Chapter 13: Late Night Meetings
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Chapter 13: Late Night Meetings
As the light of the setting sun was still fading, painting the sky in vivid hues, Tala descended from the wall, and set her path towards home. She didnt bother to be efficient about it, though. Instead, she took her time and enjoyed the walk.
Even after sunlight faded completely, she continued alternating writing and sketching by the light of nights sky and the occasional streetlight. In truth, the latter was more a hinderance than a help. That in mind, she chose less illuminated paths.
That, in retrospect, was likely a mistake.
As she walked through the darkness, flickers of magic light would occasionally illuminate her, side-effects of the citys magical defenses dealing with an incoming threat.
She was almost back to the residential circle when the quiet sound of following footsteps came to her attention. Scanning back in her memory, she realized that a group had been following her for close to five minutes.
The streets were quiet, most businesses closed and most citizens were already back to the residential district.
She flicked through the snatches of whispered words shed been hearing since theyd been tailing her and sighed.
Great Im going to be robbed.
Stopping, she tucked her book and pencil away, turning to face her would-be muggers.
She cleared her throat, and the three men stopped close to twenty feet from her. They all looked to be workmen, in rough, home sewn clothing. They carried thick wooden sticks, each about as long as their wielders forearm. Would those qualify as truncheons? They each also had a knife at their belt, but that wasnt unusual. Almost everyone carried a knife at their belt.
She smiled, making sure to show teeth, so they would be able to see the expression in the dim light.
To answer your questions: She alternated pointing between the three men and continued. Yes, I am a woman. No, I am not an idiot. No, I dont have any money. No, this is not a good idea. Yes, I am a Mage. Yes, your device? She frowned, taking a more purposeful look at the odd, carved stick that one was holding before she continued. That seems to be for detecting if their target is a Mage. Pardon, yes, your device is failing you. And yes, I know there are two more of you waiting around the next bend. She pointed behind herself, in the direction shed been going. Did that about cover it?
The men had paled further at each of her statements, clearly horrified that she had not only heard their whispers but could easily identify exactly what each of them had asked.
Neat trick, that. I didnt know I could do it. She smiled.
One of them stepped forward. He was bigger than the others and looked to weigh close to three times what she did, though it seemed evenly divided between muscle and paunch. No. How can you be a Mage and have no money? Youre just trying to scare us off! Youre no Mage. He lifted the stick, not the carved one, and shook it at her. And youve likely got gold in the bag.
Tala sighed. If only that were true. My life would be better with a bit of gold in my satchel. Well, no, it wouldnt be. Id just have to give it to someone else as repayment
Give us the satchel, and well let you go. His voice hesitated on the word which was unusual to him, and she almost laughed. Seems Im not the only one failed by the education system.
Instead, Tala cocked an eyebrow, though she realized they probably couldnt see it. I need this, and I doubt, very much, that you would be satisfied with just my satchel.
One of the others whispered for his companions, but she heard him clearly and easily. She sounds pretty.
Well, this is going nowhere good. Could she call for the guards? No, I cant hear any, and that means they are out of calling range. Similarly, she couldnt hear any other people nearby, save those attempting to waylay her. You know I can hear you, right?
The man blushed. He blushed! Are you pretty?
What sort of question is that?
He huffed. A reasonable one.
Look, gentlemen. Im a Mage, and I dont really have very good non-lethal options. My Inscriber stuck me without a lot of choice, here. Are you really going to make me kill one or more of you? She thought for a moment. In this light, you likely wouldnt even see your friend die, so Id have to kill you all. She nodded. Lets part as unlikely strangers and pretend this never happened. She had a twinge of guilt, as these men would likely accost someone else, if they let her go, but she really didnt want to kill them. I can call the guard, after Im away.
Youll just call the guard, once youre away.
She was momentarily stymied by the uncanny statement. Then, the full weight of what he said clicked into place. You wont let me go, no matter what.
I could just disable them, here, and run for the guard? Yes. That was the wise course. It wasnt a perfect solution, though shed not tested Hollys modifications No time like the present, I suppose.
Without further thought, she lifted her right hand, first two fingers extended upward, her ring finger and pinky tucked down, all four pressed together, palm pointed towards the three men and her thumb tucked in tight. She channeled magic into the activation and focused.
She held the features of the front-most man in her mind, along with the knowledge that he was a potential danger to herself and others. They are fools.
