A Raire Gift

Chapter 4

 I unwrapped the mirror and showed it to the group.
"I don't know, it just looks like a normal mirror to me."
Commented Flette.
"No, focus on someone you care about. Picture small details while staring at the reflection."
I replied, hoping that really was what caused it. The next morning, I woke early. Lina was already awake and dressed for the day.
Our footsteps sounded loud as we walked through the otherwise silent halls. Echoing against the swirling walls like a pounding waterfall.
I was sure that any moment someone would come out to investigate the noise, but the thick walls kept the sound isolated to the halls.
We entered the small, rarely used library space where Herl, Flette, and Marc were already waiting. Herl was the first to speak.
"There you two are. Come over here and we can start."
"Wait, where's Tena?"
I asked, wanting the emotional support his presence brought me.
"Probably catching up on some much-needed beauty sleep"
Flette said, grinning.
Herl snorted in response but made no further comment on it.
As much as they joked about it, it was clear Tena had been tired. He had dark circles under his eyes and definitely needed sleep.
Herl plucked the mirror from Flette's hands and stared intently at his reflection. It started to shift, and the curve of a high-boned cheek appeared. But then he turned it over, the reflection now out of sight.
I was curious about who it was but thought better not to pry. Flette thought differently and took the mirror back from Herl with a smirk. He lifted it and a look of surprise crossed his face. By the time I glanced over, whatever had been shown by Herl was gone. He scowled at Flette but pretended it hadn't happened.
"It's a scrying glass."
Herl still sounded annoyed but it was clear he didn't want anyone to ask.
"I know what a scrying glass is, but what about the cuff bracelet?"
I asked, trying to change his focus to something new.
Marc was peering at the cuff curiously, seeming to have almost forgotten our presence.
He looked up, remembering we were in the room.
"It's also a crying glass. Well, a scrying device, it isn't necessarily glass."
I was puzzled, why two scrying devices? They were hard to come by and difficult to make. It seemed unnecessary to have two.
"But what's the purpose of someone having two?"
Lina spoke, voicing my thoughts.
"I don't know. I have heard of people using two or more but I don't know the purpose."
Flette said.
By the end we had no answers and were about ready to head to class early when I remembered something, the book.
The book with the picture of the sword, with leaping deer.
I quickly went to the back, where the older books were stored. I skimmed over the neatly lined books, but there was nothing, it was gone.
I looked again, sure I must have missed it, but again no luck.
The book with the torn out pages, and the small source of information I had on the blade I carried. It was nowhere to be found.
I felt my spirits sink and then realized none of my friends knew what I was looking for.
I quickly explained the strange book, and how it had been tampered with. Explained the few words written down.
They all tried to find this strange tome. But we had no luck.
We dropped the search, and went to our respective classes.
I walked alongside Herl. We were on our way to sword practice, which was being held in the courtyard today.
"Hey, Audrey"
I was puzzled, did Herl need something?
"I was wondering if you might like to go somewhere soon. My free day is coming up and I realized you would be free then too, so I figured I'd ask."
He sounded sheepish and more serious than usual. I thought for a moment and then agreed.
-
I couldn't stop thinking about it. A hand mirror and a silver cuff, neither would draw much attention, did this mean they were supposed to be hidden in plain sight?
I felt a dull pain to my left side, a reminder that I was in a sparring match. I tried to shift my focus to blocking the sword coming in for another hit and leaped out of reach to avoid a low swing from my opponent. I ducked under his right arm and hooked my leg around his from behind, causing him to stumble forward. I planted my knee in the small of his back, forcing him down. I held the dull blade at his throat.
"Okay okay, I get it, you're improving."
I hopped up, grinning ear to ear. This isn't what I had in mind when Herl asked me to go somewhere with him, but I couldn't complain about having the opportunity to smack him around a bit.
I offered him my hand, which he took with a glint in his eye. He pulled me off balance and rolled over me, his knee planted where my own knee had been just moments before, and his hand grasping the hand that held my sword behind my back.
"Never give your opponent any leeway," he said, smirking.
He could be infuriating sometimes, but he was right. I had been thinking of him as a friend, not an enemy.
I pulled at my captured right wrist, but there was no way I could get it free by tugging.
Instead, I jammed my left elbow upward. It seemed to take him by surprise, he was off balance for a few moments, and although he kept a firm grip on my wrist, he landed his knee on the ground beside me. Not waiting for him to regain his balance, I twisted my body around, ignoring the pain and discomfort of my arm.
By the time he was steady, I was fully on my back. I lifted my knees and kicked outward, trying to push him off of me.
It worked, but he struck back quickly, planting a punch to my stomach that drove the breath from my lungs.
-
I sat on my bed, holding ice against my swollen wrist. Herl had gone to get Flette, who was primarily studying healing Magik. We were both battered, but my wrist and his nose were by far the worst. Both had already turned an unappealing shade of red-purple. And Lina was chiding me, but I was too worn out to listen.
I was making my apologies when Herl returned, Flette following close behind. "So, Remind me why I was dragged out of class? And for that matter, why are the two of you covered in bruises and grinning like a pair of lunatics?"
Flette's tone was good-natured as he looked at the two of us.
My smile grew a little bit wider as I hastily explained what we'd been doing all day.
Flette grumbled a bit over our foolery, but in the end, he did fix Herl's nearly broken nose and my fractured wrist. His touch felt searing hot momentarily, and then there was relief. He eased the swelling, as well as the pain of the various bruises and welts we had given each other. 

