Chapter 88: The Real Work
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Chapter 88: The Real Work
Tala ground her teeth as she circled Adam on the sand of the training courtyard.
Every step compressed a circle of sand, but not markedly; there was enough surface area that she still got good purchase. Arguably, she had a better footing now than before the increase to her weight and footing surface area.
Again and again, she threw herself at the guardsman: punches and kicks, elbows and even headbutts were launched as sweat poured from her.
He was too skilled to allow virtually any of her hits to land.
He ducked and wove around each strike, occasionally reaching out to subtly alter the incoming trajectory of her movements.
Then, like clockwork, after shed failed with ten attacks, he would lash out, decisively ending the exchange.
If she was quick enough, she would block the attack and lose her momentum, allowing him to step away. If she missed the timing, or lost count of her own attacks, he would disable her, if briefly, by taking her footing or striking her head to daze her momentarily.
It was infuriating.
After each exchange, the watching students would analyze how she had failed, while the instructor and Adam, himself, offered advice on how, exactly, she could correct the errors and perfect her fighting techniques.
Keep your elbows tighter to your sides.
Your attacks should stay ahead of your bodys movement, dont let them trail.
Your footing telegraphed your attack; shift like this, instead.
An elbow strike would have been better, there.
You arent utilizing your unique strengths with that strike. However, if you change it like this
You should have thrown a hook, instead of a jab, with the previous sequence in mind and how it opened his defenses.
You allowed yourself to forget about defense.
Oh, how she hated it.
As credit to their advice, and her own resolve to improve, she got closer to landing blows, and got hit less, as time went on, but it had yet to be as gloriously in her favor as their first exchange.
* * *
When Tala and Adam had first faced off, they bowed in turn.
Ready, Guardsman? She wore her elk-leathers, as immaculately clean and pristine as ever.
Adam wore a loose-fitting set of workout clothes, light and unrestricting, while being well-fit enough to reduce the potential for handholds, if he were to grapple. Ready, Mistress.
Tala didnt hesitate after his acknowledgement, launching herself across the short space, her speed clearly surprising the large, lean man. Sand sprayed behind her in large plumes, as shed required incredible force to move as quickly as shed wanted.
She didnt attempt subtlety, throwing a haymaker-style punch.
Adam raised an arm almost disdainfully to block, though he shifted his body and weight to ensure he was grounded and braced against the blow.
He compressed his lips, seemingly in irritation; hed taught her better than to throw such an easily predicted attack. Perfect.
His perfect form hadnt been enough.
Tala was small, comparatively speaking, and so the blow shouldnt have been a question of strength and proper form. Any such contest would heavily favor him over her, because she was lighter.
Only, she wasnt.
Her forearm connected with his, and she powered through, trusting to her fully grounded weight to lock her in place.
His form had been perfect, and his blocking arm hadnt collapsed, despite the tremendous strength behind her blow. Instead, his unshifting body had been driven up and backward. After hed lifted free of the sand, his shoulder gave way with a sickening pop as the joint left its socket.
Adam had grunted in surprised pain, before he landed once more, sliding back but maintaining his feet as his left arm dropped, useless, to his side.
The Mage Healer theyd had ready to hand took only a moment to fully restore the joint.
Adam had bowed and smiled. Very well, then. Let us truly begin.
* * *
Now, Tala was paying for her earlier arrogance. Hes proving to me, and everyone, that skill trumps weight and strength. At least in what amounts to a point match
Each exchange took less than a minute, even with the feedback, and they paused for water after every ten bouts or so.
Two hours passed with little variation, and Tala, along with most of those watching, decided that the extra weight was more useful in grounding her, and adding to her footing, than in any sort of acrobatics. Might change my mind, as I gain competence, though.
Finally, Tala decided a change was in order.
She stored her cool water incorporator, turning to face Adam once more. Enough. We fight until one of us is truly disabled.
He hesitated, then nodded. Or to surrender.
She nodded in turn.
Begin.
They closed the distance, moving together with smooth, even steps.
Talas quick jab was hooked and jerked downward, Adams backfist using her resistance to gain a burst of speed and power.
His knuckles caught her nose with a blow that would have shattered the feature on anyone else.
It tingled, forcing her to blink rapidly.
Tala did take advantage of the baths, though she didnt use their tub or water.
