ximilialog | Let's Get All-Catching

This one alone affected a city to that extent, so a larger power has the capacity for a hell of a lot more. And that's not even knowing how many pieces of this thing there are.

Funny you should say we shouldn't let it fall into the hands of an authority when this ... commander as he called himself, just assured us to leave things to him. It'd be nice to hear a bit more from him, if he's here and keeping tabs on what we're bringing back.

True. He's probably hiding somewhere on the station, but... that's another thing to ask Viveca about and see if she'll answer.

Still, as we don't answer to him... we may not need to worry about being used as chips in his bargain.

[Hopefully he's smart enough not to make one. Viveca's group seems to understand the orbs enough to know that using them would probably be a bad idea.]

Well. Keeping dangerous magical forces safely contained is part of Abhorsen's duties, so at least I can tell myself this isn't really a vacation.

I'd would think this isn't being considered any sort of vacation by anyone!

But, I hope you're right there. [ It's true that understanding the dangers of the orb is a good thing ... but, there's always someone who looks at it and goes, "I bet I can handle it, though!"

Finally, he moves to sit as well, about a foot away from her to leave her her space. ]

Anyway. [ Right to the point. ] You said you can teach others magic, didn't you?

Charter Magic, yes.

[Teaching necromancy would be a horrifying combination of stupidity and cruelty, even if anyone here actually had an aptitude for it.]

I've already found three students, which was... more than I expected, actually.

Charter Magic. [ He repeats. ]

Why didn't you expect that many?

Because accepting the mark is an irreversible decision. And... well, perhaps it shouldn't have surprised me as much as it did, but most people in Ancelstierre... if they're not mages, they're mostly in denial about magic, and the ones who aren't in denial are scared.

People here... they're curious.

[It's been a nice change of pace. And Sabriel's even been open about being a necromancer, which she'd kept a secret even from her friends who were also mages.]

[ Yzak figures that the fear might be something similar wielding any kind of power that can be dangerous if used that way. When it's in your hands, you're afraid of making any sort of mistake, because even the smallest slip-up could result in the death of another, or even yourself. And when it's not in your hands ... you know you wouldn't have the means to protect yourself if it was turned on you. ]

Irreversible, but you mentioned the need to learn spells, didn't you? What if someone decided they wanted to accept something like that, but then do fuck all, procrastinate and not bother trying to learn anything?

Then they wouldn't be able to do... well, anything. If they tried... well, they'd probably hurt just hurt themselves, and anyone standing too close to them.

Charter magic takes time, dedication... and a lot of practice to master. There are some people with the mark who don't study, but they were baptized as infants and later chose not to walk that path.

[Although in Sabriel's case, such a thing had been unthinkable. Her father had taught her magic since... well, for as long as she could remember.]

It was just a theoretical. It's not like I would ever slack off and do something like that!

[ He's a hardworking man who never gives up on something once he sets his mind to it! ]

But, I want to learn, if you're open to adding more to the list.

[Oh. Oh, that's what this conversation is about!

But Sabriel's expression shifts from shock to a delighted grin in less than a second.]

You're sure? Well, for the baptism I'll need to get a bottle and- wait here. They should have what I need in the kitchen.

[Sabriel scrambles to her feet, already reviewing what she'll need to get. Water and a glass bottle from the kitchen and- well, she can use some of the plants in this room for the ash.]

[ Well that was a quick change of demeanor. ]

Of course I'm sure!

Why — are you suddenly this excited!?

You're my friend. I didn't realize you were interested in- in learning magic. I thought you were more interested in technology.

I'll need to perform a baptism though, to put a mark like this- [Sabriel points to the one on her forehead.]

On your forehead, and establish your connection to the Charter. So I'll need to get a bottle of water from the kitchen for that, and some wood ash, but- in this room, that won't be a problem.

Well of course I'm still interested in technology! I can be interested in magic, too!

[ He pauses though, tilting his head. ] Is it really that easy to do?

I mean, it's an advanced spell, drawing on powerful marks, but- baptism isn't draining the way Charter magic can be.

You don't need to do much, just hold still.

[They baptize infants in the Old Kingdom, and there's not much else you can ask of a newborn.]

So it's still a spell.

[ More to himself. Baptism almost made it sound religious which he is ... not. Not many Coordinators are. ]

Fine. I can wait here.

Sort of. It's... different from others I've used, in ways I can't quite explain.

[But Sabriel's gone for only a few minutes, only as long as she needs to fill a glass bottle from the kitchen with water, and burn a few twigs in the sunlight room to get some wood ash to trace over her mark.]

All right. Ready to start?

[ Burning things, man, he's gonna have the ability to set things on fire all by himself soon. What a wonderful event this is. ]

I'm ready.

You said I just have to hold still, right?

That's right. So now- Please don't talk or ask any questions until it's over.

