Songs of Mana

After what felt like hours, Qiin finally said: “Let’s take a break.”

She had managed to mangle that long prayer, but was still able to read the book. And then he told her to memorize the prayers written in there. All of them.

The threat that there would be no dinner, if she didn’t at least memorize and demonstrate a few of them had worked pretty well.

Now though? Now her head was spinning, even though she was resting it on the wooden surface of the table right next to said book.

“Oh, and I want to hear you pray with all of your heart after lunch.”

Nooo, please don’t make me do this!

Qiin left the room. Hopefully to get her something to eat. Something sweet would be perfect right now!

Nia looked back at the book. It held short songs for generating light or warmth and longer ones to strengthen one’s mind or body. She had expected prayers for healing, but those were either even longer than the ones listed in that book, or they didn’t exist.

Well, a song of stitching a wound together might be a bit awkward or graphic. Nia sighed. Or very complicated. Are Tommy, Ralf and Tina drilled by their trainers as mercilessly as I? How are Sonja’s spells working? Can we swap jobs?

The latter one was probably not possible, as there had been some kind of ritual needed to get her to be a priestess. Though if she figured out how to cast these spells without singing, she’d be closer to a mage, wouldn’t she?

Nia glanced at the door, then cleared her throat and sang. It was still awkward, but she was alone right now. Nobody heard her voice.

When the last note left her lips, she felt the magic resonate again. She had felt it before, but now it was reaching a crescendo. When the power left her to create the resonance pattern outside of her body, the room got suddenly as bright as day. As if she was the sun.

Shit! Far too strong! I hope it subsides before he returns …

Pushing the thought aside, she concentrated on the magic swirling around her. There was a certain … rhythm to it. Almost as if it was a melody of several notes as well. What if she moved that resonance in front of her, to a single point? She concentrated, her forehead creased, and sweat glistened on it. Distractions over distractions that tried to keep her from reaching her goal assaulted her mind. Like how her chest tingled. How the clothes sit a lot tighter than what she was used to. Her nose itched. Thoughts about their situation. But she finally made it. The resonance was concentrated on one point in front of her. She opened her eyes and cried out in pain. The bright light was searing. Her eyes closed, she hid her head behind the sleeves of her robe. Then she tried to dissipate the resonance in front of her. But she didn’t know how. Only when the “songs” in the magic ended did the light disappear.

She opened her eyes carefully. Everything was back to normal. She took another deep breath and looked to the door again. There was still no sign of Qiin. She bit her lower lip and tried to get her magic to resonate in the same way, to play that same song, although with far less volume than before. It took her a few tries, but then a glowing globe bloomed in front of her, illuminating the room.

I have done it. I used magic without singing! And I am also not glowing like a yellow lantern!

It felt great. Should she show this to Qiin? Her feelings told her that was probably a bad idea and that she should keep quiet about it. She’d probably need some ace in her sleeves in the future. And with the robes she had to wear, she had pretty large sleeves and thus a lot of space to fill.

Looking back down on the book, she decided that she needed to learn some of the more useful spells. Maybe if she could strengthen her own mind, it would also get easier to learn all of this. So she turned the book to the corresponding page and began to sing quietly under her breath …

«« | »»

“I see you’ve continued learning?” Qiin’s voice startled her and she felt as if he’d caught her doing something bad. “I am here to bring you back to the dining hall.”

“Can’t I just eat here?”

“And risk the books getting dirty? What are you, a child?”

She pouted. Then grimaced. He was right, she was acting like a child. But ever since she lived alone, she could eat in front of the TV. She could do what she always wanted to do as a child.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered and rose. “I was just hungry and overwhelmed.”

“I can imagine. Acolytes usually have more time to learn these prayers. And they usually learn them before they become a priest or priestess.”

“But you are pressed for time,” she observed.

“Indeed. Now come.” Qiin led the way back through the labyrinthine corridors of the temple and into the dining hall. Sonja was already sitting at one of the tables, moving a wooden spoon in a wooden bowl. Nia grimaced and joined her silently. The other girl looked up at her for a moment, then back down at her food.

“There is some stew in the big pot. I think you can service yourself?”

Was Qiin still holding the moment she had behaved childishly against her? She sighed.

“Yes, I can.” She grabbed a small bowl, ladled a portion into it and then set back down in front of Sonja, spoon in hand.

They ate in silence for a while. Or rather Nia ate something and Sonja moved her food around.

That only changed when Tommy came and sat down next to Sonja. He slumped his shoulders and didn’t seem to have the energy to direct any hate at Nia.

“I hate this whole magic business,” told Sonja her boyfriend. “I thought I’d need to know the four elements, a few spells and maybe some fancy gestures.”

Tommy looked at her. “It’s more than that? What do you need to do?”

