The milky drink was delightful; Keya had never tasted such a thing before. “Master, I truly enjoy the ‘Lassie’ as you say, but why you call it a ‘small girl’ is beyond me. Just how much of your food will I have to try before I have tasted it all?”

They were still supping with Shalen-sun in her dining hall. Keya had long since given up on the absurdity of it all. That a commoner like her could confer with nobility over a meal was a laughable thought only months ago. Resignedly, she now revelled in it; little point remained in resisting anymore. She was here, Master was with her, and that was all that mattered. Also, there was food, and she was hungry.

He replied, “you’ll never taste it all. Give up. People make new things faster than anyone can consume them in a lifetime, even an elven one. Hell, Alphas experience new shit all the time, and they live forever. Right, Ril?”

The deific Rilian was partaking in the food with equal abandon. “What cheese did they use for this Naan? It’s kinda sweet.” ‘Partaking with abandon’ indeed described the essence of everything she did. Presently, the manner in which she salaciously ate the melted succulence was flushing Keya’s cheeks.

“See?” Master indicated with an upturned palm. “Can’t eat a naan without discovering something novel.”

Upon dispensing their food, Shalen-sun was not to be outdone. Faelyn had retrieved some freshly baked bread, cured meat, and elven wine. He brought it himself slipping discreetly and briefly in and out of the room, no servants or other members were seen. The food was placed to just beyond the threshold, she supposed, and their eccentric band remained a tight-lipped secret to all beyond the walls.

Upon Master’s insistence, everyone ate, save for Nym who remained steely-eyed and on guard. A gracious portion was set aside for him later.

Lee Min whispered into Keya’s ear as she ate. “Kel wants to share your Life Magic with Seph. He won’t unless you give the ‘okay’. It’s up to you.”

She mulled over sentiments regarding the matter. Life Magic, my power… gift or perversion? I still cannot tell. If revealing it was what Master believed best, then she would trust his judgement. If not to these allies then to who?

She nodded her assent his way, and Master wound his craft.

“So, Seph, how many elements are there?”

The silver-haired aristocrat narrowed her eyes at him. “You tell me, Kelly.”

“Eh, you’re no fun!” He huffed out a breath. “Fine! There are more than the four elements you know, and probably more than even I know.”

“And we are to leisurely discuss this massive revelation while we eat?”

“What, you want exposition while doing nothing else. That’s crazy talk.”

“Ah, yes presuming sanity with you lot was a bridge too far, I suppose.”

Rigorously nodding with a mouthful, he continued, “Can everyone here sense auras?”

“You mean to sense another’s sphere of magic? ‘Tis not my immediate purview to reliably say. Faelyn? can it be done?”

Failing to extend into life’s domain was the extent of Keya’s experience before meeting Master. Assessing the form, features, and focus of another’s power would never have occurred to her. Very little occurred to her if she thought back on it now.

She decided to relieve Perrel-sun’s furrowed contemplation. “Master, they are unlikely to have practised the solemn communions we do in our morning routines. Nor do I think mages spend much time practising with other elements not of their ilk. Am I mistaken?”

Faelyn gave a small shake and shy tilt of ears in confirmation.

“Well, fuck,” Master gave an exasperated shrug. “Min, you still there?”

“Yep,” said the black orb.

“I’ll share my file on magic training; please exchange notes at a later date. Seph, you and your crew are welcome to join our morning sessions for some... cultural exchange. I guess I’ll just show the pretty lights for now.” He wiggled fingers in mock demonstration.

“Got it, Kel,” affirmed the feminine Min Ball. What has become of Lee, I wonder.

Shalen feigned insult with a dismissive glance away. “I apologise that we are too dull for a ‘master’ such as yourself, Kelly. Regardless, I am a minor Air Mage, Faelyn and Nym may be better served should they choose to accept.”

“Don’t say that! I’m sure you guys are all amazing. Let me see.” And without a further word Master’s aura swarmed. Keya sensed it wash across the room past her to the head of the table, inundating the noblewoman.

Expectedly, the maiden let out a panicked yelp, swiftly covering her mouth in embarrassment.

Jon was perhaps not aware of how pervasive his focus could be. It was light, to be sure, but he could quickly surround one with it in seconds. The resultant sensation was a little stifling.

“Master, you are scaring the poor Lady!”

Keya manoeuvred her Life aura as if a bubbled dome around Shalen-sun and pushed his back. Their pursuant aural scuffling produced short squeak from the fair lass. It was quite endearing.

“What by the gods are you doing to the Mistress!” dismayed Faelyn. He and Nym reflexively laid their hands on dagger and sword alike.

Shalen-sun held up a swift palm to becalm them. “I am quite fine. It was simply rather… startling.”

Ril had mostly been indulging intimately with the food, but now she spoke without looking up. “I need a damn way to see and record this aura shit. The neural HUD isn’t picking it up. My higher mind better be working on a patch, or I get to keep this experience all to myself.” Savouring the thought with eyes half-closed elicited a lingering moan from the Alpha.

Keya tried to recall when she had seen the deity not in the throes of one pleasure or another. Keya failed.

Master relented with an apologetic frown, “Sorry bout that. Haven’t figured out magical manners just yet.” A collective pause allowed all to retrieve their composure before he proceeded with the ad hoc class. “Well, everyone seems to have auras matching loosely to the behaviour of their inclined ‘element’, or resonance. Ril controls solids—Earth—and she transmits through stuff she touches and stands on, a contact mage basically. This much, you know.