The larger man lit blue to her eyes, and she shifted to focus on the next, firmly fixing him in her mind before he, too, lit in her sight. The larger man remained blue.
The three men were arguing with each other, but she was past listening. Once all three were highlighted, she spun, her hand out, and found the other two men who were still waiting in ignorance, to ambush her.
Shes running!
The three men behind her had seen her turn and mistaken the motion. Even so, their call was heard by those ahead, and five men were suddenly sprinting towards her from two sides.
Come on, Tala! She focused on the first ambusher, locking her view of him into place, and he began to glow. She focused on the final man, and as she did so, she jumped right, avoiding the club shed only vaguely been aware of swinging for her head.
The jump broke her focus, but her lock on the four others held. She quickly refocused on the final man and was able to click her magic into place. All five now had a blue glow to them in her view.
She kept her outer two fingers firmly down and internally commanded: RESTRAIN. Her power rippled through her.
Deep set spell-lines ran through a thousand calculations that Tala understood but could not have hoped to complete that quickly. They noted the current elevation and latitude, as well as a dozen other factors before moving the power into a single activation for each target.
In that instant, five golden rings blazed with power on the back of her hand, visible to her normal vision even through her glove, and faded. Though she couldnt see her skin, she knew that those rings were gone, their metal used up. As an interesting side-effect, the Mage detecting device, now hanging from one of the muggers belts, suddenly blazed with a harsh warning glare. Huh, so it does detect magic.
The five men stopped moving, all kinetic energy stolen in an instant. That energy was immediately reapplied, picking them ever so slightly off of the ground.
Then, gravity changed.
To be clear, gravity, as a whole, did not shift. Every other Immaterial Guide shed ever heard of, who used gravity manipulation, created pockets of differing gravity. They targeted a volume, within the world, and changed how gravity worked within it. This was useful, because any number of enemies could be trapped by the same effect, and it could create zones of safety, or help fortify positions. It however, had many weaknesses.
True, in this case none of them would have applied, and she likely could have gotten a similar outcome with less power, but this was not the situation her magics were tailored to.
She sighed, regretting the massive expense of the casting, even as her power made a fundamental exception and alteration to the gravitational constant for each of the five.
Each change was precisely calculated per target based on their center of mass, among other things. As a result, each of the five men were now effectively in a perfectly stable orbit around the world, in their precise position.
That was surprisingly effective. Thank you, Holly. Her old version hadnt been quite so precise, so they would have maintained the ability to move, if with awkward bounces. Not anymore. She grinned. Non-lethal option, perfected. She was quite pleased.
They began flailing about, trying to find purchase on the ground that they couldnt reach, but that did little good.
Tala was panting. Shed never been able to target so many at once, before, and she mentally thanked Holly for the augmentations shed given. You might not want to move. If you manage to reach the ground, and push off too hard, you will drift upward, and nothing will stop you.
The men paled and stopped moving. Even so, one of them began drifting up ever so slightly, having already brushed against the ground with his truncheon.
Good choice. Tala smiled.
Good thing its only for you, then. Lyn smiled. What were you doing?
Just seeing the city.
Ohalright then. Lyn seemed mollified.
Tala quirked a mischievous smile. And getting mugged, stopping the thieves, and collecting a reward.
Lyn had started to turn away but froze. What.
Oh! Tala grabbed the quarter ounce gold coin from her pouch and tossed it to Lyn. For the food money, and my room for a month. You were right: Im not going to find a better place, or a better deal.
Lyn caught the coin, examining it. She didnt look up as she spoke. You engaged and captured a criminal with a bounty of a quarter ounce, gold? That seemsdangerous.
Hmmm? No, not really, and the total reward was a gold. She hesitated. Though I suppose each reward was only two tenths of one.
Lyns head came up. You fought five criminals? By yourself? Mistress Tala! Her mouth worked as she tried to decide what else to say.
Tala grinned. Fought is being overly generous to them, Id wager.
That is not the point! You are an Immaterial Mage. You arent supposed to be a front-line fighter.
I never really understood that. Especially with my enhancements, I should be better on the front lines than any Material Mage.
Lyn huffed. Maybe in terms of survivability, but not in regard to stopping enemies! One on one? Sure, I suppose, but Mistress Tala, you fought five!
Tala cocked her head. Mistress Lyn? Are you alright? The older woman was slightly flushed, and her breathing was a little rapid.
Instead of answering, Lyn turned and strode into the sitting room, flopping down on the chair.