She stripped down in the private room, then blasted herself with hot water, quickly removing the residue of the mornings sweat and sand. She marveled at how she was able to bear the otherwise scalding water. She could probably cook herself, in time, but she wasnt submerged; so, it was just unpleasantly hot when used like this.
Terry waited outside, basking in the sun.
Dressed and dry, hair combed and re-braided, Tala left the Guardsmens complex behind and hunted down some lunch, Terry on her shoulder once again. With me, as he should be.
She chose a new place this time around.
Her lunch was beer-battered, deep-fried chicken with a side of likewise battered and deep-fried vegetables, ranging from mushrooms and zucchini to potatoes and squash. It all came with a staggering variety of available sauces.
To her delight, it was all you can eat.
To the relief of the owners, she did not, in fact, follow that allowance.
No need to put them out of business.
Even so, she suspected that shed eaten as much as any two other patrons she observed, and some of them were very enthusiastic diners.
She did not let Terry have any, giving him some jerky instead.
He hadnt been too disappointed. I might have to start letting him try more varieties of human food. It bore considering.
The restaurant staff tried to charge her ninety-nine and nine-tenths ounces, copper, but she just gave them a silver and refused the remainder. Stupidly specific prices.
Thus fed, she headed towards the Archon facility, located within the innermost circle of the city. It was just barely two hours after shed left the sandy courtyard, and Terry was on her shoulder once more.
When she arrived outside the indicated building, she was at once confused and impressed.
The building, itself, was situated near the bottom of a small hill, clearly extending back into it. Even so, it looked small, seeming barely bigger than a single-family home. I suppose it doesnt have to be that big, but I expected more. It also looked decidedly ordinary. If you dont know its here, youll never find it. She grinned. Unless you have mage-sight like mine.
To her mage-sight, the protections were staggering. Not only were the citys standard defenses thicker and more powerfully concentrated around it, but there were many more, cunningly buried into the construction of the building. They would need material guides to re-inscribe the portions imbedded in the walls.
She swept her gaze across the surrounding area and noticed with shock that the increased defenses encompassed the entire hill. Moreover, though the powerful thrumming of the citys magic made seeing anything specific below ground difficult, she thought she saw the complex, augmented wards extending far below ground. Fascinating. This is probably the best defended place in the city.
As Tala walked forward, she was subjected to more bits of scanning magic than she could count; many were similar to the one in the Constructionists Guildhall, examining her magic and inscriptions, but others seemed to be checking her physical form. She even thought that she felt a few focus on her gate: her soul.
It was a bit disconcerting, but nothing hostile was triggered, so she continued forward at a steady pace.
As it turned out, the entire structure visible from the street was solid stone, no rooms or open spaces to be found. Behind a set of heavy doors, there was only a straight passage, leading from the entrance deeper in.
Once she was well inside the little hill, she came out into a lushly appointed entry foyer. There were thick rugs on the plain stone floors. Heavy tapestries hung on the walls to dampen sound and add warmth to the room. Where the ceiling of the passage had been an unremarkable eight feet, this room expanded upward to at least ten, and that ceiling was textured and oddly shaped.
Tala blinked, taking in the ceiling as a whole. Its a map. Its a map of the known world. The detail was staggering, and she quickly realized that the few lights that were in the ceiling itself were each located to indicate the placement of humanitys cities. Fourteen; so, they marked where one is currently being built, too. Additionally, there was a hole where a fifteenth would go, but there was no light, yet.
There was nowhere to sit, as this was obviously not meant as more than a front entry. Three other hallways led off, centered in the three walls, other than that containing the entry passage. In the center of the room stood a round counter. Four people sat behind the counter, each seeming to be working on something out of Talas sight.
They were inscribed, but not Mages, their spell-lines focused around their eyes and ears. Are those forms of blinding and deafness? There were conditions woven in that were far too complex for her to parse at a glance, but she guessed that they were prevented from seeing or hearing information not allowed to them. I cant even imagine how it determines that. Maybe, its something that Archons can activate, at need?
That was a horrible thought. I dont ever want someone else activating scripts on my body But now wasnt a good time to contemplate that.
The closest, a woman, glanced up at Talas entrance and smiled a greeting. The expression seemed to be genuine, and not simply an affectation for her role as greeter. Welcome! Are you Mistress Tala?
Tala was still looking around but decided she should probably give the woman her attention. I am.
The attendant nodded, looking down. Your brother should be finished, within the hour, and Ill escort you in, shortly thereafter.
