre, the spell I used against the Taig, uses four schools, but it only requires one level in each."

Ailis's eyes widened a fraction, and her complexion paled even more than normal. Then she shook her head and gave a short, sharp laugh. "I should have suspected as much. Lord Aidan, three-school spells are things used by legendary archmages to win wars or prevent them. I have never heard of one that requires four schools, but then again, I also would never have thought it possible to revive the dead."

After taking a deep breath to steady herself, the silver-haired Druid continued, "I cannot guide you through creating another spell of that caliber directly, as I simply lack your breadth of skill. I have made several lesser—and I cannot believe I am forced to use such a term to describe them—spells using my two schools, Beast and Wood Magic. Although I am confident that the task will grow more complex with each additional school added into the mix, the principles should be the same."

Slender fingers touched the back of Aidan's hand. He looked down to see Ailis's hand retreating from the brief contact, but he twisted his wrist and caught her, intertwining their fingers. Ailis's cheeks bloomed red, but she did not pull away.

"You think I should create a high-level, multi-school signature spell as a trump card against the dragon?" Aidan asked. Ailis's head bobbed in response.

"Yes. Even if it uses Fire Magic as its largest component, with everything you have access to, between the two of us, I am confident we can come up with something that will overcome any defenses it might raise against you."

"Well then," Aidan said with a grin and a squeeze of Ailis's hand, "let's get started!"

Aidan

Mid-Afternoon

"Alright, alright, that's enough for now," Aidan declared with a self-deprecating laugh. "If you pour any more knowledge into me, my head will explode."

"Hmm," Ailis hummed. "I suppose we can take a break for now."

"For now? Really, Ailis, I'm about at my limit for today."

"Oh, I am sure you are," she replied with a small, smug smile. "But I was promised that I would get to have you today, and I am not nearly done with you yet."

"Oh," Aidan said, then, with a grin of his own, "Oh! Well, that's different, then. There are some things I need to do in an official capacity still today, but shall we reconvene this evening around sunset for dinner, then see where the night takes us?"

Ailis leaned in and pressed her lips to Aidan's. When she pulled back a minute later, she murmured, "You can tell my daughter not to expect you back this evening. She gave you to me, and I intend to make the most of that time."

Aidan had to shift as the hunger in her tone caused an inevitable reaction below his belt. Ailis noticed and gave him a feral smile before trailing a hand down his chest. "I see you are as eager as I am, but we both have duties to attend to before the evening. I will have dinner prepared when you return. Go now, before I decide not to wait."

"Yes, ma'am!" Aidan said with a laugh. A part of him was tempted to stay and indulge, but he really did have several important things left to handle. He rose to his feet, momentarily towering over Ailis in a way that he couldn't with Brighid even when she was sitting, then bent down to kiss her again. The Druid growled into his mouth, her hands stroking his back for a moment before she pushed him away.

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"Go!" she said, and Aidan complied.

Aidan

Mid-Afternoon

"Oh, good afternoon, my Lord," Lail greeted Aidan as he came to the cross-tunnel leading to the barracks complexes. There were five other centaurs and two harpies with her, each armed and armored. "Are you going out?"

"Good afternoon, Lail," Aidan replied. "Yes, I have some business out in the city. Can you introduce me to your companions? I assume you've all been recruited by Cai and Llwyd?"

"Of course, my Lord," Lail said. "This," she indicated a bearded centaur with faded scars crisscrossing his arms, "is Ruari. We are the Lieutenants on duty at the moment; Ruari is in charge of your personal bodyguard squad, while I lead the squad tasked with protecting your consorts."

Aidan frowned. "I realize that you're probably still understaffed, but isn't it difficult to protect three people with the same number of guards as are being devoted to me alone?"

Lail shook her head. "Perhaps that would be so if our charges were more active, but Lady Brighid rarely leaves the hill, Chancellor Ailis does so only slightly more often and then only to the Forum, and Lady Sunnild has been absent for the last three weeks. Given there is only one entrance into Caer Macht, the Captains instructed us to focus on that while our charges are inside. I do still have one guard on each of them at all times, my Lord. And that is not counting your Elementals."