Tala followed her in and heard the woman muttering under her breath.
Worse than I feared. The silly girl is hunting bounties, now.
Tala raised her hands. Hey, now. I didnt go searching for them. I just made the best of a bad situation.
Lyns eyes flicked to her, showing mild surprise.
Wow, she must be really rattled to have forgotten about my hearing.
After a long moment, Lyn sighed. I do know, Mistress Tala. I- She hesitated. I am just worried. Alright?
Alright. I apologize for worrying you.
Lyn smiled wearily. It isnt your fault. Ive no right to worry over you.
Tala barked a short laugh as she sat down in another chair. No one else will. I dont mind.
Lyn eyed her. Youve not mentioned your family. Are they
Not dead. After a pause, Tala amended, Well, they might be. I dont really know.
Lost touch?
Lost implies an accident.
Lyn nodded. Broke contact, then.
Dont really want to discuss it.
She raised her hands in acquiescence. Alright. Say no more. She glanced at the coin in her hand. This is too much. Ill get you change. She stood and began rummaging around in a pouch at her side. She muttered through the simple math as she grabbed the needed coinage. Twenty silver for the room for a month, two silver to repay the money from this morning, thats twenty-two silver. This is a quarter ounce, gold, so worth twenty-five silver. She pulled out three coins, her voice returning to a normal volume. Here. Three ounces, silver in change.
Tala thanked her and took the money.
Lyn glanced to the stick that Tala was still holding in her other hand, tip against her belt buckle. Do I want to know?
Tala grinned. Magic detector. Took it from one of the muggers.
Lyn hesitated, then nodded slowly. They were verifying you werent a Mage. But they still- Lyn barked a laugh of her own. Your iron! They didnt know you were a Mage. She was practically brimming with glee. Oh, Mistress Tala, thats spectacular! They must have thought you were some helpless little thing. Her eyes were twinkling with mirth. Did you obliterate them?
Tala was understandably uncertain about Lyns change of attitude. I thought you didnt approve.
Hmm? Oh! The way you described it, I thought five men waylaid you, knowing you were a Mage. That would have been colossally dangerous.
She blinked, processing that. People do that?
Lyn sighed, her mirth vanishing. Yes, Mistress Tala. Mages, for the most part, are very wealthy, and if thieves are properly prepared, they can sometimes steal a great deal. It helps that most Mages are rather vulnerable when they are caught unawares, and even prepared, many are as helpless as those without magic, when faced with iron-tipped arrows or bolts.
Tala had not considered that. Huh. Your concern makes much more sense.
Lyn glanced back at the stick. That does explain why Mages are rarely accosted by those unprepared for them. Her hand twitched towards Tala, but she restrained herself. I would dearly like to study it.
When I get back? I think it might be useful on the trip.
Lyn nodded. That is likely wise. Speaking of which, it is quite late.
Tala nodded as well. And I need to get some sleep. She stood, heading towards her room. She paused before reaching the hallway, turning back. Mistress Lyn?
Yes?
Thank you.
What for?
Everything.
Lyn quirked a smile. Of course. Good night.
Good night.
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Chapter 13: Late Night Meetings
As the light of the setting sun was still fading, painting the sky in vivid hues, Tala descended from the wall, and set her path towards home. She didnt bother to be efficient about it, though. Instead, she took her time and enjoyed the walk.
Even after sunlight faded completely, she continued alternating writing and sketching by the light of nights sky and the occasional streetlight. In truth, the latter was more a hinderance than a help. That in mind, she chose less illuminated paths.
That, in retrospect, was likely a mistake.
As she walked through the darkness, flickers of magic light would occasionally illuminate her, side-effects of the citys magical defenses dealing with an incoming threat.
She was almost back to the residential circle when the quiet sound of following footsteps came to her attention. Scanning back in her memory, she realized that a group had been following her for close to five minutes.
The streets were quiet, most businesses closed and most citizens were already back to the residential district.
She flicked through the snatches of whispered words shed been hearing since theyd been tailing her and sighed.
Great Im going to be robbed.
Stopping, she tucked her book and pencil away, turning to face her would-be muggers.
She cleared her throat, and the three men stopped close to twenty feet from her. They all looked to be workmen, in rough, home sewn clothing. They carried thick wooden sticks, each about as long as their wielders forearm. Would those qualify as truncheons? They each also had a knife at their belt, but that wasnt unusual. Almost everyone carried a knife at their belt.
