Abyssal Road Trip

Amdirlain’s PoV - Outlands - Outpost of the Monastery of the Western Reaches

After ten minutes of writing Sarah’s requirements, Erhi put aside her brush and recited the list back. In the end, she received a simple, emotionless nod from Sarah.

“I shall go speak to Master Sukh this evening about these matters,” declared Erhi, and a sharp nod sent her beaded braids swaying.

Sarah motioned reassuringly. “I’ll be here with Am, so there isn’t any rush.”

“While I believe Lady Am would have interjected if your claims weren’t valid, the masters of the artists’ pavilion will probably wish to speak with you before agreeing to these,” advised Erhi, as her gaze flittered nervously over the sheets. “It will be up to Master Sukh to present the offer and requirements to them.”

Sarah took out a plain gold band and a stylus, and traced minuscule runes along its outside. When she lifted the stylus away, the runes glowed and sunk into the metal, leaving the surface unblemished. “Once anyone attunes to this ring, it’ll let them copy a document they’re holding onto another surface, be it a single sheet or a whole scroll. The Mana must accumulate between uses, so it won’t allow you to copy more text than a hundred pages in a week. Why don’t you present that to Master Sukh as well? I’m sure any competent Artificer could determine its properties and limits.”

Erhi took the offered ring from Sarah and nodded in appreciation. “Thank you, Grandmaster Sarah. That will certainly silence any doubters quickly and let things proceed.”

“It was in the interest of both our time, Head Clerk Erhi,” replied Sarah.

Erhi carefully put the list on her desk and set the ring atop it.

“I am concerned about one thing,” advised Sarah. “An issue that I’ve run into in the past.”

“What is that?” asked Erhi.

Sarah glanced at Amdirlain and smiled. “A problem that crops up occasionally in some crafting halls. You might have no one here that fits the criteria, but are you familiar with individuals who get awarded positions they aren’t qualified to hold?”

Erhi laughed with a grim delight. “Oh, those people don’t fare too well inside the monasteries, but I’ve heard of them among the civil services of the Mortal emperors and nobility. Some in the monasteries receive special training due to their familial connection to a Master, but there are no shortcuts to learning how to cycle or channel Ki better. If someone doesn’t work hard, they’ll get nowhere, and the masters have zero tolerance for time wasters.”

“Someone can’t just share contribution points like I intend to with Amdirlain?” asked Sarah.

“I can’t imagine how offended a Master would feel if a lazy student continued to abuse his time believing that it would magically bring about success,” declared Erhi. “A Master can put forward a student for expulsion, and that would be the kindest thing they might do to them for inviting their ire in such a way.”

“Oh?” asked Sarah.

After witnessing Master Payam’s use of a student as an exercise dummy, Amdirlain snorted. “I can think of many ways instruction can get through a hard skull if someone tries to pay their way to success. I gather they don’t bother banning particular students from paying for their time?”

“The masters allow students to learn the hard way if they so choose to insult them,” replied Erhi diplomatically. “Not that we don’t have to guide some who border on the insulting. A few students seem unable to book a lesson except as part of a group.”

“Group activities involving vigorous activities with seniors and an expensive trip to a healer afterwards?” questioned Amdirlain. “Perhaps even at the student’s expense because the injury was a result of their lack of attention?”

Erhi covered her mouth as she coughed. “I believe you see the situation, Lady Am, but perhaps your outsider viewpoint has missed a key element. Please forgive me if it is above my station to advise you.”

“You are right, I do have an outsider’s perspective. Would you share with me what I’ve missed?” asked Amdirlain. “I’ll likely need to look out for it while teaching.”

“There is a lack of respect implicit in such conduct that would cause them to lose much honour. Laziness after requesting a Master’s instruction implicitly shows disrespect, even if the proper etiquettes are followed.”

‘Proper etiquettes. I’m going to get titled to death, aren’t I?’ projected Amdirlain.