Mybrother? She had a moment of panic. Which one? How is he here? What is going on?
Yes, the two of you signed up together: Mistress Tala and Master Rane Gredial.'
Oh! She felt tremendous relief. No. Hes not my brother.
The attendants eyes widened, and she visibly paled. Oh, no! Im so sorry, Mistress. Your husband should be out soon.
Tala blinked at that. What? No No! Master Rane is not my husband.
The woman seemed completely baffled, now. Then Im so sorry. I dont understand.
Tala cleared her throat. I dont have a last name.
Oh! The woman straightened. That makes sense. I should have thought of that... Its unusual, but not unknown. My deepest apologies for the misunderstandings.
Tala, herself, was now quite flustered. Itsits fine. She swallowed. Thats embarrassing. The other three attendants werent looking her way, but their body language suggested they were hiding smiles of amusement.
The attendant swallowed. Well can I get you any refreshment while you wait? After I get that, if desired, I will lead you to a seating area, where you should be more comfortable.
Tala nodded, rubbing one temple against a newly budding headache. Coffee, please. As much as you can bring me.
The woman smiled. Certainly. She turned, ostensibly to come out from behind the counter and go get the beverage.
Tala held up a hand. Wait.
The attendant paused.
Im afraid that you heard me ask for a large mug of coffee.
She nodded hesitantly.
What I want is for you to bring me as much coffee as you can. I can provide two one-gallon jugs, if that would be useful.
The young woman swallowed, again, seeming quite taken aback. IllIll see what I can do.
That will have to be good enough. Thank you.
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Chapter 88: The Real Work
Tala ground her teeth as she circled Adam on the sand of the training courtyard.
Every step compressed a circle of sand, but not markedly; there was enough surface area that she still got good purchase. Arguably, she had a better footing now than before the increase to her weight and footing surface area.
Again and again, she threw herself at the guardsman: punches and kicks, elbows and even headbutts were launched as sweat poured from her.
He was too skilled to allow virtually any of her hits to land.
He ducked and wove around each strike, occasionally reaching out to subtly alter the incoming trajectory of her movements.
Then, like clockwork, after shed failed with ten attacks, he would lash out, decisively ending the exchange.
If she was quick enough, she would block the attack and lose her momentum, allowing him to step away. If she missed the timing, or lost count of her own attacks, he would disable her, if briefly, by taking her footing or striking her head to daze her momentarily.
It was infuriating.
After each exchange, the watching students would analyze how she had failed, while the instructor and Adam, himself, offered advice on how, exactly, she could correct the errors and perfect her fighting techniques.
Keep your elbows tighter to your sides.
Your attacks should stay ahead of your bodys movement, dont let them trail.
Your footing telegraphed your attack; shift like this, instead.
An elbow strike would have been better, there.
You arent utilizing your unique strengths with that strike. However, if you change it like this
You should have thrown a hook, instead of a jab, with the previous sequence in mind and how it opened his defenses.
You allowed yourself to forget about defense.
Oh, how she hated it.
As credit to their advice, and her own resolve to improve, she got closer to landing blows, and got hit less, as time went on, but it had yet to be as gloriously in her favor as their first exchange.
* * *
When Tala and Adam had first faced off, they bowed in turn.
Ready, Guardsman? She wore her elk-leathers, as immaculately clean and pristine as ever.
Adam wore a loose-fitting set of workout clothes, light and unrestricting, while being well-fit enough to reduce the potential for handholds, if he were to grapple. Ready, Mistress.
Tala didnt hesitate after his acknowledgement, launching herself across the short space, her speed clearly surprising the large, lean man. Sand sprayed behind her in large plumes, as shed required incredible force to move as quickly as shed wanted.
She didnt attempt subtlety, throwing a haymaker-style punch.
Adam raised an arm almost disdainfully to block, though he shifted his body and weight to ensure he was grounded and braced against the blow.
He compressed his lips, seemingly in irritation; hed taught her better than to throw such an easily predicted attack. Perfect.
His perfect form hadnt been enough.
Tala was small, comparatively speaking, and so the blow shouldnt have been a question of strength and proper form. Any such contest would heavily favor him over her, because she was lighter.
Only, she wasnt.
Her forearm connected with his, and she powered through, trusting to her fully grounded weight to lock her in place.