She smiled, making sure to show teeth, so they would be able to see the expression in the dim light.
To answer your questions: She alternated pointing between the three men and continued. Yes, I am a woman. No, I am not an idiot. No, I dont have any money. No, this is not a good idea. Yes, I am a Mage. Yes, your device? She frowned, taking a more purposeful look at the odd, carved stick that one was holding before she continued. That seems to be for detecting if their target is a Mage. Pardon, yes, your device is failing you. And yes, I know there are two more of you waiting around the next bend. She pointed behind herself, in the direction shed been going. Did that about cover it?
The men had paled further at each of her statements, clearly horrified that she had not only heard their whispers but could easily identify exactly what each of them had asked.
Neat trick, that. I didnt know I could do it. She smiled.
One of them stepped forward. He was bigger than the others and looked to weigh close to three times what she did, though it seemed evenly divided between muscle and paunch. No. How can you be a Mage and have no money? Youre just trying to scare us off! Youre no Mage. He lifted the stick, not the carved one, and shook it at her. And youve likely got gold in the bag.
Tala sighed. If only that were true. My life would be better with a bit of gold in my satchel. Well, no, it wouldnt be. Id just have to give it to someone else as repayment
Give us the satchel, and well let you go. His voice hesitated on the word which was unusual to him, and she almost laughed. Seems Im not the only one failed by the education system.
Instead, Tala cocked an eyebrow, though she realized they probably couldnt see it. I need this, and I doubt, very much, that you would be satisfied with just my satchel.
One of the others whispered for his companions, but she heard him clearly and easily. She sounds pretty.
Well, this is going nowhere good. Could she call for the guards? No, I cant hear any, and that means they are out of calling range. Similarly, she couldnt hear any other people nearby, save those attempting to waylay her. You know I can hear you, right?
The man blushed. He blushed! Are you pretty?
What sort of question is that?
He huffed. A reasonable one.
Look, gentlemen. Im a Mage, and I dont really have very good non-lethal options. My Inscriber stuck me without a lot of choice, here. Are you really going to make me kill one or more of you? She thought for a moment. In this light, you likely wouldnt even see your friend die, so Id have to kill you all. She nodded. Lets part as unlikely strangers and pretend this never happened. She had a twinge of guilt, as these men would likely accost someone else, if they let her go, but she really didnt want to kill them. I can call the guard, after Im away.
Youll just call the guard, once youre away.
She was momentarily stymied by the uncanny statement. Then, the full weight of what he said clicked into place. You wont let me go, no matter what.
I could just disable them, here, and run for the guard? Yes. That was the wise course. It wasnt a perfect solution, though shed not tested Hollys modifications No time like the present, I suppose.
Without further thought, she lifted her right hand, first two fingers extended upward, her ring finger and pinky tucked down, all four pressed together, palm pointed towards the three men and her thumb tucked in tight. She channeled magic into the activation and focused.
She held the features of the front-most man in her mind, along with the knowledge that he was a potential danger to herself and others. They are fools.
The larger man lit blue to her eyes, and she shifted to focus on the next, firmly fixing him in her mind before he, too, lit in her sight. The larger man remained blue.
The three men were arguing with each other, but she was past listening. Once all three were highlighted, she spun, her hand out, and found the other two men who were still waiting in ignorance, to ambush her.
Shes running!
The three men behind her had seen her turn and mistaken the motion. Even so, their call was heard by those ahead, and five men were suddenly sprinting towards her from two sides.
Come on, Tala! She focused on the first ambusher, locking her view of him into place, and he began to glow. She focused on the final man, and as she did so, she jumped right, avoiding the club shed only vaguely been aware of swinging for her head.
The jump broke her focus, but her lock on the four others held. She quickly refocused on the final man and was able to click her magic into place. All five now had a blue glow to them in her view.
She kept her outer two fingers firmly down and internally commanded: RESTRAIN. Her power rippled through her.
Deep set spell-lines ran through a thousand calculations that Tala understood but could not have hoped to complete that quickly. They noted the current elevation and latitude, as well as a dozen other factors before moving the power into a single activation for each target.
In that instant, five golden rings blazed with power on the back of her hand, visible to her normal vision even through her glove, and faded. Though she couldnt see her skin, she knew that those rings were gone, their metal used up. As an interesting side-effect, the Mage detecting device, now hanging from one of the muggers belts, suddenly blazed with a harsh warning glare. Huh, so it does detect magic.