“I’m the other end of the spectrum: gaseous, effusive, and extensive. My reach is also mostly unobstructed; enough ions in the air, I guess. Gonna need to do tests across vacuum and insulators to be sure, but I digress. I started out weak too, ‘minor’ if you will, so strength can be trained; my case proves it. Seph, my invitation extends doubly to you then. I’ll make a wicked mage out of you yet.”

Keya interceded to translate, “‘Wicked’ is good Shalen-sun. He means to make a ‘good’ mage of you.”

“Thanks, Kay. That’s why I pay you.”

“You pay me?”

Shalen-sun interrupted their banter. “Intriguing, but you failed to mention Luren-sun’s power.”

“Did I?” Master smiled thinly, “Kay, please give your real name.”

She reluctantly halted Naan consumption to answer. “My true name is Keya Ces. Ralfen Luren was my grandfather.”

“Ces? That name is familiar…” Shalen-sun tapped her chin, “some witch burnings about twenty years back spring to mind. Why yes, I recall some superstitious hysteria gripped Elgelica during those days. As for myself, I remained cloistered in study for my… soon to be station. Is there any truth to the rumour?”

“You tell me. Forgive me for asking, Seph, but if everyone can already do magic. What the hell makes witches any different?”

“You will have to ask the ignorant masses of that I’m afraid. Superstition grows in the absence of knowledge I have learned.”

Faelyn offered, “Witches are fabled to place curses.”

Master gave a rare genuine sigh. “What a fucken pity.” Shaking his head, he pressed on, “Not directly involved, I take it?”

Keya would not have detected the feigned casualness of his query had she not scrutinised the man’s lying over the last months. He tests even now. Were her mouth not full of delectable bread and cheese, she might have given his ploy away. A glass of nectared wine ensured her expression was pragmatically obscured while they answered. One hand of his also innocently fell below the table. The sheathed small ‘firearm’ is belted there. An oddly-shaped leather pouch was oft worn by him, even in the Bunker. To all the world it was a curiously shaped but unremarkable purse. Certainly, no sword or weapon of any import could be housed within, unless you knew otherwise. And the only three in the realm who do are in this room.

Shalen proffered her answer ostensibly oblivious to the stakes at hand.” Elgelica is a massive city, even if not by your standards, and my family is but one of the smaller ever-shifting powers. Events in one quarter might swell and dissipate without most residents being ever the wiser. Were we Shalen’s not extremely prideful in our record-keeping, I might not have known even this little, much less being involved. I shall check our records of the time, of course, but I hold out little hope. Would you know of every debacle amongst a million souls from twenty years prior?”

Min whispered once more, “Yeah, near as I can confirm, she’s speaking the truth, guys. Those elf ears give away far too many tells. I think I’ll write a research paper on it!”

Jon seemed much allayed, his hand returning above the table as Keya gulped and breathed equal parts satisfaction and relief. There are unplumbed depths to their every stratagem.

“You don’t see any merit to these witchcraft claims then?”

Shalen-sun gave a derisive snort, putting the matter to rest.

After some thoughtful nods, he addressed Keya once more. “Kay, mind standing there?”

She clamoured in her bulbous boots to the head of the table, and he approached her side. The Naan was sadly finished. She stared forlornly at greasy remnants on her fingers.

“Alright, my stalwart savant!”

She perked up.

“Find and focus your aura around you.”

She did just so. Her aura—often unconsciously roaming—pulled in; she felt it coalesce on her body imbuing herself from head toe. Refreshing sensations flooded her limbs as if breathing in the first scents of spring, surrounded by luscious pine forest—exhilarating every time.

Master’s aura enveloped her like a cosy blanket, gently sensing the bounds of her form. He nodded.” Now instead of drawing MP all at once, like with your jumps, gradually tug up.”

Eyes shut, she ‘saw’ her body imbued with a steady glow. The colour, if it could be called that, was verdant forest green. She let her intention rise, and the effect was immediately noticeable. Levity and lightness permeated her, after which the pressure of the floor disappeared. Moments later, she heard gasps throughout the room.

Kay opened her eyes to see herself gently rising, the elaborately carved archways of the wooden roofing inching ever closer. Tapering the intention back to almost nothing, she stopped. The rise required power but to remain aloft required practically no mana at all. She sensed only a trickle of that illimitable lake passing through her. So long as she was imbued, and with the same asserted intent, thus she remained.

I fly. It was the very best feeling of her life, something too good; I deserve less. Inclining towards Master, he stared back, unabashed pride reflected in his eyes.

“Kay is our Life Mage.”

A torrent of emotions flooded through her for which she was utterly unprepared. Her whole life, she had kept a shielded heart. Unbeknownst to her, cracks had formed and spread from those very first days, until—with one final chip—the bulwark crumbled. Being the pariah of that inconsequential village, she was often alone and isolated by the other humans in town. Grandpa was her mentor and parent, not her friend. Those she remained bereft of until she forgot ever yearning for one. The paltry relations of Gillian and his group were laughable in retrospect. I was always on my own, always ‘that elf child’.

Lifting a weightless hand to her cheeks; she felt them warmed and wet. Drifting bodily down, but remaining afloat, she embraced the man. He said ‘our’.