“Halt Knave!”

B-3 was waiting in the next room, looking even more creepy. Saying that B-3 bothered Amelia would be an understatement, but she was having a particularly hard time now that she’d seen part I of her reward.

“I’d like to go to the room with Quark please.” Amelia just wanted to be away from the mannequin in the aviator jacket and the cheeky grin.

“Please confirm you wish to retire from Questing for now.” B-3 said.

“Yeah.” Amelia was keeping a respectable distance from B-3 and doing her best not to irk it. All the wild thoughts she was having were hard enough to keep in check.

“Transitioning now.”

Amelia was abruptly back in the room, and eagerly looked around. Quark was absent. Crestfallen, Amelia looked around again. It wasn’t like there was anywhere for the other usual occupant to hide, so a quick look around revealed that Quark was indeed out. Probably doing some more nightmare Questing.

There would be no banter and no exchanging of ideas right this second after all. Amelia began pacing in circles and she thought about what to do. The first thing to do was to desummon Epsilon, she decided. Epsilon was mindlessly following her in circles and it was harder to ignore her than it usually was because of the smaller space.

A few windows and voila, Epsilon vanished in an almost painfully cheery blast of pixels. Amelia sighed in relief, feeling a slight pressure easing up that she didn’t know she’d been carrying. Having Epsilon around with Raven’s face was beginning to grate. Amelia had been considering who her next Storied Hero would be, if in fact she got to have one any time soon, and had been thinking about Forsythe or Aidan. The more she thought about Epsilon though, the less enamored of the idea she was of having either of the two following her around like mindless scary drones shouting out emotionally traumatizing phrases.

“Examine [Perfidelia and The Order of the Black Part II].” No use putting it off.

The scene swiftly unfolded around her once more. The cozy cottage of Amelia’s personal dreamhouse replaced the dreary and depressing cell that she was in, making everything seem alittle brighter and better. Hopefully Perfidelia didn’t do that scary soul-searching ghost gaze at her again. That’d be nice.

The books, the shelves, and the cottage finally finished transferring into place. Perfidelia soon appeared as well, looking busy writing. Things were subtly different in the room, changed from the last entry. There weren’t as many things on the floor for one, and there was actual space on the tables. There were new and noticeably different types of books lying around. Amelia moved over to the table and looked down, noting that there were far fewer of the thicker tomes and several thinner additions with colorful covers and fancy titles.

“The Larmaduk of Green Hollow, hmm.” Amelia liked the look of the creature on the cover. It was practically a giant sloth. A sloth with a hat. Amelia was immediately interested in this book and just as suddenly dejected when she reached down to flip the cover open and her hand passed through it. “Curse you game generated ghost literature.”

A slam from the door behind Amelia had her jumping. She scowled and turned, ready this time to give May a piece of her mind about appearing behind her even if the entry character couldn’t hear it.

“Peria!” Instead of May, there was a young girl, almost a woman that breezed in like the wind. “I’m home!”

“Welcome home Ellie.” Perfidelia put her quill down and blew gently on the pages before turning around.

Amelia noted that Perfidelia was writing in that monstrously gorgeous Chronicler book and felt a wave of envy surge through her again. Ignoring the two, she moved over to the workbench and peered down to see what words were drying on the page. Her face immediately screwed up in dejection when she realized that she couldn’t read the text. If this wasn’t an entry she could have just fed it to her own Chronicler and translated it, but as it was the page and it’s no doubt terribly interesting contents were lost. Amelia felt like she was going to be horribly depressed if things kept going on like this.

Unaware of the crippling depression that was settling upon Amelia, Perfidelia was hugging Ellie and urging her to come in. “Sit, sit! Why the rush? I didn’t expect you for another half turn! The lecture ended that early? A shame!”

“No,” Ellie had returned the hug and then stepped back, eyes looking downcast and a slight forlorn look on her face. “I wanted to stay longer but had a, a disagreement with Pelly. If I looked at her stupid fat face a second longer, I was gonna smack her.”

“Oh? Did you come get me because I have bigger hands?” Perfidelia held her hand up and showed it to Ellie, provoking a look of astonishment from the little girl and then startling a laugh out of her. “I could get the rings! I could smack her for you?”

