Chapter 48 - Reconciliation

“Ambient mana… an external source that can influence a being’s internal mana stone. It would explain the uniformity of the frenzy, and the sheer number of creatures affected.” She concedes, her voice regaining a sliver of its familiar, analytical tone.

“If we can learn to understand it, we might be able to find a way to influence it, so that another attack never happens again.” I finally conclude. 

She looks at me, her eyes reflect the last vestiges of daylight. I see a glimpse of the scholar behind them, the part of her that has an unyielding ardour for magic “You’ve done very well to think about something like this with the limited education I’ve been able to provide you.”

“Well you’re a great teacher! And it wasn’t all me, I’ve been discussing it with Orville too.” I reply cheerfully hoping that my renewed enthusiasm sows the seeds into Clovis.

“What’s the next step? Do you have any ideas on how we could potentially prove these ideas true?”

She said ‘we’ that must mean she wants to help me!

“I don’t actually know, I sort of hit a dead end with my understanding of mana. All Orville was able to tell me was that mana manifests from within.” I try to reply as calmly and coolly as I can.

A slow smile spreads across her face. “Well that’s alright, I guess we will just need to think about it tomorrow in my study.”

My heart gives a hopeful flutter. “So you’ll help me?”

“Help you?” She pushes herself off the ground, offering me a hand. 

“Well of course I’m going to help you! My duties tending to the wounded are almost done; most of them just need rest now.” She pulls me to my feet, her grip surprisingly strong, her energy renewed. “So, apprentice, when do we start?”

The next morning, I arrive at Clovis’s house bright and early to try and get a head start on our research. As soon as I enter I can see she has cleared her large workbench, laying out a dozen small, perfectly smooth pieces of slate.

“What’s the slate for?” I ask as I enter the study.

“Well I had an idea. What if we took one of the mana stones from one of the creatures at the attack and compared it with a mana stone from way before the attack?” Clovis looks like a totally different person as she gestures her hands. 

“How will that contribute to the idea of ambient mana being the cause?” I reply.

“If the spell reacts differently depending on the mana stone then that could indicate that mana is the direct cause for the abnormal behaviour seen in the monsters.” Her answer is logical and concise, it also answers one of my questions I asked myself. 

It seems the village does use mana stones for some things. 

“That's a brilliant idea Clovis! But where do we get the mana stones from?” I’m hoping she managed to snag them already so we can get started. 

“Well that’s the tricky part, the clean up after the attack was handled exclusively by the kingdom guard. They’ll be the only ones in possession of any mana stones collected, and with that being the case they might not even be willing to share them with us.” 

Clovis’s face is quite pensive as she finishes her sentence, it seems she's had quite a few run-ins with the kingdom guard now. 

“We can always ask, there is no harm in asking! You already have a mana stone from before the attack right?” It feels like a silly question but it’ll help me discern how common it was to kill a monster before the attack.

“Well that’s the thing. Their leader, knight captain Arrian, is a bit of a stick in the mud. I think there will be some harm involved in asking him but we don’t have much choice. And yes I use them all the time to power my lights.” Clovis seems surprised by my lack of knowledge but she doesn’t question it thankfully.

“Oh yeah I’ve met him, he’s a real piece of work. Riel and Roach seem to be at odds with how to deal with him. Maybe he’ll be in a better mood now as things seem to be settling down.” I say as I turn on my heel to get back outside.

Clovis follows close behind as we set out for the barracks.

We find Knight Captain Arrian overseeing a weapons inventory. He stands with his back to a rack of freshly sharpened spears. He listens with an air of impatience as Roach gives a report on the state of the forest perimeter.

“...to conclude, the frequency of attacks has lessened but it has not completely ceased. The 3rd and 4th blockades are still functional but the 1st and 2nd are looking worse by the day.” Roach is different, he seems more like a dutiful dog than a daunting brute.

Arrian gives a dismissive nod. “See that repairs are facilitated for the 1st and 2nd blockades we need to ensure they don’t reach the village again.” 

He turns as Clovis and I approach, and his perfectly sculpted features arrange themselves into an expression of mild annoyance. “Healer and chief’s guest. To what do I owe this displeasure?”

Clovis, ever direct, gets straight to the point. “We have a request. We need access to one of the monster carcasses from the attack. Specifically, we need to procure its mana stone for research.”

Arrian’s eyebrow arches in theatrical disbelief. He turns his gaze from Clovis to me, a flicker of contempt in his eyes, as if my very presence is an indictment of her seriousness. 

“Research?” he repeats, the word dripping with disdain. “You wish to dissect one of those beasts in the middle of this crisis?”

“Our research could be critical to understanding why the attack happened and how to prevent another one from taking place.” Clovis presses, her tone remaining level despite his condescension.

Arrian’s reaction shifts, he doesn’t wave us away, instead a hint of intrigue forces its way onto his face. He crosses his arms, the silver plates of his vambraces clatter against each other.

“Prevent it?” he repeats, his tone still sharp, but now edged with a cynical curiosity. “A bold claim from a village healer and… her assistant.” His eyes flick to me for a moment, dismissing me as little more than a piece of furniture.

He turns his gaze back to Clovis, a wry, challenging smile playing on his lips. “Some of the kingdom’s finest mages assessed the mana stones procured from the attack and they were deemed unusable.”

The air grows taut. Roach shifts his weight, his expression unreadable, caught between his duty and his clear dislike for the Knight Captain. 

Clovis, however, remains perfectly still, her resolve an unshakable pillar against his condescension. She doesn’t flinch, nor does she rise to the bait of his insults. She simply waits, allowing his arrogance to exhaust itself.

Arrian studies her for a long moment, clearly expecting a defensive, flustered response. 

But when he receives none, his smirk fades slightly, replaced by a more direct, pragmatic stare. He is a commander, and the possibility of a strategic advantage, no matter how outlandish its source, is something he cannot afford to ignore completely.

“Very well,” he says, the words clipping the air with authority. He uncrosses his arms and gestures with an open palm towards a nearby bench, a clear command. “Indulge me.”

He fixes Clovis with a look as sharp and piercing as any spear on the rack behind him.

“Explain. Explain to me exactly how this… ‘research’ of yours will accomplish.”