“Mira began explaining about thermo-namics or some such things. About how pressure influences magical effects and vice versa. Then she started with maths and tried to explain their periodic table of elements to me. She jumped from one topic to the next and I feel more confused than before. She wanted to move to practical lessons this afternoon, but told me that I would need a firm grasp on all that she taught me to effectively use magic.”

“Has she at least given you hints about how it works?” Tom asked. He sounded like a true friend to her. Something that Nia hadn’t expected at all.

“Apparently I have to feel out the elements around me, select the right molecules and atoms and rearrange them or summon others from further away to create the effect that I need. She also said it might be a good idea to carry flasks of oil and water with me for some of the more commonly used effects.”

Tom put a hand on her shoulder. “I am sure you’ll master it in no time.”

“I don't know. It feels a bit like she doesn’t really want to teach me. She’s just giving me a few pointers and thinks I am able to piece it together from there. But how do you make a full bread out of just a few crumbs?”

“Lynn mostly chased me around, screaming at me that my endurance is terrible. She had me do a lot of push-ups. I’m supposed to shoot arrows at targets this afternoon, but my arms feel like overcooked spaghetti.”

“Gregor did the same to me,” Ralf said as he took the seat next to Nia. “The sword was off-limits. And this afternoon, he wants to fight with me already.” The pseudo-dwarf then turned to her. “How did it go with you?”

Nia sighed. “Priesthood spells are apparently prayers I have to sing.”

“You really just have to sing?” Sonja glared at her.

“I hate singing. Especially in public. And a simple light spell takes a song with six lines, and that is the shortest one. Everything else is longer and far more elaborate. I have to remember at least a dozen different melodies, and I haven’t even noticed anything they might have in common.”

“Why are you looking for things in common? Those are songs. They’re probably meant to please the ears, not to sound mostly the same.” Sonja huffed.

Ralf had the same take. “Well, they’re prayers. They’re probably meant to appease the gods, and they grant you their magic for it. At least that’s how it works in some role playing games.”

Thanks Ralf, and Sonja. But that wasn’t where I was searching for patterns. Though I have to admit that I have only three songs to go off of, right now.

“So you all had less stellar experiences with your instructors?” Tina asked and joined them at the table.

“Did Robb have you run around, too?” Tom asked.

“Yes,” Tina answered, “but that’s not what I’m concerned about. He was supposed to teach me on how to be a good thief, and yet he didn’t notice me stealing from him.” She touched a leather satchel at her side and Nia could hear the telltale sound of coins clinging within it.

So the monks here are also not bound by rules of poverty …

“There’s something else that’s bothering me,” Ralf said quietly while putting some of the stew into a bowl. “Gregor brought me to a training area slightly outside of the temple, and I haven’t seen a single other monk. Have you seen any?”

To Nia’s surprise, everyone else shook their heads.

What the heck? Everyone was training in a different place. At least one of them should have seen another monk. For the heck of it. There should’ve been other monks present in the library to copy books. What’s going on?

“The only logical explanation would be that Luaria doesn’t have many followers left,” Sonja said. “Which would also explain why they’re short on time. They must be expecting an attack any day now.”

Nia felt shivers run down her spine. That was a possibility. But why had Qiin lied to her about the other monks that were tending to fields or copying books? Was it just that they didn’t want them to worry too much about the difference in power between them and Saesquar’s troops?

“Ah, don’t worry.” Qiin’s voice startled Nia so much that she almost spilled the rest of her stew. “We had to move a lot of our followers down the mountains, to help train the army and tend to the fields. Only some of them return to the temple for the night.”

Did he listen to our conversation?

“As to our training methods: You have to trust us. You’re not our first students. The training may seem harsh, but it is effective.”

Okay, note to self: Make sure not to talk too openly about anything. The creepy priest might just be listening in.

Qiin bowed down to her in that moment and whispered into her ear: “I am looking forward to hearing your voice …”

Did he have to prove the point that he really was a creep right now?

“By the way, Tina, Robb is willing to trade his coins for some of the valuables of your purse. He said something about a necklace and a ring …” Tina smiled at the monk, though there was a hint of red on her face. “I am sure you can do the exchange this afternoon. Your training will resume right after lunch is over.” With that Qiin walked away.

I don’t want a private training session with you anymore!

“So,” Ralf said and put an empty bowl on the table. “I’m curious. How did you manage to steal your teacher’s purse?”

“Ah, I’ve been a pickpocket before. First I stole from the man of my dreams,” she let out a sigh, “then I stole his heart, which was better guarded than his riches.” She shrugged.

“So you all are or were in a relationship?” Nia asked.

Of course they were. There was a reason she was the only virgin in the group.

“I am sure you will find someone soon,” Tina said, soothingly.

“Hah. I am sure no man or woman wants to have anything to do with you,” spat Tommy to her face.

Nia felt a sudden surge of anger. She left a red mark in the form of her hand on Tommy’s cheek and got up without a word.