Sarah mentally huffed. ‘You had to go and call me Grandmaster. I’m never going to hear the end of that one.’

“I appreciate your advice and will look out for the differences in displaying respect. My visit was mainly because Master Cyrus indicated he spoke to Master Sukh. I understand he has agreed to take a different approach to the job requests for Affinity training,” advised Amdirlain. “Would you fill me in on where you are with that?”

“There will be a bit of a delay while we sort out groups based on the age of requests. There are over two thousand students with requests focused on the base elemental affinities and several hundred more related to more exotic affinities,” advised Erhi. “We’re determining when they placed their requests to prioritise them, and then we’ll prepare them into groups of fifty students.”

Erhi paused when Amdirlain frowned slightly.

“Is there something wrong, Lady Am?”

“I can see how much work will cause the duty pavilion staff. If Master Sukh agrees, let’s make it easier. Rather than when they placed their requests, simply split those needing a base Affinity into one of four groups depending on the element and I’ll teach each in turn,” instructed Amdirlain.

“Shouldn’t it be five, Lady Am?” asked Erhi. “Water, Metal, Earth, Fire and Wood?”

How do you tell someone their perspective is wrong?

“There is a difference in our perspectives. Metal and Wood are more exotic affinities. If your standards consider them base affinities, split that two thousand into five groups. I’ll be able to unlock an Affinity for all acceptable students in a single lesson. Just gather them up in one area.”

Erhi’s jaw dropped. “But...”

“If finding a time when they can be gathered at once is problematic, just prepare them into the largest groups possible when they have free time,” continued Amdirlain. “You’ll likely spend more effort determining the priority than it’ll take for me to teach them. I could have them all taught in a single session if you have them gathered.”

“Logistically, they don’t even have to be close together. If they’re in locations where Am’s mental touch will reach, and she knows everyone there needs a particular Affinity, that’s enough,” suggested Sarah.

Amdirlain shrugged nonchalantly.

“It would be best if we gathered each group in one location. It will ensure we can properly determine your payment and deal with any protests by those left out,” countered Erhi, but she nodded thoughtfully. “There are ample sites where we can gather large numbers. If we do it that way, we can indicate we’re organising based on student availability. I should have details for you in the next couple of days.”

Amdirlain smiled happily and rose. “I appreciate all your efforts, Head Clerk Erhi. Let me know if there are any changes, and I’ll drop by to discuss.”

Erhi snapped to her feet. “You are too kind, Lady Am. I’ll send word about Grandmaster Sarah’s offer as soon as I know.”

After an exchange of bows, Erhi hurried to open the study door for them.

Amdirlain looped her arm through Sarah’s as they proceeded to the second floor.

“It’s been a while since you were so physical in public,” said Sarah with a soft smile as notes jangled inside her. The words came in High Elven and nudged at recently disturbed memories from Ori.

“Klipyl and I had a conversation about that and, when I felt unsettled, Kadaklan just sat beside me and offered me his hand,” said Amdirlain. “Between them, it made me realise how much I’d started to avoid anyone’s physical touch, unless I was in a secure location.”

“Like in our apartment resting your head on my shoulder?” asked Sarah.

“That was secure in more ways than one,” observed Amdirlain. “I have good taste in the company I keep.”

“Trying to tip the balance back? There are gentler ways to go about it if this is stretching your comfort zone too far,” said Sarah.

Amdirlain smiled sadly. “I’m enjoying holding hands and linking arms. Hopefully, I don’t come across as weird or possessive.”

“I wasn’t complaining,” advised Sarah quickly. “Just worried I pressured you to touch me. You walked all the way here holding my hand, which was more than nice.”

“Given I’m still getting my issues sorted out, I’m glad I don’t make you uncomfortable,” said Amdirlain.

Sarah stopped and briefly cupped Amdirlain’s cheek. “Touch me as much or as little as you feel comfortable with, sweetie. I hope you’ll let me know if I cross your own limits.”

