Chapter 70: Recipe for Trouble
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Chapter 70: Recipe for Trouble
Recipe for Trouble
Martel ended up spending most of his free bell that same afternoon with Shadi, falling back into the easy ways of their friendship. He took her to the statue of Atreus in the western courtyard and the arena in the eastern, recounting his duel with Cheval to her great amusement. When she left the Lyceum with her father, he already looked forward to seeing her again on Solday.
But it would be a while before they reached the end of the fiveday. Waking up on Glunday, Martel went to the Hall of Elements for his first lesson in the more advanced types of magic.
Master Alastair greeted him cordially as always. "Ready to do more than move a few drops of water around?"
"Definitely!"
"That's the spirit, lad. Now, combining the elements for more advanced results isn't as hard as you might think," his teacher began to explain while Martel dutifully listened. "As long as you got the requisite basic skills, it's really just a question of imagination and a bit of practice."
As he had done when first introducing the topic, Master Alastair made a cloud of steam appear between his hands.
"I know fire, and I know water. I simply make them both appear at the same time."The debut release of this chapter happened at Ñòv€l-B1n.
Like last time, Martel could not help but push the steam into his teacher's face. However, his attempt was immediately rebuffed by a far more powerful gust, turning his trick back on him. Master Alastair laughed seeing the surprise on the novice's face, and after a moment, Martel joined in.
The air blowing into his face made the novice think of something else. "Master Alastair, why is it that magic can't directly affect someone? If I want to push someone back, I have to use air to do it. I can't just grab them with magic the way I can move a rock."
"Master Fenrick could explain in better detail, but I believe it's a limit to our form of magic. Besides the body, a human consists of mind and soul, which our spells cannot touch. You can only use physical magic on the purely physical. Believe me, I've tried setting people directly on fire, and it never worked." He smiled wryly.
"I see." Perhaps for the best; the thought of another mage being able to affect Martel's mind made a shiver run down his spine.
"Alright, enough delay. Think of steam, lad. Imagine it forming in the air between your hands, like your breath on a cold morning. Focus, and it'll come to you."
Raising his hands in front of him, Martel focused.
~
"Are you still working in the apothecary?"
My dearest boy,
We all missed you at the solstice celebration. Your younger brothers especially, but also your sisters. Even Keith as well, even if he did not say so outright. You know he is not one to say much, but I could tell. We had our first taste of Juliet's brew, and it was even better than we could have expected. It was strange to celebrate without your father. Some might say hard to celebrate at all. Day to day, I think we are so busy, there is not much time to miss him. But when we all gathered around the bonfire, I think we all felt his absence.
We have had good wool this year. William sheared this year, and I was ever so frightful he would end up shearing his own skin off. You know how frightfully wild his movements are. But he did well, and I will be making a nice tunic for John. He grows so much, he is going to need it. Also he has a cough, and if he is coughing in summer, he will definitely need warm clothes for winter. I will make one for you as well, if I can trust someone to take it south. I do not think the Imperial post will carry clothes.
Are you still doing well in school? I often ask John to read your last letter, or Mira. I cannot believe the things you describe, but we all love to hear about them. And about you.
With love,
Your mother
Once he had finished it, Martel read the letter a second time. He assumed the lettering was done by Father Julius, but the scattered thoughts jumping from one topic to the next definitely sounded like his mother. He could practically hear her voice as he read the words. He decided to write her back immediately rather than put it off and possibly forget.
Dear mum,
I'm sorry I couldn't spend the solstice with you. But you'll never guess what I did. I was invited to no less than three different celebrations among the noble people. Two of them are my friends, that is, they are from noble families, and I joined them for their feasts. I even performed magic in front of their guests. There was more food and drink than you could imagine. Enough to feed all of Engby easily for days.
My studies are going well. My teacher, Master Alastair, is very satisfied with my progress. I have finished learning the basic things and have moved on to more advanced magic. Hopefully when I am done – I think I forgot to mention in my last letter, I will only require two years, not four years, so I'll be done two years sooner than expected – I can't wait to come home and show you all the things I can do.