I fell asleep soon after the two left.

-
I woke up to find I hurt everywhere. It felt almost like my first week here, when I had been left feeling dead on my feet.
I sighed and dragged on the light tunic and breeches I wore during the warmer days and headed toward the dining hall.
When I approached the table where my friends sat, I could barely hide my grin. Herl's nose had begun swelling again. And for the first time I could remember, he looked to be worse off than me.
We spent most of the meal telling our friends about our day of sparring when Herl suddenly started talking, "I think I was beaten. It looked like I had it but then something changed and Audrey sped up. She managed to get past my defenses, and won fair and square." He grinned at me, and I flushed a little, it was the first real praise I had gotten from him. But it was foolish of me to think that would last, his grin spread and he continued. "Although, she's still terrible at guarding her left side. I scored a good hit before she came to her senses."
-
Around midday, I was in a class addressing the different common Magiks. I learned about Element bound wizards, who had a special connection to specific energies. They can wield other Magiks, but this remains the source of their power. It made me think of Flette and his healing, which almost burned like fire.
Next, he explained Telae, something most wizards possessed. It was an underlying ability, it became active whenever the wizard needed it, whether they knew it was needed or not. Some Telae were as simple as seeing energy in one's surroundings, while others let you read the truth in another's words. I realized that my friends all had these; Lina's ability to see energy, Marc's unerring ability to hear the truth and lies, Tena's sensitivity to the emotions of those he talked with, the way Herl knew whenever someone was nearby, out of sight or not, and how Flette knew when someone could use his help without being told. The only member of our group without a Telae was me.
I tried not to focus on it too hard and went on with my day.
In sword practice, I managed to disarm my appointment and rest my sword point against his throat. The instructor appeared, and had me switch opponents, the result was similar. I blocked and slashed, stabbed and parried. I was surprised at the comfort I felt while holding a blade, I hadn't realized how much I had improved until then.
The instructor pulled me aside for a moment, "Tell me, have you been practicing outside of your lessons?"
I was puzzled by his tone of voice but answered honestly. "No sir, not beyond sparring with my team."
He looked at me as though contemplating something, before nodding slowly, and sending me on my way.
In archery, I did well. I had already known the basics before being brought to train as a wizard, but now my aim was quick and often true.
I was surprised to find that this was true with nearly every practical class I had. I had become light on my feet, had learned to catch myself a roll from a bad tumble, had even begun to pick up the tells of spear fighting. My weavings were tighter and without snags. I was proud, I still had a ways to go, but it was clear that I was improving.

The next few weeks were odd. I felt as though I was being watched while in class. Every so often I swore I saw someone in the corner of my eye, but when I turned no one was there. I tried to just focus on classes, but there was worry at the back of my mind.
-
I awoke one morning to find Lina standing over my bed, smiling. I jumped and barely suppressed a yelp of surprise. Judging by what I saw out the window, I assumed it was a little before five. "What are you doing?" I whispered, despite knowing no one would hear through the thick dorm room walls.
She smiled again, a very amused smile, "Have you forgotten what day it is?"
With a jolt I realized it was my fourteenth birthday.
Before I knew what was happening I was dressed and being dragged outside by Lina. The air was warm, even in the pre-dawn morning.
We made it to the practice yard and I saw my entire team waiting. I had no real idea what they were planning until Lina threw my practice sword to me, I caught it with ease. "What are you all planning? It's still dark and I just woke up." Not entirely of my own will, I thought, staring at Lina meaningfully.
To my surprise, it was Marc who replied, although he usually preferred to stay quiet. "Now that you have been here an entire year, we want to see how far you've come." He smiled, a little ruefully, "If you will allow us our little test."
I grinned and began to stretch. They had all seen me use a sword almost daily during class so I had no idea the real motive for this 'little test' but I was intrigued.
I stepped into the center of the cleared space and lifted my sword, waiting for one of my friends to step forward. However instead, Marc lifted his hands and began a spell-weaving. It was done before I had time to think, a conjuring spell, giving false life. And suddenly a knight made seemingly of the air around us stood facing me.