Giggling subsiding, Ellie’s smile vanished slowly like smoke. “No,” she said slowly. “Then they would just be meaner but more secretive about it.”

Amelia mouth dropped open in surprise. That was far more mature and practical than she had ever been at any age under 20. Maybe 25.

Perfidelia froze for half a second too, the playful look in her eyes darkening quickly. “Oh. That is very wise of you, if sad.” She bent down, brow furrowed for a moment before a halfsmile formed on her face. Softly, she whispered, “between you and me. You have a bigger heart. I might have smacked her.”

Ellie pressed her lips together in a tight smile, trying to look reproachful even as the hidden joy in her eyes flared bright. “You shouldn’t talk like that mimi, you don’t even know what she said!”

“You’re right! I am in the wrong. Before I decide to give her a good wallop, what did she say?” Perfidelia tilted her head sympathetically.

Ellie struggled for a moment, obviously trying to decide if she should say or not. The dilemma of wanting someone to commiserate with and the desire not to be a snitch. God Amelia didn’t miss being young sometimes.

“She said,” Ellie drawled slowly, “that anyone that is gone into the obelisk this long is dead, that’s what her mom says. That when it opens again and no one has come out that they don’t ever come out.”

Perfidelia began stroking Ellie’s hair slowly, not saying a word for over a minute.

Amelia came around the other side of the girl to better see Perfidelia expression and sucked in a breath. That woman was furious and doing her best to hide it. Eyes closed, forced thin smile, vein bulging from her forehead.

“Mm.” Perfidelia relaxed and a gentle smile finally descended on her face.

Amelia was actually pretty impressed. She doubted she would be that calm. The admiration that she felt immediately tripled when Perfidelia finally managed to form a complete sentence. Holy crap this lady was awesome!

“Ellie, my child. Little Pelly had better hope she grows up to be incredibly beautiful, it doesn’t sound like she has a lot going for her otherwise.” Perfidelia’s grandmotherly face of love was totally out of place for the words that came out.

“Mimi!” Ellie was struggling to keep a straight face and look reproachful.

Perfidelia continued to stroke her hair for a long moment and then sighed. “Was the lecture any good? I’d hate to think that you left early and missed anything fun. Anything an old woman can say at boring length?”

“Actually, we talked about all the different choices we have to make about our future, and I realized I didn’t need to listen because I already knew what I want.” Ellie reached up and grabbed the hand that was petting her hair and held it in her hands. She lowered her chin and gave Perfidelia a look that no child born in a fair place should ever carry. “I want to join your Order, Mimi.”

“Oh, okay.” Perfidelia blinked, agreeing straight away.

“Everyone says you are the most prestigious and the best, better than anyone. I won’t take no for an answer.” Ellie said, equally serious.

“I said yes?” Perfidelia blinked again.

Ellie blinked back, it finally registering that the huge argument that she’d imagined hadn’t started. “I have several other very good reasons, would you like to hear them so you take this seriously?”

Perfidelia frowned. “I guess. Why do you think I wouldn’t want to?”

“I thought you would be afraid that I would enter the obelisk.” Ellie watched her carefully.

“Will you?” Perfidelia was very still, watching her eyes carefully.

“I don’t know yet.”

“Then, okay. I will teach you.” Perfidelia straightened up and then stretched with a slight grimace. “Do you want tea?”

“Are you not mad?” Ellie asked.

“My heart. You are me and your mother and your father, but also yourself. There is nothing more frightening to me in the entire universe than you walking into that place and never returning. So, I will teach you, and dissuade you as best as I am able. The Order of the Black has plenty of members who don’t go into the obelisk. That it is popular to do so for our Order speaks only of our foolishness, not as admonishment of our school.”

Ellie relaxed her shoulders a little, looking suddenly far less intense.

“However,” Perfidelia’s gaze sharpened slightly, “hear what I have to say and make an informed decision based on my knowledge and experience. The first thing I would tell you is hurtful. No less hurtful than the words spoken by that dreadful little Platt girl.”

Pelly Platt. The name just sort of rolled off the tongue. It was kind of an unfortunate name. There was nothing inherently wrong with it, per se. It just seemed unfortunate to Amelia. Maybe it was because Amelia had instantly disliked the little girl in the story. Perhaps she was now forever biased against any little girl named Pelly.