The five men stopped moving, all kinetic energy stolen in an instant. That energy was immediately reapplied, picking them ever so slightly off of the ground.
Then, gravity changed.
To be clear, gravity, as a whole, did not shift. Every other Immaterial Guide shed ever heard of, who used gravity manipulation, created pockets of differing gravity. They targeted a volume, within the world, and changed how gravity worked within it. This was useful, because any number of enemies could be trapped by the same effect, and it could create zones of safety, or help fortify positions. It however, had many weaknesses.
True, in this case none of them would have applied, and she likely could have gotten a similar outcome with less power, but this was not the situation her magics were tailored to.
She sighed, regretting the massive expense of the casting, even as her power made a fundamental exception and alteration to the gravitational constant for each of the five.
Each change was precisely calculated per target based on their center of mass, among other things. As a result, each of the five men were now effectively in a perfectly stable orbit around the world, in their precise position.
That was surprisingly effective. Thank you, Holly. Her old version hadnt been quite so precise, so they would have maintained the ability to move, if with awkward bounces. Not anymore. She grinned. Non-lethal option, perfected. She was quite pleased.
They began flailing about, trying to find purchase on the ground that they couldnt reach, but that did little good.
Tala was panting. Shed never been able to target so many at once, before, and she mentally thanked Holly for the augmentations shed given. You might not want to move. If you manage to reach the ground, and push off too hard, you will drift upward, and nothing will stop you.
The men paled and stopped moving. Even so, one of them began drifting up ever so slightly, having already brushed against the ground with his truncheon.
Good choice. Tala smiled.
Good thing its only for you, then. Lyn smiled. What were you doing?
Just seeing the city.
Ohalright then. Lyn seemed mollified.
Tala quirked a mischievous smile. And getting mugged, stopping the thieves, and collecting a reward.
Lyn had started to turn away but froze. What.
Oh! Tala grabbed the quarter ounce gold coin from her pouch and tossed it to Lyn. For the food money, and my room for a month. You were right: Im not going to find a better place, or a better deal.
Lyn caught the coin, examining it. She didnt look up as she spoke. You engaged and captured a criminal with a bounty of a quarter ounce, gold? That seemsdangerous.
Hmmm? No, not really, and the total reward was a gold. She hesitated. Though I suppose each reward was only two tenths of one.
Lyns head came up. You fought five criminals? By yourself? Mistress Tala! Her mouth worked as she tried to decide what else to say.
Tala grinned. Fought is being overly generous to them, Id wager.
That is not the point! You are an Immaterial Mage. You arent supposed to be a front-line fighter.
I never really understood that. Especially with my enhancements, I should be better on the front lines than any Material Mage.
Lyn huffed. Maybe in terms of survivability, but not in regard to stopping enemies! One on one? Sure, I suppose, but Mistress Tala, you fought five!
Tala cocked her head. Mistress Lyn? Are you alright? The older woman was slightly flushed, and her breathing was a little rapid.
Instead of answering, Lyn turned and strode into the sitting room, flopping down on the chair.
Tala followed her in and heard the woman muttering under her breath.
Worse than I feared. The silly girl is hunting bounties, now.
Tala raised her hands. Hey, now. I didnt go searching for them. I just made the best of a bad situation.
Lyns eyes flicked to her, showing mild surprise.
Wow, she must be really rattled to have forgotten about my hearing.
After a long moment, Lyn sighed. I do know, Mistress Tala. I- She hesitated. I am just worried. Alright?
Alright. I apologize for worrying you.
Lyn smiled wearily. It isnt your fault. Ive no right to worry over you.
Tala barked a short laugh as she sat down in another chair. No one else will. I dont mind.
Lyn eyed her. Youve not mentioned your family. Are they
Not dead. After a pause, Tala amended, Well, they might be. I dont really know.
Lost touch?
Lost implies an accident.
Lyn nodded. Broke contact, then.
Dont really want to discuss it.
She raised her hands in acquiescence. Alright. Say no more. She glanced at the coin in her hand. This is too much. Ill get you change. She stood and began rummaging around in a pouch at her side. She muttered through the simple math as she grabbed the needed coinage. Twenty silver for the room for a month, two silver to repay the money from this morning, thats twenty-two silver. This is a quarter ounce, gold, so worth twenty-five silver. She pulled out three coins, her voice returning to a normal volume. Here. Three ounces, silver in change.
Tala thanked her and took the money.