Amdirlain caught Sarah’s hand and smiled shyly. “Kadaklan gave me three general suggestions I should put on my to-do list and figure out how to achieve.”

“Oh? Do tell?”

“Happiness, time for myself, and balance,” said Amdirlain. “Though I feel thrown further off-balance by all this, I’m happy you took the chance to come see me and stayed to listen to what I had to say. You worried me a few times on your way up the mountain.”

Sarah flushed. “You heard my approach.”

“It gave me time to start working on understanding your Soul's cloaking,” said Amdirlain.

“Anytime you want me to change-”

“I know, but let's keep that to a minimum. If you did just adopt a male form all the time, I’d wonder if I was lying to myself,” said Amdirlain. “Shall we talk to Livia? At some point, I’ll introduce you to Master Payam. We have some exchanges of pointers to complete, and so far, I’m up one nothing on the scorecard.”

At Sarah’s nod, Amdirlain released her hand, but as they moved towards the steps to the foyer level, they linked arms again. Amdirlain nodded politely to the clerks as they passed through the foyer, but Sarah kept an aloof demeanour.

“Do you think they’ll deliver on the payment?” asked Sarah after they’d cleared the square before the duty pavilion.

“The main reasons she was nervous were convincing the masters the offer was real and the work involved. I could see Erhi’s brain churning to figure out all the job orders the duty pavilion will have to issue to get what you’re after,” said Amdirlain.

“That’s not her problem. The monastery will issue contribution points to whoever fills them,” rebuffed Sarah. “I wanted to ensure they value what I’ll teach. Unlike someone else, I don’t undervalue what I can provide.”

“I’m not that bad, it’s simply that I don’t value things,” said Amdirlain, and she laughed lightly. “You didn’t have to get them to give me the hall. I was supposed to teach students for its use.”

“I’m not stopping you from teaching anyone, but if the place is yours, you can change it how you want. I’d suggest reconstructing it to something a bit more useful for your training and with space for my teaching.”

Amdirlain hummed happily. “I’ll ask Livia before stretching dimensions within her Domain, but rebuilding it to be our home would be nice.”

Setting up a home in a goddess’ Domain feels weird to even think about, let alone with it being Livia’s.

Amdirlain’s cheerfulness paled compared to the whirlwind of emotion that tore through Sarah’s theme, in contrast to her calm smile and nod.

When Amdirlain raised an eyebrow, Sarah sighed. “All those years of learning to keep a straight face and you’re calling me out?”

“You’re so busted,” chirped Amdirlain.

Sarah gave a disappointed huff, but the vibrancy within didn’t fade.

“It’s okay, I won’t expose the stern demeanour you go for in front of anyone else,” reassured Amdirlain.

“Thanks,” drawled Sarah. “I never liked letting people know how I felt.”

“The more things change, the more they stay the same,” remarked Amdirlain. “Seems that’s true even now.”

Sarah snorted. “You’re going to resort to that old warhorse of a saying?”

“What? We push ourselves to get better at things and then find there is still more we must learn,” replied Amdirlain. “Which is better than knowing so much that life becomes predictable.”

“Speaking of knowing things, are you still hoarding your knowledge points?” asked Sarah.

Amdirlain smiled. “Yes, but not for much longer. Once I figure out how to get my knowledge around biomes and planets to evolve, I intend to dump a lot of points into them, and then I’ll do the same thing with Planar Lore. I was considering getting Abyssal Lore into the upper ranks and focusing on it to see how much more knowledge of the deeper planes I could dredge up.”

“Dredge is about right,” muttered Sarah. “Though I’m loath to direct you to her, Tia might have the information. I know at least one of the Dragon templates lives in the deeper planes.”

“The one—fortunately fleeting—encounter I had with Tia, she seemed scornful,” offered Amdirlain.

“A golden Soul delivering Dragon souls to her area of Judgement? I’d wager she didn’t even bother looking too closely,” replied Sarah. “But I’m happy for you to avoid going near her.”

