Chapter 7

Ernand and Lynn walk up, and she gives me her endearing shy smile and says “Ernand says you will teach me restoration, now that I finished my masterwork project.” I smile and reply “Yes Lynn, I’d like to take over your teaching.”

Ernand says “Lynn, Tia’tha is a good friend of mine, and I trust her. If you have any problems or questions, please let me know. I’d be happy to help you.” then he waves goodbye to the two of us.

Lynn replies, “Thank you, I will” before turning back to me, her eyes thoughtful. She watches me as he closes the door and we listen to his footsteps as he walks away.

She suddenly says, “Your performance last night was amazing. After you called Baadar’s attempts simple manipulation, I always wondered what master manipulation looked like.”

She says, “This was all about me. You wanted to make sure you were my teacher. Why?”

My eyebrows fly up in amazement. After a few moments, I realize I’m staring and say “Yes, I did that to make sure I was your teacher. This is a dangerous time in your life, and I couldn’t take the chance.” I respond.

She cocks her head to the side and says “Dangerous? In what way?”

Looking into her thoughtful dark eyes I say, “I was planning on breaking this to you gradually over the next few weeks, but perhaps we should just cover it now.” I take a seat behind my desk, and motion for her to sit on the other side.

“Mages normally spend several decades as simple students, and most never come close to real power even after a lifetime of study. Only a few push the boundaries of our knowledge, and are remembered long after they die.”

“I’m honored to be one of them. I’ve created more new healing spells than every other mage in the last few hundred years combined. I’m one of the greatest restoration mages that has ever lived, and I expect to be remembered for hundreds of years after my death.”

I meet her eye and say “However, there are a few mages that reach a level of knowledge and power that even I can only dream about.”

“They don’t simply add a few pages to the history books. They reshape the fabric of history itself. I call them primals.”

“Sometimes it seems an innate ability, other times they just have an incredible mind that can understand magic at a level that no one else can reach.”

“As powerful as they are, these primals are still just people. Most have a positive effect on the world. Either because they are good, or simply because they like order. Wars have even been prevented because it inconvenienced a primal.”

“They have also caused many deaths. Both as an evil tyrant and as well-meaning meddlers.”

“I believe you have the potential to become one of these primals. Right now, you are weaker than I am. If people know about you, then some power-hungry fool will either destroy you as a potential rival or, make a move to capture and control you.”

“When I realized what you were I made a choice. I spent my time hiding you while Ernand trained you. I focused the attention away from you and made sure I would be available to teach you when the time came.”

She sits there, thinking, looking into my eyes with her intense dark ones. A serious look crosses her face, somehow different from every other expression I’ve ever saw. Shivering, I look away, rubbing at the sudden goosebumps on my arms. The silence stretches. She finally says “I thought I fooled everyone. I tried to act like any normal, if intelligent, student.”

“You did a good job, and fooled nearly everyone, including me. Ernand is the one that showed me just how amazing you are, and even he thinks you are just a gifted student.”

“For now, I’d like to offer you my training, and when you decide you are finished with my training, I’ll serve you willingly, and make all my resources available to you.”

“All I ask in return, is that you remember my lessons when you shape the world.” With a strained smile, I offer my hand, and after a moment she shakes it, her shy grin in place.