Lyn glanced to the stick that Tala was still holding in her other hand, tip against her belt buckle. Do I want to know?
Tala grinned. Magic detector. Took it from one of the muggers.
Lyn hesitated, then nodded slowly. They were verifying you werent a Mage. But they still- Lyn barked a laugh of her own. Your iron! They didnt know you were a Mage. She was practically brimming with glee. Oh, Mistress Tala, thats spectacular! They must have thought you were some helpless little thing. Her eyes were twinkling with mirth. Did you obliterate them?
Tala was understandably uncertain about Lyns change of attitude. I thought you didnt approve.
Hmm? Oh! The way you described it, I thought five men waylaid you, knowing you were a Mage. That would have been colossally dangerous.
She blinked, processing that. People do that?
Lyn sighed, her mirth vanishing. Yes, Mistress Tala. Mages, for the most part, are very wealthy, and if thieves are properly prepared, they can sometimes steal a great deal. It helps that most Mages are rather vulnerable when they are caught unawares, and even prepared, many are as helpless as those without magic, when faced with iron-tipped arrows or bolts.
Tala had not considered that. Huh. Your concern makes much more sense.
Lyn glanced back at the stick. That does explain why Mages are rarely accosted by those unprepared for them. Her hand twitched towards Tala, but she restrained herself. I would dearly like to study it.
When I get back? I think it might be useful on the trip.
Lyn nodded. That is likely wise. Speaking of which, it is quite late.
Tala nodded as well. And I need to get some sleep. She stood, heading towards her room. She paused before reaching the hallway, turning back. Mistress Lyn?
Yes?
Thank you.
What for?
Everything.
Lyn quirked a smile. Of course. Good night.
Good night.
Chapter 13: Late Night MeetingsAs the light of the setting sun was still fading, painting the sky in vivid hues, Tala descended from the wall, and set her path towards home. She didnt bother to be efficient about it, though. Instead, she took her time and enjoyed the walk.Even after sunlight faded completely, she continued alternating writing and sketching by the light of nights sky and the occasional streetlight. In truth, the latter was more a hinderance than a help. That in mind, she chose less illuminated paths.That, in retrospect, was likely a mistake.As she walked through the darkness, flickers of magic light would occasionally illuminate her, side-effects of the citys magical defenses dealing with an incoming threat.She was almost back to the residential circle when the quiet sound of following footsteps came to her attention. Scanning back in her memory, she realized that a group had been following her for close to five minutes.The streets were quiet, most businesses closed and most citizens were already back to the residential district.She flicked through the snatches of whispered words shed been hearing since theyd been tailing her and sighed.Great Im going to be robbed.Stopping, she tucked her book and pencil away, turning to face her would-be muggers.She cleared her throat, and the three men stopped close to twenty feet from her. They all looked to be workmen, in rough, home sewn clothing. They carried thick wooden sticks, each about as long as their wielders forearm. Would those qualify as truncheons? They each also had a knife at their belt, but that wasnt unusual. Almost everyone carried a knife at their belt.She smiled, making sure to show teeth, so they would be able to see the expression in the dim light.To answer your questions: She alternated pointing between the three men and continued. Yes, I am a woman. No, I am not an idiot. No, I dont have any money. No, this is not a good idea. Yes, I am a Mage. Yes, your device? She frowned, taking a more purposeful look at the odd, carved stick that one was holding before she continued. That seems to be for detecting if their target is a Mage. Pardon, yes, your device is failing you. And yes, I know there are two more of you waiting around the next bend. She pointed behind herself, in the direction shed been going. Did that about cover it?The men had paled further at each of her statements, clearly horrified that she had not only heard their whispers but could easily identify exactly what each of them had asked.Neat trick, that. I didnt know I could do it. She smiled.One of them stepped forward. He was bigger than the others and looked to weigh close to three times what she did, though it seemed evenly divided between muscle and paunch. No. How can you be a Mage and have no money? Youre just trying to scare us off! Youre no Mage. He lifted the stick, not the carved one, and shook it at her. And youve likely got gold in the bag.Tala sighed. If only that were true. My life would be better with a bit of gold in my satchel. Well, no, it wouldnt be. Id just have to give it to someone else as repaymentGive us the satchel, and well let you go. His voice hesitated on the word which was unusual to him, and she almost laughed. Seems Im not the only one failed by the education system.Instead, Tala cocked an eyebrow, though she realized they probably couldnt see it. I need this, and I doubt, very much, that