His form had been perfect, and his blocking arm hadnt collapsed, despite the tremendous strength behind her blow. Instead, his unshifting body had been driven up and backward. After hed lifted free of the sand, his shoulder gave way with a sickening pop as the joint left its socket.
Adam had grunted in surprised pain, before he landed once more, sliding back but maintaining his feet as his left arm dropped, useless, to his side.
The Mage Healer theyd had ready to hand took only a moment to fully restore the joint.
Adam had bowed and smiled. Very well, then. Let us truly begin.
* * *
Now, Tala was paying for her earlier arrogance. Hes proving to me, and everyone, that skill trumps weight and strength. At least in what amounts to a point match
Each exchange took less than a minute, even with the feedback, and they paused for water after every ten bouts or so.
Two hours passed with little variation, and Tala, along with most of those watching, decided that the extra weight was more useful in grounding her, and adding to her footing, than in any sort of acrobatics. Might change my mind, as I gain competence, though.
Finally, Tala decided a change was in order.
She stored her cool water incorporator, turning to face Adam once more. Enough. We fight until one of us is truly disabled.
He hesitated, then nodded. Or to surrender.
She nodded in turn.
Begin.
They closed the distance, moving together with smooth, even steps.
Talas quick jab was hooked and jerked downward, Adams backfist using her resistance to gain a burst of speed and power.
His knuckles caught her nose with a blow that would have shattered the feature on anyone else.
It tingled, forcing her to blink rapidly.
Tala did take advantage of the baths, though she didnt use their tub or water.
She stripped down in the private room, then blasted herself with hot water, quickly removing the residue of the mornings sweat and sand. She marveled at how she was able to bear the otherwise scalding water. She could probably cook herself, in time, but she wasnt submerged; so, it was just unpleasantly hot when used like this.
Terry waited outside, basking in the sun.
Dressed and dry, hair combed and re-braided, Tala left the Guardsmens complex behind and hunted down some lunch, Terry on her shoulder once again. With me, as he should be.
She chose a new place this time around.
Her lunch was beer-battered, deep-fried chicken with a side of likewise battered and deep-fried vegetables, ranging from mushrooms and zucchini to potatoes and squash. It all came with a staggering variety of available sauces.
To her delight, it was all you can eat.
To the relief of the owners, she did not, in fact, follow that allowance.
No need to put them out of business.
Even so, she suspected that shed eaten as much as any two other patrons she observed, and some of them were very enthusiastic diners.
She did not let Terry have any, giving him some jerky instead.
He hadnt been too disappointed. I might have to start letting him try more varieties of human food. It bore considering.
The restaurant staff tried to charge her ninety-nine and nine-tenths ounces, copper, but she just gave them a silver and refused the remainder. Stupidly specific prices.
Thus fed, she headed towards the Archon facility, located within the innermost circle of the city. It was just barely two hours after shed left the sandy courtyard, and Terry was on her shoulder once more.
When she arrived outside the indicated building, she was at once confused and impressed.
The building, itself, was situated near the bottom of a small hill, clearly extending back into it. Even so, it looked small, seeming barely bigger than a single-family home. I suppose it doesnt have to be that big, but I expected more. It also looked decidedly ordinary. If you dont know its here, youll never find it. She grinned. Unless you have mage-sight like mine.
To her mage-sight, the protections were staggering. Not only were the citys standard defenses thicker and more powerfully concentrated around it, but there were many more, cunningly buried into the construction of the building. They would need material guides to re-inscribe the portions imbedded in the walls.
She swept her gaze across the surrounding area and noticed with shock that the increased defenses encompassed the entire hill. Moreover, though the powerful thrumming of the citys magic made seeing anything specific below ground difficult, she thought she saw the complex, augmented wards extending far below ground. Fascinating. This is probably the best defended place in the city.
As Tala walked forward, she was subjected to more bits of scanning magic than she could count; many were similar to the one in the Constructionists Guildhall, examining her magic and inscriptions, but others seemed to be checking her physical form. She even thought that she felt a few focus on her gate: her soul.
It was a bit disconcerting, but nothing hostile was triggered, so she continued forward at a steady pace.
As it turned out, the entire structure visible from the street was solid stone, no rooms or open spaces to be found. Behind a set of heavy doors, there was only a straight passage, leading from the entrance deeper in.