“I’m worried about what promises Ori might have made her,” admitted Amdirlain.

They’d covered a third of the distance to Livia’s when, higher on the mountain, a vast awareness slid effortlessly into the Domain. Its touch was a caress against Isa’s presence and, for the first time, Amdirlain caught the notes of revelation that spurred her on.

“Luck has touched Isa,” sighed Amdirlain.

“Think she’ll head our way?” asked Sarah.

“Good question,” said Amdirlain. “I don’t think we’ll have to wait long to find out. She jumped like a scalded cat.”

Amdirlain frowned at the shiver of religious fervour that ran through Isa as she dashed from the building she’d been in. Her pace shifted erratically with bursts of motion and, after a few direction shifts, her path turned to cross their own.

“Yeah, she’s coming our way,” advised Amdirlain as soon as Isa’s path settled.

Sarah gave an understanding nod. “Okay, I won’t smack her nose if she butts in.”

They were only a few hundred metres from their destination when Isa turned a corner and froze in surprise. A blink cleared her muddled gaze, and Isa glanced between them before she nodded meaningfully at their linked arms. “You two look cosy.”

“How is the gambling going, Isa?” asked Amdirlain. Deliberately ignoring the observation, she didn’t release Sarah’s arm but lightly shoulder-bumped her.

“It’s going fine, but I’m going to be socially blind and not read the room,” quipped Isa, and she pointed back and forth between them. “That’s not your normal look. Want to spill?”

That’s what I figured might happen.

Amdirlain lifted her chin defiantly and caught the awareness’ continued link with Isa. “Memories from Ori’s life and Resonance’s evolution shifted my perception, and I need to get my head around what that means. It’s no one’s business but mine and Sarah’s, so I’d appreciate you leaving it at that, okay?”

“Good, I just-” Isa halted as the awareness retreated and sighed sadly. “You could say I needed to check, but I can leave it be now. The touch left me when you didn’t flinch from my question. Sorry.”

“Nosey concepts,” grumbled Amdirlain. “No harm, no foul.

With a renewed gleeful laugh, Isa skipped to Amdirlain’s other side and claimed her arm. “Yes, Luck on your side is fortunate, but they’re still nosey. I’ve known how Sarah felt about you before we shared a place, but I promise to contain my inner squeeing.”

Yes, I’m blind.

Amdirlain flinched at Isa’s promise. “Did Ori make Mori any promises?”

The reaction caused Isa to pause with her hand resting on Amdirlain’s forearm. “What did I mess up?”

“That wasn’t anything you did,” reassured Amdirlain, shifting her arm to sling it around Isa’s shoulders. “I found out some restrictions that applied to Ori concerning promises. Which is why I want to know if she made Mori any.”

“Only one that I’m aware of, and that one has already come true,” replied Isa happily. “When Ori left to delay Leviathan, she promised Mori that regardless of what happened, they’d meet again in another lifetime.”

Amdirlain bit her lip as memories of the pair came to the fore.

I wonder if her great-granddaughter eased the emptiness in Ori’s heart.

“Okay, that’s an important promise, but not exactly the sort that caused her problems,” said Amdirlain.

With a happy giggle, Isa squeezed Amdirlain’s arm before she deliberately changed the subject. “Kli told me you adopted her. You’d better adopt me, so I have a sister.”

“I think I have enough strays,” huffed Amdirlain. “And you’re poking fun at me.”

Isa gasped and clutched at her chest dramatically. “I’m wounded. How could you say such a thing? Don’t you love me anymore?”

“Not tonight, dear, I’ve got a headache,” quipped Amdirlain.

Smug notes rose from Sarah. ‘Was it just with me that Amdirlain didn’t want to guard her emotions?’

The thoughts were beneath the layer of Sarah’s public mind that Amdirlain had previously touched, and she tried to restrain Resonance’s touch.

“Where are you heading to this fine evening?” asked Isa playfully.