you would be satisfied with just my satchel.One of the others whispered for his companions, but she heard him clearly and easily. She sounds pretty.Well, this is going nowhere good. Could she call for the guards? No, I cant hear any, and that means they are out of calling range. Similarly, she couldnt hear any other people nearby, save those attempting to waylay her. You know I can hear you, right?The man blushed. He blushed! Are you pretty?What sort of question is that?He huffed. A reasonable one.Look, gentlemen. Im a Mage, and I dont really have very good non-lethal options. My Inscriber stuck me without a lot of choice, here. Are you really going to make me kill one or more of you? She thought for a moment. In this light, you likely wouldnt even see your friend die, so Id have to kill you all. She nodded. Lets part as unlikely strangers and pretend this never happened. She had a twinge of guilt, as these men would likely accost someone else, if they let her go, but she really didnt want to kill them. I can call the guard, after Im away.Youll just call the guard, once youre away.She was momentarily stymied by the uncanny statement. Then, the full weight of what he said clicked into place. You wont let me go, no matter what.I could just disable them, here, and run for the guard? Yes. That was the wise course. It wasnt a perfect solution, though shed not tested Hollys modifications No time like the present, I suppose.Without further thought, she lifted her right hand, first two fingers extended upward, her ring finger and pinky tucked down, all four pressed together, palm pointed towards the three men and her thumb tucked in tight. She channeled magic into the activation and focused.She held the features of the front-most man in her mind, along with the knowledge that he was a potential danger to herself and others. They are fools.The larger man lit blue to her eyes, and she shifted to focus on the next, firmly fixing him in her mind before he, too, lit in her sight. The larger man remained blue.The three men were arguing with each other, but she was past listening. Once all three were highlighted, she spun, her hand out, and found the other two men who were still waiting in ignorance, to ambush her.Shes running!The three men behind her had seen her turn and mistaken the motion. Even so, their call was heard by those ahead, and five men were suddenly sprinting towards her from two sides.Come on, Tala! She focused on the first ambusher, locking her view of him into place, and he began to glow. She focused on the final man, and as she did so, she jumped right, avoiding the club shed only vaguely been aware of swinging for her head.The jump broke her focus, but her lock on the four others held. She quickly refocused on the final man and was able to click her magic into place. All five now had a blue glow to them in her view.She kept her outer two fingers firmly down and internally commanded: RESTRAIN. Her power rippled through her.Deep set spell-lines ran through a thousand calculations that Tala understood but could not have hoped to complete that quickly. They noted the current elevation and latitude, as well as a dozen other factors before moving the power into a single activation for each target.In that instant, five golden rings blazed with power on the back of her hand, visible to her normal vision even through her glove, and faded. Though she couldnt see her skin, she knew that those rings were gone, their metal used up. As an interesting side-effect, the Mage detecting device, now hanging from one of the muggers belts, suddenly blazed with a harsh warning glare. Huh, so it does detect magic.The five men stopped moving, all kinetic energy stolen in an instant. That energy was immediately reapplied, picking them ever so slightly off of the ground.Then, gravity changed.To be clear, gravity, as a whole, did not shift. Every other Immaterial Guide shed ever heard of, who used gravity manipulation, created pockets of differing gravity. They targeted a volume, within the world, and changed how gravity worked within it. This was useful, because any number of enemies could be trapped by the same effect, and it could create zones of safety, or help fortify positions. It however, had many weaknesses.True, in this case none of them would have applied, and she likely could have gotten a similar outcome with less power, but this was not the situation her magics were tailored to.She sighed, regretting the massive expense of the casting, even as her power made a fundamental exception and alteration to the gravitational constant for each of the five.Each change was precisely calculated per target based on their center of mass, among other things. As a result, each of the five men were now effectively in a perfectly stable orbit around the world, in their precise position.That was surprisingly effective. Thank you, Holly. Her old version hadnt been quite so precise, so they would have maintained the ability to move, if with awkward bounces. Not anymore. She grinned. Non-lethal option, perfected. She was quite pleased.They began flailing about, trying to find purchase on the ground that they couldnt reach, but that did little good.Tala was panting. Shed never