Once she was well inside the little hill, she came out into a lushly appointed entry foyer. There were thick rugs on the plain stone floors. Heavy tapestries hung on the walls to dampen sound and add warmth to the room. Where the ceiling of the passage had been an unremarkable eight feet, this room expanded upward to at least ten, and that ceiling was textured and oddly shaped.
Tala blinked, taking in the ceiling as a whole. Its a map. Its a map of the known world. The detail was staggering, and she quickly realized that the few lights that were in the ceiling itself were each located to indicate the placement of humanitys cities. Fourteen; so, they marked where one is currently being built, too. Additionally, there was a hole where a fifteenth would go, but there was no light, yet.
There was nowhere to sit, as this was obviously not meant as more than a front entry. Three other hallways led off, centered in the three walls, other than that containing the entry passage. In the center of the room stood a round counter. Four people sat behind the counter, each seeming to be working on something out of Talas sight.
They were inscribed, but not Mages, their spell-lines focused around their eyes and ears. Are those forms of blinding and deafness? There were conditions woven in that were far too complex for her to parse at a glance, but she guessed that they were prevented from seeing or hearing information not allowed to them. I cant even imagine how it determines that. Maybe, its something that Archons can activate, at need?
That was a horrible thought. I dont ever want someone else activating scripts on my body But now wasnt a good time to contemplate that.
The closest, a woman, glanced up at Talas entrance and smiled a greeting. The expression seemed to be genuine, and not simply an affectation for her role as greeter. Welcome! Are you Mistress Tala?
Tala was still looking around but decided she should probably give the woman her attention. I am.
The attendant nodded, looking down. Your brother should be finished, within the hour, and Ill escort you in, shortly thereafter.
Mybrother? She had a moment of panic. Which one? How is he here? What is going on?
Yes, the two of you signed up together: Mistress Tala and Master Rane Gredial.'
Oh! She felt tremendous relief. No. Hes not my brother.
The attendants eyes widened, and she visibly paled. Oh, no! Im so sorry, Mistress. Your husband should be out soon.
Tala blinked at that. What? No No! Master Rane is not my husband.
The woman seemed completely baffled, now. Then Im so sorry. I dont understand.
Tala cleared her throat. I dont have a last name.
Oh! The woman straightened. That makes sense. I should have thought of that... Its unusual, but not unknown. My deepest apologies for the misunderstandings.
Tala, herself, was now quite flustered. Itsits fine. She swallowed. Thats embarrassing. The other three attendants werent looking her way, but their body language suggested they were hiding smiles of amusement.
The attendant swallowed. Well can I get you any refreshment while you wait? After I get that, if desired, I will lead you to a seating area, where you should be more comfortable.
Tala nodded, rubbing one temple against a newly budding headache. Coffee, please. As much as you can bring me.
The woman smiled. Certainly. She turned, ostensibly to come out from behind the counter and go get the beverage.
Tala held up a hand. Wait.
The attendant paused.
Im afraid that you heard me ask for a large mug of coffee.
She nodded hesitantly.
What I want is for you to bring me as much coffee as you can. I can provide two one-gallon jugs, if that would be useful.
The young woman swallowed, again, seeming quite taken aback. IllIll see what I can do.
That will have to be good enough. Thank you.