Ellie waited, unconsciously holding her breath until Perfidelia reached out and poked her stomach. She started breathing normally again and then looked furious at being poked. The burning eyes stopped glaring a moment later, and then the little girl very carefully nodded. She was ready to hear whatever it was.

“If you choose to go into the obelisk to find your mother and father, you will not find them. In this, the ugly spirited Platt girl is correct. The door only opens when there is a vacancy. Search within yourself and find the resolve to face this truth. Going into the obelisk, the kindest thing that you can find is absolutely nothing of either of them. In all things there are balances. Since finding nothing is the kindest, that means you could find something, and it would be terrible.” The words were spoken as gently as possible, but they were harsh nonetheless. “In the future, when you’ve had time to reflect, we will talk more on this subject. It is very important.”

Ellie swallowed hard, but after a moment clapped her hands against her cheek, apparently trying to psych herself up. “Okay. When do I start?”

“You just did. We’ll talk some more after tea.” Perfidelia smiled.

“Sweet cubes,” Ellie muttered sullenly.

“Of course.”

Amelia readied herself to watch tea time, a little curious to see what a sweet cube entailed. Forsythe would murder her if she didn’t find out when she had the chance. As the scene rapidly started to fade Amelia frowned. Just as she’d thought about doing a kindness for Forsythe the universe intervened. Expecting the end of the entry, Amelia was a little surprised when the cottage started to re-appear. Not disappointed at all, but still surprised. Apparently this was a long entry!

Perfidelia was standing next to a slightly older looking Ellie. Amelia cast a furtive glance back toward the door to make sure no one popped in to scare her out of her socks. Satisfied that no jump scares were coming, she turned her attention fully back to the scene.

“Explain mana transference to me as related to countering spells.” Perfidelia instructed with a steeliness that seemed out of place from her usual attitude. Apparently Perfidelia the instructor was a bit stern?

“A mage, white or specialized, casts a spell. The spell is crafted using their mana. That mana--.” Ellie was cut off.

“No half-answers. The spell is crafted using their internalized mana. Mana is everywhere, undirected and colorless. Only when a mage internalizes it and makes it their own can it be directed and shaped.” Perfidelia interrupted. “Continue.”

“Yes, mimi. Their internalized mana is formed into a spell. Countering a spell is the act of directly injecting internalized mana into another spell that is forming, breaking the component bonds and dispersing all the mana safely. Reflecting a spell isn’t as simple as directly injecting mana in order to break down a spell. Reflecting requires the practitioner to understand the spell being cast or performed, changing it’s course and amplification without destroying the component, or the desired nature of the spell.” Ellie said. She looked up for approval and then smiled slightly when she got the nod.

“What you have given me is the textbook answer, and it is entirely correct. In many ways, however, it isn’t as useful as practicing it directly. You can read a book about how to hammer a nail into a board, but it’s simpler just to get a hammer, a nail, and a board. I’ve asked a friend of mine to come over later and cast some simple spells for you to counter and reflect.” Perfidelia looked down at Ellie, an appraising look on her face. “Do you have any questions about what we went over?”

“No, I think practice will be good.” Ellie smiled, the tiniest bit of excitement creeping into her voice.

Amelia wasn’t surprised. If she had been learning magic at any age in the real world she would have been stoked too.

“Nothing?” Perfidelia pressed.

Ellie blinked in surprise, some of her enthusiasm waning. There was a questioning look in her eyes now.

Amelia was intrigued now. Was there something else that she should have asked? It seemed pretty straightforward and in line with her own experiences.

Perfidelia looked away for a moment, her eyes distant for a moment like she was considering something.. “No. If you don’t have the question, then we shall continue with our practice this afternoon.”

The scene began to dissolve.

Whoa! Wait, go back! Rewind. Amelia wanted to go back and listen to the answer Ellie gave again. There must have been something she missed to make Perfidelia so cagey.

“Ahh crap. I’ll just listen to the whole thing again.” Amelia griped.

Instead of the dreary cell appearing, the cottage reappeared once more.

“Or we could do more!” Amelia started to smile her creepy smile.

Ellie looked just the tiniest bit older, her braid looking more kempt and the books appearing on the table were getting thicker.

