Chapter 18: Mana Control

It took me a few seconds to see the mana ripples between Bluebird’s slim hands. The ripples looked more indistinct than Buckle’s, but stronger in some way. Like it was the difference between a trickle of water coming from the last of a bucket as opposed to a strong gust blowing trees enough to bend them.

I nodded and Bluebird nodded back, saying, “Go ahead.”

I reached out with my mind towards the ripples, not even sure what I was expecting. What I wasn’t expecting was the feeling of getting caught up in a freefall. Air rushing through me and around me, whipping me forth and back as I tumbled. Or my mind tumbled as I still felt the chair beneath me and the soles of my feet on the wooden floor.

Reminding myself of the chair, and the wood under my feet I tried to steady my mind. I tried to hold it and bolster it against the ripples that were like strong winds buffeting my thoughts, gales slamming into my attempts at focus, and tornadoes whipping my mind from all angles.

Feelings of stability and focus improved slightly, when suddenly my mind was fully back in my body and that body was in the chair looking at Bluebird on the other side of the desk.

“All done. Remember not to try anything like that again until tomorrow morning.”

“Sure, that was hard!” I expressed honestly.

Cocking their head to the side a little, a slightly unbelieving response came. “What did it feel like?”

“Strong winds, swirling at my mind as I even tried to reach into the mana between your palms. I probably should have guessed it from your flying, but I imagine you have strong air magic. Well, if that is even a thing.” I was pretty sure, but as I had already said, I still need lots of information, and I hadn’t even asked about magic yet.

Nodding, they just reminded me of what they had already said. “Well, you can look at Mana more, just don’t try to do anything with it until after we talk tomorrow. I’d like you to come over right after you eat breakfast, Ann did offer you breakfast with the room, right?”

“Yup”

“You can read, you said?”

“Well, I’ve been able to read the few words I’ve seen, Pillow and Pie’s sign and the words at the Bath.” I said after a few moments of thought.

“Okay Monday. If it’s okay with you I am going to prep you a notebook to answer your questions. I’ll answer any additional after you read it… Actually. I’ll have someone run it over to the PnP tonight, so ask Ann for them before you go to sleep, or in the morning. We can talk about it when you come back here.”

“Okay.” Nothing that I wanted to know felt like it couldn’t wait another day.

“Do you think you can find your way back? Or back here tomorrow? You can ask for directions, or I can send someone with you… I have quite a bit to think about, and to prepare for you if I am going to keep things to… well, what we agreed to, and avoid any possible misleading.” Bluebird sounded a little concerned, but also a bit distracted.

“I think so, folks seemed friendlier after I didn’t have blood all over my face.” I said with a bit of a pointed tone.

Bluebird’s lips quirked, “Sorry about that. Let me walk you out, and I’ll see you after you’ve had breakfast tomorrow morning.” Opening a drawer in the desk Bluebird fished out a small copper pin. “I’m allowed to hand this out at my discretion after talking with someone. While you could probably qualify for M3 or M4, this will raise fewer questions for now, and prevent having to actually do a test yet.”

After seeing what looked like a copper stick pin I had to ask. “So what does that even mean? M2, M3 or now M4, like what was up on the sign behind the bar.”

“A quick and imperfect measure of maturity. Basically, some services can require a proof of understanding consequences and long term agreements, or be unavailable. Since we need you to be able to enter the Guild without too many questions a copper pin, standing for M2, is the easiest solution.”

“So why did Ann rent me a room without one?” It seemed strange I could rent a room like that if there was a form of identification so readily available.

“Oh, probably because you had money, and Buckle sent you, and maybe something about it not being hospitable to turn someone away from one of the few rooms inside the walls.”

I nodded again as Bluebird stood and pointed to their lapel where I now noticed a thin bit of gold. “Pin it there or somewhere visible after I imbue it, and we both need to touch it to do that so touch that end.”

Holding my fingertip to the offered copper stick I felt a sharp tingle that traveled up my finger and to my palm before fading. Still, I pulled my hand back in surprise.

“Sorry, probably should have warned you. It doesn’t do any damage, but it can pack a bit of a sting to the sensitive. Anyhow, would you like me to pin it on for you?” Bluebird asked.