My studies in alchemy are also proceeding. I have learned useful things, such as making salves to treat bruises or wounds, and even made some without supervision. I'll soon be able to call myself a proper apothecary, if not an alchemist yet.
You should gather some lungwort and dry the leaves. Make a tea from them and give it to John morning and evening. More often than that if his cough does not go away. Keep up with it until he no longer has any cough at all. My teacher says that lungwort is the best remedy for a simple cough.
Martel
He smiled to himself as he finished the letter. First Eleanor and now his mother. Alchemy was starting to look the most useful of everything he was learning. Would being an alchemist prove a better choice in the end than a weathermage? Perhaps he could be both. Fulfil his obligations to the Empire as the latter, while earning a pretty penny for himself doing the former. Not to mention, how satisfying it would be to have the remedies for all the little ills and pains that troubled everyone, especially as they grew older. Although she never complained, Martel knew that his mother still had trouble with her left arm ever since she broke it years ago, even though the bone had long since healed.
He rummaged through his pockets and purse to make a tally of his wealth. A few copper coins met his scrutinising gaze. Not even enough to send a letter by Imperial post. Practising his magic, he had not found many opportunities to earn money lately, but he would have to do so if he wanted to post this message.
The bell rang, and Martel leapt up, hurrying to his second lesson of the day with Master Alastair.
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Chapter 70: Recipe for Trouble
Recipe for Trouble
Martel ended up spending most of his free bell that same afternoon with Shadi, falling back into the easy ways of their friendship. He took her to the statue of Atreus in the western courtyard and the arena in the eastern, recounting his duel with Cheval to her great amusement. When she left the Lyceum with her father, he already looked forward to seeing her again on Solday.
But it would be a while before they reached the end of the fiveday. Waking up on Glunday, Martel went to the Hall of Elements for his first lesson in the more advanced types of magic.
Master Alastair greeted him cordially as always. "Ready to do more than move a few drops of water around?"
"Definitely!"
"That's the spirit, lad. Now, combining the elements for more advanced results isn't as hard as you might think," his teacher began to explain while Martel dutifully listened. "As long as you got the requisite basic skills, it's really just a question of imagination and a bit of practice."
As he had done when first introducing the topic, Master Alastair made a cloud of steam appear between his hands.
"I know fire, and I know water. I simply make them both appear at the same time."The debut release of this chapter happened at Ñòv€l-B1n.
Like last time, Martel could not help but push the steam into his teacher's face. However, his attempt was immediately rebuffed by a far more powerful gust, turning his trick back on him. Master Alastair laughed seeing the surprise on the novice's face, and after a moment, Martel joined in.
The air blowing into his face made the novice think of something else. "Master Alastair, why is it that magic can't directly affect someone? If I want to push someone back, I have to use air to do it. I can't just grab them with magic the way I can move a rock."
"Master Fenrick could explain in better detail, but I believe it's a limit to our form of magic. Besides the body, a human consists of mind and soul, which our spells cannot touch. You can only use physical magic on the purely physical. Believe me, I've tried setting people directly on fire, and it never worked." He smiled wryly.
"I see." Perhaps for the best; the thought of another mage being able to affect Martel's mind made a shiver run down his spine.
"Alright, enough delay. Think of steam, lad. Imagine it forming in the air between your hands, like your breath on a cold morning. Focus, and it'll come to you."
Raising his hands in front of him, Martel focused.
~
"Are you still working in the apothecary?"
My dearest boy,
We all missed you at the solstice celebration. Your younger brothers especially, but also your sisters. Even Keith as well, even if he did not say so outright. You know he is not one to say much, but I could tell. We had our first taste of Juliet's brew, and it was even better than we could have expected. It was strange to celebrate without your father. Some might say hard to celebrate at all. Day to day, I think we are so busy, there is not much time to miss him. But when we all gathered around the bonfire, I think we all felt his absence.