been able to target so many at once, before, and she mentally thanked Holly for the augmentations shed given. You might not want to move. If you manage to reach the ground, and push off too hard, you will drift upward, and nothing will stop you.The men paled and stopped moving. Even so, one of them began drifting up ever so slightly, having already brushed against the ground with his truncheon.Good choice. Tala smiled.Good thing its only for you, then. Lyn smiled. What were you doing?Just seeing the city.Ohalright then. Lyn seemed mollified.Tala quirked a mischievous smile. And getting mugged, stopping the thieves, and collecting a reward.Lyn had started to turn away but froze. What.Oh! Tala grabbed the quarter ounce gold coin from her pouch and tossed it to Lyn. For the food money, and my room for a month. You were right: Im not going to find a better place, or a better deal.Lyn caught the coin, examining it. She didnt look up as she spoke. You engaged and captured a criminal with a bounty of a quarter ounce, gold? That seemsdangerous.Hmmm? No, not really, and the total reward was a gold. She hesitated. Though I suppose each reward was only two tenths of one.Lyns head came up. You fought five criminals? By yourself? Mistress Tala! Her mouth worked as she tried to decide what else to say.Tala grinned. Fought is being overly generous to them, Id wager.That is not the point! You are an Immaterial Mage. You arent supposed to be a front-line fighter.I never really understood that. Especially with my enhancements, I should be better on the front lines than any Material Mage.Lyn huffed. Maybe in terms of survivability, but not in regard to stopping enemies! One on one? Sure, I suppose, but Mistress Tala, you fought five!Tala cocked her head. Mistress Lyn? Are you alright? The older woman was slightly flushed, and her breathing was a little rapid.Instead of answering, Lyn turned and strode into the sitting room, flopping down on the chair.Tala followed her in and heard the woman muttering under her breath.Worse than I feared. The silly girl is hunting bounties, now.Tala raised her hands. Hey, now. I didnt go searching for them. I just made the best of a bad situation.Lyns eyes flicked to her, showing mild surprise.Wow, she must be really rattled to have forgotten about my hearing.After a long moment, Lyn sighed. I do know, Mistress Tala. I- She hesitated. I am just worried. Alright?Alright. I apologize for worrying you.Lyn smiled wearily. It isnt your fault. Ive no right to worry over you.Tala barked a short laugh as she sat down in another chair. No one else will. I dont mind.Lyn eyed her. Youve not mentioned your family. Are theyNot dead. After a pause, Tala amended, Well, they might be. I dont really know.Lost touch?Lost implies an accident.Lyn nodded. Broke contact, then.Dont really want to discuss it.She raised her hands in acquiescence. Alright. Say no more. She glanced at the coin in her hand. This is too much. Ill get you change. She stood and began rummaging around in a pouch at her side. She muttered through the simple math as she grabbed the needed coinage. Twenty silver for the room for a month, two silver to repay the money from this morning, thats twenty-two silver. This is a quarter ounce, gold, so worth twenty-five silver. She pulled out three coins, her voice returning to a normal volume. Here. Three ounces, silver in change.Tala thanked her and took the money.Lyn glanced to the stick that Tala was still holding in her other hand, tip against her belt buckle. Do I want to know?Tala grinned. Magic detector. Took it from one of the muggers.Lyn hesitated, then nodded slowly. They were verifying you werent a Mage. But they still- Lyn barked a laugh of her own. Your iron! They didnt know you were a Mage. She was practically brimming with glee. Oh, Mistress Tala, thats spectacular! They must have thought you were some helpless little thing. Her eyes were twinkling with mirth. Did you obliterate them?Tala was understandably uncertain about Lyns change of attitude. I thought you didnt approve.Hmm? Oh! The way you described it, I thought five men waylaid you, knowing you were a Mage. That would have been colossally dangerous.She blinked, processing that. People do that?Lyn sighed, her mirth vanishing. Yes, Mistress Tala. Mages, for the most part, are very wealthy, and if thieves are properly prepared, they can sometimes steal a great deal. It helps that most Mages are rather vulnerable when they are caught unawares, and even prepared, many are as helpless as those without magic, when faced with iron-tipped arrows or bolts.Tala had not considered that. Huh. Your concern makes much more sense.Lyn glanced back at the stick. That does explain why Mages are rarely accosted by those unprepared for them. Her hand twitched towards Tala, but she restrained herself. I would dearly like to study it.When I get back? I think it might be useful on the trip.Lyn nodded. That is likely wise. Speaking of which, it is quite late.Tala nodded as well. And I need to get some sleep. She stood, heading towards her room. She paused before reaching the hallway, turning back. Mistress Lyn?Yes?Thank you.What for?Everything.Lyn quirked a smile. Of course. Good night.Good night.