“What are you on?” Perfidelia was lounging in the chair by the window, her head relaxed against the back in the time honored position of someone who was bored and killing time.

“For the last time, I’m going through all the spells in all the books because you told me to, which seems pointless to me, but here we are! I could be done, and we could do something else, if it pleases you.” Ellie sounded a little fed up.

“Oh, I’m sorry, is the Order of the Black feeling a little like a chore today? Want to take a break?” Perfidelia’s voice was entirely unsympathetic. “On second thought. We could take a break. We could go down to the lake and hide in the bushes and counterspell all those academy seniors that are mindlessly and repetitively shooting fire over the water to increase their understanding.

“That sounds more entertaining than what I’m doing!” Ellie agreed just a bit peevishly.

“With all the studying you’re doing you could switch to another school if you want. I suspect you could cast and form those spells perfectly your first try, even if those other brats have been trying for years.” Perfidelia smiled wanely. “Any questions for me today? About mana, your life, the universe?”

Amelia’s pulse quickened and she eagerly waited for Ellie to pull on that thread. Perfidelia had once again brought up mana. There WAS something else.

“There is a question I have, about my life and the universe, actually,” Ellie replied after a moment.

Amelia felt her heard sink, and for the barest of moments she thought she caught Perfidelia wincing as well.

“Mm?”

“It’s about the nature of our Order,” Ellie turned, most of the angry teenager bleeding out of her voice. “The Order of the White can cast and form all these spells, but the reality is that learning all the spells and focusing on all of them is too much.”

“Thus, specialization. Even a wizard of the Order of the White will start developing signature spells because there just isn’t enough time in the day.” Perfidelia confirmed drolly.

“Okay, but the Order of the Black has to learn and be familiar and comfortable with the same number of spells. Maybe even more intimately. It just…” Ellie struggled, trying to find the words.

“Seems unfair? You’re learning their magic, in many cases more thoroughly then they are, but you don’t reap the fame, the thrill, the accolades?” Perfidelia’s answer made Ellie wince.

“Unfair isn’t necessarily the word I was searching for really. I love what I do, I don’t want to change that.”

“Okay?” Perfidelia smiled softly at the ceiling.

“The frustration that I am encountering is about the function of both schools.”

“Mm.” Perfidelia’s head was coming down, a hungry interested look appearing for the first time. Though her tone was disinterested, if Ellie hadn’t been facing away from her she would have seen that she was really digging into something. Something that Perfidelia really wanted her to dig into.

“The White,” Ellie lifted her head once more, struggling to find a way to describe the new thought. “If the White were a pitcher, it would be a pitcher that is full. They can use everything in that pitcher at will. Fill any glass they want.” Ellie lowered her head slightly and muttered quietly. “The Black isn’t a pitcher. It is a hand that steals water from the glasses the pitcher has poured into. The Black pours it into a different glass, or, in an analogy that is a bit more direct, shoves the water it steals from the glass back into the pitcher. Sometimes it breaks the pitcher.”

“In other words, your frustration is that it seems like one of the two is more useful.” Perfidelia was grinning mischeviously, some of the fire fading from her eyes.

Amelia clicked her tongue, a little infuriated that whatever Ellie had just said hadn’t seemed to be enough to draw out whatever secrets Perfidelia was keeping. It was also a little humiliating because Ellie had, in a roundabout way, just complained about what Amelia had complained to Quark about previously.

“It’s childish, right?” Ellie finally asked.

“No. It is the precipice to greatness. All the other Order of the Black that you know are at the point you stand at now, one bolt of lightning away from breakthrough. They have nothing left to teach you.” Perfidelia let her head slowly fall backward again as she stared up at the ceiling. “Actually, your comprehension is far greater in many respects. I’m very proud of you.”

“Thank you, mimi. I’ll return to learning all the base spells. It shouldn’t be long.” Ellie said, her subdued tone not matching her words.

Amelia felt excitement coursing through her body instead of disappointment. Perfidelia had once again very subtly teased Ellie, and once again Ellie had not caught the subtle wordplay.

All of the other Order of the Black that you know. THEY have nothing left to teach you.

The cottage began to darken and dissolve.

“No, no, no, no no no no no no no,” Amelia pleaded to a cruel and uncaring universe.