We have had good wool this year. William sheared this year, and I was ever so frightful he would end up shearing his own skin off. You know how frightfully wild his movements are. But he did well, and I will be making a nice tunic for John. He grows so much, he is going to need it. Also he has a cough, and if he is coughing in summer, he will definitely need warm clothes for winter. I will make one for you as well, if I can trust someone to take it south. I do not think the Imperial post will carry clothes.
Are you still doing well in school? I often ask John to read your last letter, or Mira. I cannot believe the things you describe, but we all love to hear about them. And about you.
With love,
Your mother
Once he had finished it, Martel read the letter a second time. He assumed the lettering was done by Father Julius, but the scattered thoughts jumping from one topic to the next definitely sounded like his mother. He could practically hear her voice as he read the words. He decided to write her back immediately rather than put it off and possibly forget.
Dear mum,
I'm sorry I couldn't spend the solstice with you. But you'll never guess what I did. I was invited to no less than three different celebrations among the noble people. Two of them are my friends, that is, they are from noble families, and I joined them for their feasts. I even performed magic in front of their guests. There was more food and drink than you could imagine. Enough to feed all of Engby easily for days.
My studies are going well. My teacher, Master Alastair, is very satisfied with my progress. I have finished learning the basic things and have moved on to more advanced magic. Hopefully when I am done – I think I forgot to mention in my last letter, I will only require two years, not four years, so I'll be done two years sooner than expected – I can't wait to come home and show you all the things I can do.
My studies in alchemy are also proceeding. I have learned useful things, such as making salves to treat bruises or wounds, and even made some without supervision. I'll soon be able to call myself a proper apothecary, if not an alchemist yet.
You should gather some lungwort and dry the leaves. Make a tea from them and give it to John morning and evening. More often than that if his cough does not go away. Keep up with it until he no longer has any cough at all. My teacher says that lungwort is the best remedy for a simple cough.
Martel
He smiled to himself as he finished the letter. First Eleanor and now his mother. Alchemy was starting to look the most useful of everything he was learning. Would being an alchemist prove a better choice in the end than a weathermage? Perhaps he could be both. Fulfil his obligations to the Empire as the latter, while earning a pretty penny for himself doing the former. Not to mention, how satisfying it would be to have the remedies for all the little ills and pains that troubled everyone, especially as they grew older. Although she never complained, Martel knew that his mother still had trouble with her left arm ever since she broke it years ago, even though the bone had long since healed.
He rummaged through his pockets and purse to make a tally of his wealth. A few copper coins met his scrutinising gaze. Not even enough to send a letter by Imperial post. Practising his magic, he had not found many opportunities to earn money lately, but he would have to do so if he wanted to post this message.
The bell rang, and Martel leapt up, hurrying to his second lesson of the day with Master Alastair.
Chapter 70: Recipe for TroubleRecipe for TroubleMartel ended up spending most of his free bell that same afternoon with Shadi, falling back into the easy ways of their friendship. He took her to the statue of Atreus in the western courtyard and the arena in the eastern, recounting his duel with Cheval to her great amusement. When she left the Lyceum with her father, he already looked forward to seeing her again on Solday.But it would be a while before they reached the end of the fiveday. Waking up on Glunday, Martel went to the Hall of Elements for his first lesson in the more advanced types of magic.Master Alastair greeted him cordially as always. "Ready to do more than move a few drops of water around?""Definitely!""That's the spirit, lad. Now, combining the elements for more advanced results isn't as hard as you might think," his teacher began to explain while Martel dutifully listened. "As long as you got the requisite basic skills, it's really just a question of imagination and a bit of practice."As he had done when first introducing the topic, Master Alastair made a cloud of steam appear between his hands."I know fire, and I know water. I simply make them both appear at the same time."The debut release of this chapter happened at Novl-B1n.Like last time, Martel could not help but push the steam into his teacher's face. However, his attempt was immediately rebuffed by a far more powerful gust, turning his trick back on him. Master Alastair laughed seeing the surprise on the novice's face, and after a