[Sabriel raises the bottle and starts to chant. The words aren't in English, or... any other language he or Sabriel knows. But they come easily as soon as Sabriel reaches into the Charter, letting the marks flow through her and into the bottle. Unlike other spells, she barely needs to search out and select the marks, instead they seem to come to her.

A light comes to the water in the bottle, pulsing in time with her chanting, growing brighter as the minutes stretch on. Sabriel can't really see Yzak anymore- countless Charter marks are swarming her vision, making the world around her seem faint and distant.

Finally, Sabriel falls silent, clearing her vision with a blink before touching the bottle to the ground, and then to her forehead before dumping the glowing contents over Yzak.

There's a blinding flash of light, and for Yzak, the world falls away. Instead, all around him- above and below, in front and behind- there are Charter marks, shining like stars, all moving and swirling in some vast intricate dance.

But in an instant, it's over, and he's back in the sunlight room, and Sabriel is speaking in a solemn cadence.]

By the Charter that binds all things, I name you Yzak.

[And with that, the wood ash vanishes from her forehead and reappears on Yzak's, a baptismal mark freshly formed beneath it.]

[ Can Yzak do better than an infant and stay quiet?

Yes, he actually can. Because this is important and when he has a goal in mind, a new endeavor to take on, he goes all in, 100% determined and serious. And this is something that will bring another skillset into his life that he'll aim to master.

The Charter marks themselves aren't familiar, but being surrounded in all directions by their lights is reminiscent of being inside his mobile suit, screens of nothing but stars and the occasional flash of light if it was during a battle all around him.

But just as quickly that it appears is is gone. And then he blinks, readjusting his eyesight.

And then look at him, all well behaved and simply raising his eyebrows when she finishes that. Was that all? Is there more? ]

[Sabriel reaches out and brushes Yzak's forehead with her fingertips, smiling in satisfaction when the world falls away for a moment- until she withdraws her hand, at least.]

Well. That's the first step. Now, what I want you to do next is to commune with the Charter- what you just saw. Reach out to it, let it flow through you. Don't try to call any marks yet, just- connect to it.

Commune with it?

[ He asks as he, too, reaches up to touch his own forehead after she does so. ]

I can do that.

[ He doesn't ask - and also doesn't want to ask anything more than that. No tips or 'how's because he wants to go into this as much as he can on his own merits. If he succeeds, great. If not, he'll just try again until he gets the hang of it and adapts properly. But he knows he will do it, regardless. ]

[ So Yzak closes his eyes and focuses, trying to revisualize what he just saw, the familiar yet not-so-familiar feeling of being surrounded by points of light in all directions. And he also focuses on connection, on understanding - what he always so desperately wanted and still seeks from others, occasionally difficult as it has been and could still be.

And he's better at that than he gives himself credit for, sometimes. He doesn't doubt his ability for it or anything, but he knows he's been clumsy about it before and it isn't close to his most shining talent.

So when he reaches, he connects— ]

[ —and then blinks his eyes open again, after he does so. After those feelings of floating as if he was in the middle of space disappear again. ]

... Amazing...

[ That's all he can offer after the fact. ]

[ Nailed it. ]

Yes.

[Sabriel's voice is quiet, and almost... reverent.]

The Charter contains and describes all things, and the bonds that tie them together.

[But! This is a lesson, so Sabriel reaches into the Charter, drawing out a mark she's known since childhood and tracing it out in slow, easy motions so Yzak can see it clearly before it collapses on itself, forming a small point of light that shines as bright as any lamp or electric light on the station.]

This is the mark for light. It's the first spell every Charter mage learns.

What I want you to do is reach back into the Charter while holding that mark in your mind- and look for it within the Charter. Don't rush, don't try to draw on any other marks, just that one. When you find it, draw it from the Charter, and let it flow through you and out your fingertips as you trace it- and you need to hold your connection to the Charter steady as you do so. Don't break the connection until you've finished tracing the mark.

[An easy enough task, although one that could be surprisingly draining to a new mage- as one's connection to the Charter strengthened, magic became less tiring to draw upon.]

Hold the connection, got it.

[ BACK TO FOCUSING HE GOES, after watching her trace out that mark and committing it to memory. He's good at that part, anyway.

Of course while he's repeating the process and looking for the mark in specific within the Charter, he realizes how much focus is going into it. Yzak knows he's just starting out, so he gives himself a little grace, but he immediately notes that one of the first things he need to start working on is the balance between casting and focusing on whatever he'd be dealing with. He'd be defenseless, useless, if he were in battle and doing this.

(and that's not even considering that he'll have to strike that balance between different fighting styles, being able to "switch off" from focusing on the magic to return to using his weapons, especially so he doesn't break any of them)

With that thought, it takes him a moment - but he finds the mark eventually, repeating those movements Sabriel just made to trace it out into the air with his fingers. ]

Ah-

[ And it too follows suit to form a small point of light. Probably not as impressive as Sabriel's, but is THAT going to stop Yzak from witnessing that and looking pleased about it? Absolutely not. ]

Let's Get All-Catching

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