I agreed, and they explained how to use it as they leaned forward and pinned it into the leather top I was wearing. “If someone questions the pin, or asks for maturity verification just touch it and say your name. Go ahead and do it now so we can make sure it is working right.” They said and took a step back.

Following the instructions I noticed a copper glow extend in front of my chest, there was a vibration and Bluebird’s voice emerged from the glow. “Monday March, maturity 2 confirmed, God’s Bath Guildhall, April 1st, 210 PC.”

“Good enough, remember Monday, it works off of your mana, so I’d refrain from using it unless you need to, at least at first. You have a decent Mana Capacity, so it should be fine, but we don’t know yet how you react to using it or depleting too much.” Walking to their office door and opening it they gestured me through and walked me out to the street. I noticed a few of the eyes following me again.

“I’d tell them to lay off you, but that would probably backfire for a more belligerent sort. No worries, if anyone tries to trouble you call for help or the guard, just never make an aggressive move in God’s Bath. The penalties are severe enough only a fool would bother.” I thought there was something left unsaid, but even though it had likely been little more than an hour I wanted a break.

“I’ll be back in the morning, though I may try to check on Buckle before coming over here if that is okay?”

“Okay, do try to go over what I send you. Hopefully it will be there before dinner is over.” The short blue hair swayed a little bit as they nodded and turned to return into the Guildhall.

Sighing, I turned myself in the direction of the Pillow and Pie and started walking back.

God’s Bath certainly isn’t a huge place, no matter which way I turned I could see one of the walls in the distance, if not taller than the buildings, at least at the end of one of the streets. Oddly, it seemed more people smiled or nodded at me now that I wasn’t with Bluebird. ‘Huh, maybe they aren’t really well liked. Or maybe they are just thought to be overly serious.’

No one called out, and I had more time to look around. There were shops of several kinds, some looked like they had rooms above. The buildings were all wood and stone, as far as I could see. Some more colorful than others. I was about halfway back to the Pillow and Pie when I remembered that I hadn’t dealt with the dead taz in the bundle in the Guildhall office.

With another sigh I turned back and made my way back.

Arriving at the open doors I walked in and turned left. The receptionist was a black bearded, black haired man with skin so dark it almost matched. He was pretty big, wider than me and only a bit shorter. He also had a few hairs of grey threaded at his temples and rich brown eyes that reminded me of the bark on the pines I’d walked through earlier today.

“Welcome back, is there a request you need to make?”

“I accidentally left a bundle in Bluebird’s office. I’m supposed to collect the bounty or value left in it… It isn’t in great condition though. I’m Monday March by the way, Hi.” Belatedly I gave the man a greeting.

“Hi Monday March, I’m Crag and I work here most days. Happy to help. Let me run back and get it.” I considered warning him about the weight, but he looked like he could handle it.

Crag was gone for a couple minutes and came back looking like he was struggling a bit with the glossy green bundle a little bit. He pushed through a swinging door and told me to follow behind.

Arriving at a 2 meter by 2 meter block that was about a meter high, Crag hoisted the bundle on top and started undoing the cords. Revealing the slightly digested taz, Crag’s smile faltered a little. “Not great condition, but let’s see. I know you aren’t affiliated, but nothing prevents the unaffiliated from collecting bounties or material rewards. There in the white box”

Putting my hand where Crag’s chin indicated, I was happy there was no sharp tingle like with the pin. There was a slower, more lingering, feeling of my nerves rippling and coiling in my spine and the back of my neck, then pressure in my brain that was pushing towards my eyes.

Bounty & Disassembly assessment: Corpse of taz, minor, damaged. Likely saved a life when killed. Proximity to inhabited locations: minor. Potential threat: moderate. Material value: minor. Monetary Assessed value: 40.9 dollars. System reward value: Calculated, System reward to be applied during the daily personal update process.

Looking at a portion of the platform Crag and I could both see figures spelling out what I had seen in my own system message. I could see a hint of confusion around his dark eyes.

“Well Monday March, the amount seems a little unusual, but 40 dollars and 9 Brass it is.”