Chapter 88: The Real WorkTala ground her teeth as she circled Adam on the sand of the training courtyard.Every step compressed a circle of sand, but not markedly; there was enough surface area that she still got good purchase. Arguably, she had a better footing now than before the increase to her weight and footing surface area.Again and again, she threw herself at the guardsman: punches and kicks, elbows and even headbutts were launched as sweat poured from her.He was too skilled to allow virtually any of her hits to land.He ducked and wove around each strike, occasionally reaching out to subtly alter the incoming trajectory of her movements.Then, like clockwork, after shed failed with ten attacks, he would lash out, decisively ending the exchange.If she was quick enough, she would block the attack and lose her momentum, allowing him to step away. If she missed the timing, or lost count of her own attacks, he would disable her, if briefly, by taking her footing or striking her head to daze her momentarily.It was infuriating.After each exchange, the watching students would analyze how she had failed, while the instructor and Adam, himself, offered advice on how, exactly, she could correct the errors and perfect her fighting techniques.Keep your elbows tighter to your sides.Your attacks should stay ahead of your bodys movement, dont let them trail.Your footing telegraphed your attack; shift like this, instead.An elbow strike would have been better, there.You arent utilizing your unique strengths with that strike. However, if you change it like thisYou should have thrown a hook, instead of a jab, with the previous sequence in mind and how it opened his defenses.You allowed yourself to forget about defense.Oh, how she hated it.As credit to their advice, and her own resolve to improve, she got closer to landing blows, and got hit less, as time went on, but it had yet to be as gloriously in her favor as their first exchange.* * *When Tala and Adam had first faced off, they bowed in turn.Ready, Guardsman? She wore her elk-leathers, as immaculately clean and pristine as ever.Adam wore a loose-fitting set of workout clothes, light and unrestricting, while being well-fit enough to reduce the potential for handholds, if he were to grapple. Ready, Mistress.Tala didnt hesitate after his acknowledgement, launching herself across the short space, her speed clearly surprising the large, lean man. Sand sprayed behind her in large plumes, as shed required incredible force to move as quickly as shed wanted.She didnt attempt subtlety, throwing a haymaker-style punch.Adam raised an arm almost disdainfully to block, though he shifted his body and weight to ensure he was grounded and braced against the blow.He compressed his lips, seemingly in irritation; hed taught her better than to throw such an easily predicted attack. Perfect.His perfect form hadnt been enough.Tala was small, comparatively speaking, and so the blow shouldnt have been a question of strength and proper form. Any such contest would heavily favor him over her, because she was lighter.Only, she wasnt.Her forearm connected with his, and she powered through, trusting to her fully grounded weight to lock her in place.His form had been perfect, and his blocking arm hadnt collapsed, despite the tremendous strength behind her blow. Instead, his unshifting body had been driven up and backward. After hed lifted free of the sand, his shoulder gave way with a sickening pop as the joint left its socket.Adam had grunted in surprised pain, before he landed once more, sliding back but maintaining his feet as his left arm dropped, useless, to his side.The Mage Healer theyd had ready to hand took only a moment to fully restore the joint.Adam had bowed and smiled. Very well, then. Let us truly begin.* * *Now, Tala was paying for her earlier arrogance. Hes proving to me, and everyone, that skill trumps weight and strength. At least in what amounts to a point matchEach exchange took less than a minute, even with the feedback, and they paused for water after every ten bouts or so.Two hours passed with little variation, and Tala, along with most of those watching, decided that the extra weight was more useful in grounding her, and adding to her footing, than in any sort of acrobatics. Might change my mind, as I gain competence, though.Finally, Tala decided a change was in order.She stored her cool water incorporator, turning to face Adam once more. Enough. We fight until one of us is truly disabled.He hesitated, then nodded. Or to surrender.She nodded in turn.Begin.They closed the distance, moving together with smooth, even steps.Talas quick jab was hooked and jerked downward, Adams backfist using her resistance to gain a burst of speed and power.His knuckles caught her nose with a blow that would have shattered the feature on anyone else.It tingled, forcing her to blink rapidly.Tala did take advantage of the baths, though she didnt use their tub or water.She stripped down in the private room, then blasted herself with hot water, quickly removing the residue of the mornings sweat and sand. She marveled at how she was able to bear the otherwise scalding water. She could probably cook herself, in time, but she wasnt submerged; so, it was just unpleasantly hot when used like this.Terry waited outside, basking in the sun.Dressed and dry, hair combed and re-braided, Tala left the Guardsmens complex behind and hunted down some lunch, Terry on her shoulder once again. With me, as he should be.She chose a new place this time around.Her lunch was beer-battered, deep-fried chicken with a side of likewise battered and deep-fried vegetables, ranging from mushrooms and zucchini to potatoes and squash. It all came with a staggering variety of available sauces.To her delight, it was all you can eat.To the relief of the owners, she did not, in fact, follow that allowance.No need to put them out of business.Even so, she suspected that shed eaten as much as any two other patrons she observed, and some of them were very enthusiastic diners.She did not let Terry have