moment, Martel joined in.The air blowing into his face made the novice think of something else. "Master Alastair, why is it that magic can't directly affect someone? If I want to push someone back, I have to use air to do it. I can't just grab them with magic the way I can move a rock.""Master Fenrick could explain in better detail, but I believe it's a limit to our form of magic. Besides the body, a human consists of mind and soul, which our spells cannot touch. You can only use physical magic on the purely physical. Believe me, I've tried setting people directly on fire, and it never worked." He smiled wryly."I see." Perhaps for the best; the thought of another mage being able to affect Martel's mind made a shiver run down his spine."Alright, enough delay. Think of steam, lad. Imagine it forming in the air between your hands, like your breath on a cold morning. Focus, and it'll come to you."Raising his hands in front of him, Martel focused.~"Are you still working in the apothecary?"My dearest boy,We all missed you at the solstice celebration. Your younger brothers especially, but also your sisters. Even Keith as well, even if he did not say so outright. You know he is not one to say much, but I could tell. We had our first taste of Juliet's brew, and it was even better than we could have expected. It was strange to celebrate without your father. Some might say hard to celebrate at all. Day to day, I think we are so busy, there is not much time to miss him. But when we all gathered around the bonfire, I think we all felt his absence.We have had good wool this year. William sheared this year, and I was ever so frightful he would end up shearing his own skin off. You know how frightfully wild his movements are. But he did well, and I will be making a nice tunic for John. He grows so much, he is going to need it. Also he has a cough, and if he is coughing in summer, he will definitely need warm clothes for winter. I will make one for you as well, if I can trust someone to take it south. I do not think the Imperial post will carry clothes.Are you still doing well in school? I often ask John to read your last letter, or Mira. I cannot believe the things you describe, but we all love to hear about them. And about you.With love,Your motherOnce he had finished it, Martel read the letter a second time. He assumed the lettering was done by Father Julius, but the scattered thoughts jumping from one topic to the next definitely sounded like his mother. He could practically hear her voice as he read the words. He decided to write her back immediately rather than put it off and possibly forget.Dear mum,I'm sorry I couldn't spend the solstice with you. But you'll never guess what I did. I was invited to no less than three different celebrations among the noble people. Two of them are my friends, that is, they are from noble families, and I joined them for their feasts. I even performed magic in front of their guests. There was more food and drink than you could imagine. Enough to feed all of Engby easily for days.My studies are going well. My teacher, Master Alastair, is very satisfied with my progress. I have finished learning the basic things and have moved on to more advanced magic. Hopefully when I am done I think I forgot to mention in my last letter, I will only require two years, not four years, so I'll be done two years sooner than expected I can't wait to come home and show you all the things I can do.My studies in alchemy are also proceeding. I have learned useful things, such as making salves to treat bruises or wounds, and even made some without supervision. I'll soon be able to call myself a proper apothecary, if not an alchemist yet.You should gather some lungwort and dry the leaves. Make a tea from them and give it to John morning and evening. More often than that if his cough does not go away. Keep up with it until he no longer has any cough at all. My teacher says that lungwort is the best remedy for a simple cough.MartelHe smiled to himself as he finished the letter. First Eleanor and now his mother. Alchemy was starting to look the most useful of everything he was learning. Would being an alchemist prove a better choice in the end than a weathermage? Perhaps he could be both. Fulfil his obligations to the Empire as the latter, while earning a pretty penny for himself doing the former. Not to mention, how satisfying it would be to have the remedies for all the little ills and pains that troubled everyone, especially as they grew older. Although she never complained, Martel knew that his mother still had trouble with her left arm ever since she broke it years ago, even though the bone had long since healed.He rummaged through his pockets and purse to make a tally of his wealth. A few copper coins met his scrutinising gaze. Not even enough to send a letter by Imperial post. Practising his magic, he had not found many opportunities to earn money lately, but he would have to do so if he wanted to post this message.The bell rang, and Martel leapt up, hurrying to his second lesson of the day with Master Alastair.