Aidan nodded. "Alright, that makes sense. I'm afraid I'm going to be adding to your burden, however; I have another person for you to watch over, and there will be more traffic in and out of Caer Macht in the coming days."

Lail grimaced, then shrugged. "As you will, my Lord. I understand that the Captains are still interviewing and recruiting, so we will make do until our numbers increase."

"Well, needs must," Aidan sighed. "I'll talk to Cai or Llwyd later. Alright, Ruari, you can introduce me to your team as we walk. Keep up the good work, everyone."

"Of course, my Lord." Ruari moved with surprising grace and took up a position to Aidan's left. Three of the other centaurs joined him, surrounding their charge. "My name is Ruari Scarhide. I was with the main force at the Battle of Ceallach Macht and was wounded early in the fighting. The healers were tending to me when the vines burst from the ground."

Ruari fell silent for a moment. Aidan glanced over at his bodyguard; he had a dark expression on his face. Seeing Aidan's look, Ruari shook his head and continued speaking. "I will not dwell on what happened. Suffice to say that your magic saved more than just the Captain's life. Enough about me for now; let me introduce you to the others.

"To your right is Lili." Lili was an inch or two taller than Aidan, with a blue-gray coat and black hair. She bore a pair of handaxes on her belt and a crossbow on her back. "Although she does not look it, she has been fighting longer than I have. She fought in the Mist Stalker war and is—was—one of our most senior border patrol officers."

"I missed the action at Ceallach Macht," the woman in question said in a cool soprano voice. "I was posted at the far end of our territory, and the call to arms did not reach me in time. I am grateful to you for preserving our tribe, Lord Aidan; without your presence, we would not have survived."

Aidan shoved her thanks into the mental closet with all the other similar sentiments he'd received. "Why join my Guard if you already had a high position in the border patrol?"

Lili chuckled. "As Ruari says, I am older than I look. No offense intended, my Lord, but when Llwyd offered me a chance at a job that does not require eight hours of running a day, I jumped at the chance. As for why he considered me to start with, let us just say that I have had rather vocal disagreements with the old Council regarding our enforced isolation."

Aidan nodded. That makes sense; I bet she looked the other way for more than a few innocent border violations. That said, I may have to keep an eye on her; what's to say she won't look the other way here if I do something that she disagrees with? Out loud, he said, "Well, welcome aboard, Lili."

"Taking the rearguard is Nansaidh, and our vanguard is Cairi. Both were at Ceallach Macht, though their tales are a little happier than mine."

"We were with the archers," Cairi said, looking over her shoulder. She was a plain-looking brunette with rich brown fur. A longbow was slung over her shoulder.

"Although only under protest in my case," Nansaidh added. She was a mountain centaur, shorter and stockier than the others in her squad. She carried a bow as well, but it was a short recurve bow, and a shortsword and shield hung at her sides. "I have to run harder to keep up with all you longshanks, and I am better with my sword than my bow. That said, given what happened, it probably saved my life."

"Pay no attention to Nan's grumbling," Cairi laughed. "She is one of those people who is never happier than when she has something to complain about. The two of us have been friends since we were children, and, well, you are the most exciting thing to happen in a generation, Lord Aidan."

"You are the future of the tribe," Nansaidh agreed. "If we help protect you, we protect all Starchasers."

Well, it was hard to argue with their enthusiasm, at least. "I hope I can live up to your expectations," Aidan said.

"You already have!" chirped Cairi. "There are Mist Stalkers in the city, my Lord, and yet there is no fighting. I know you are new to the area, but that is a miracle all of its own!"

"Speaking of the Mist Stalkers, do you know where they were quartered?"

"Yes, my Lord," Ruari responded. "Cairi, please lead the way."

"Aye-aye, Lieutenant!"

Zurai

Aidan's current status sheet:

Pronunciation Guide (infinitesimal spoiler warning, names only without any details)

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