any, giving him some jerky instead.He hadnt been too disappointed. I might have to start letting him try more varieties of human food. It bore considering.The restaurant staff tried to charge her ninety-nine and nine-tenths ounces, copper, but she just gave them a silver and refused the remainder. Stupidly specific prices.Thus fed, she headed towards the Archon facility, located within the innermost circle of the city. It was just barely two hours after shed left the sandy courtyard, and Terry was on her shoulder once more.When she arrived outside the indicated building, she was at once confused and impressed.The building, itself, was situated near the bottom of a small hill, clearly extending back into it. Even so, it looked small, seeming barely bigger than a single-family home. I suppose it doesnt have to be that big, but I expected more. It also looked decidedly ordinary. If you dont know its here, youll never find it. She grinned. Unless you have mage-sight like mine.To her mage-sight, the protections were staggering. Not only were the citys standard defenses thicker and more powerfully concentrated around it, but there were many more, cunningly buried into the construction of the building. They would need material guides to re-inscribe the portions imbedded in the walls.She swept her gaze across the surrounding area and noticed with shock that the increased defenses encompassed the entire hill. Moreover, though the powerful thrumming of the citys magic made seeing anything specific below ground difficult, she thought she saw the complex, augmented wards extending far below ground. Fascinating. This is probably the best defended place in the city.As Tala walked forward, she was subjected to more bits of scanning magic than she could count; many were similar to the one in the Constructionists Guildhall, examining her magic and inscriptions, but others seemed to be checking her physical form. She even thought that she felt a few focus on her gate: her soul.It was a bit disconcerting, but nothing hostile was triggered, so she continued forward at a steady pace.As it turned out, the entire structure visible from the street was solid stone, no rooms or open spaces to be found. Behind a set of heavy doors, there was only a straight passage, leading from the entrance deeper in.Once she was well inside the little hill, she came out into a lushly appointed entry foyer. There were thick rugs on the plain stone floors. Heavy tapestries hung on the walls to dampen sound and add warmth to the room. Where the ceiling of the passage had been an unremarkable eight feet, this room expanded upward to at least ten, and that ceiling was textured and oddly shaped.Tala blinked, taking in the ceiling as a whole. Its a map. Its a map of the known world. The detail was staggering, and she quickly realized that the few lights that were in the ceiling itself were each located to indicate the placement of humanitys cities. Fourteen; so, they marked where one is currently being built, too. Additionally, there was a hole where a fifteenth would go, but there was no light, yet.There was nowhere to sit, as this was obviously not meant as more than a front entry. Three other hallways led off, centered in the three walls, other than that containing the entry passage. In the center of the room stood a round counter. Four people sat behind the counter, each seeming to be working on something out of Talas sight.They were inscribed, but not Mages, their spell-lines focused around their eyes and ears. Are those forms of blinding and deafness? There were conditions woven in that were far too complex for her to parse at a glance, but she guessed that they were prevented from seeing or hearing information not allowed to them. I cant even imagine how it determines that. Maybe, its something that Archons can activate, at need?That was a horrible thought. I dont ever want someone else activating scripts on my body But now wasnt a good time to contemplate that.The closest, a woman, glanced up at Talas entrance and smiled a greeting. The expression seemed to be genuine, and not simply an affectation for her role as greeter. Welcome! Are you Mistress Tala?Tala was still looking around but decided she should probably give the woman her attention. I am.The attendant nodded, looking down. Your brother should be finished, within the hour, and Ill escort you in, shortly thereafter.Mybrother? She had a moment of panic. Which one? How is he here? What is going on?Yes, the two of you signed up together: Mistress Tala and Master Rane Gredial.' Oh! She felt tremendous relief. No. Hes not my brother.The attendants eyes widened, and she visibly paled. Oh, no! Im so sorry, Mistress. Your husband should be out soon.Tala blinked at that. What? No No! Master Rane is not my husband.The woman seemed completely baffled, now. Then Im so sorry. I dont understand.Tala cleared her throat. I dont have a last name.Oh! The woman straightened. That makes sense. I should have thought of that... Its unusual, but not unknown. My deepest apologies for the misunderstandings.Tala, herself, was now quite flustered. Itsits fine. She swallowed. Thats embarrassing. The other three attendants werent looking her way, but their body language suggested they were hiding smiles of amusement.The attendant swallowed. Well can I get you any refreshment while you wait? After I get that, if desired, I will lead you to a seating area, where you should be more comfortable.Tala nodded, rubbing one temple against a newly budding headache. Coffee, please. As much as you can bring me.The woman smiled. Certainly. She turned, ostensibly to come out from behind the counter and go get the beverage.Tala held up a hand. Wait.The attendant paused.Im afraid that you heard me ask for a large mug of coffee.She nodded hesitantly.What I want is for you to bring me as much coffee as you can. I can provide two one-gallon jugs, if that would be useful.The young woman swallowed, again, seeming quite taken aback. IllIll see what I can do.That will have to be good enough. Thank you.