With both arms occupied, Amdirlain nodded toward Livia’s manor. “Thought we’d check in with the local head honcho and ensure we’re not going to get frowned at after I redecorate.”

“Redecorate?” asked Isa. “The training hall or the whole mountainside? Did the grey and red get old?”

“I put in an offer to teach some simple Artificer abilities, but the requirements for my services include the site of Amdirlain’s training hall,” explained Sarah.

“No! She’s going to kick you out of your temporary home and make you rebuild it?” gasped Isa, playfully clutching at Amdirlain's arm. “The audacity, the horror, the typical homelessness you’ll suffer.”

“You’re being a loonie,” snorted Amdirlain.

Isa shrugged nonchalantly. “I’ve been accused of worse things. Jokes aside, I think it’s a great idea. Did it feel nice having a place to call your own on Qil Tris?”

“It’s not like you’ve exactly got a place yourself, or did you think I don’t know you move between games when you’re not with Ilya?”

“Ahh, true,” said Isa. “So...”

“No, Isa. I love you like family, but you don’t get to move back home at your age,” rebuffed Amdirlain before Isa could finish. “Plus, you both need your own space for the safety of my sanity. My hearing has gotten a lot better and I’m still adjusting.”

Isa gave Amdirlain a lip-trembling pout. “But great-grandma!”

“You know what I’m going to say to that?”

“Talk to the hand?” laughed Isa.

“No,” replied Amdirlain. “Pick out some land on any Plane and, if it’s yours, I’ll sort out a fancy house, or I’ll make you a Demi-Plane and furnish it with all the trimmings.”

“But...”

Amdirlain sternly shook her head and looked away from Isa. “You’re definitely not getting to move in.”

“Okay, be that way then,” sniffed Isa.

Sarah’s expression turned haughty, but her theme was hiccuping with giggles. “Too much loud sex through the walls of the apartment?”

“Absolutely, and I don’t have headphones or a sweet gaming rig to keep me distracted,” grumbled Amdirlain.

“We weren’t that bad,” protested Isa.

“No, not both of you were,” admitted Amdirlain, and then she dropped the other shoe. “Only you were a screamer.”

Isa was still laughing as they turned towards the front door of Livia’s manor. Now close, Amdirlain could hear two additional worlds linked to Livia’s Mantle chiming away as she underwent her monastery duties. A group of students were in the front hall listening to Livia as she guided them through a technique for Ki Armour. In a study at the manor’s rear, Ilya reviewed documents with a trio of students and an official from the warehouses.

The aspects of Protection worked fast.

I hope Cyrus finds some suitable techniques for extending Ki State. I should ask whether not learning techniques before evolving will cause stagnation. Kadaklan could have told me about them back on Qil Tris. He’ll likely have a response about not paving another’s path for them.

The student closest to the door didn’t wait for Livia’s instruction or for them to knock; the noise prompted him to open it when they were still ten metres away to investigate.

“I’d apologise for her, but that implies she isn’t going to behave the same way again,” said Amdirlain as Isa’s laughter turned into snickers. “Might we see Master Livia, please? I assure you we’ll keep Isa to semi-decent behaviour.”

Isa sputtered with mock outrage, but the student merely nodded. “Priestess Isa has visited previously and left with more contribution points than expected. We’re aware of her eccentric behaviour.”

“I might resemble that remark,” said Isa.

Amdirlain eyed her flatly. “Get your own lines.”

Isa snorted. “You won’t let me move in, so all your lines belong to me.”

“No, they don’t,” huffed Sarah.

Isa started, and her jaw momentarily dropped. “Oh, yes, true. We won’t poach Am, I promise.”

The student looked between them and tried desperately to keep his composure.

“Can we see Master Livia before these two get even more out of hand?” pleaded Amdirlain.

“Ladies, please come inside and stop confusing my students?” Livia asked from beyond the doorway.

“The first doesn’t prevent the second,” observed Sarah dryly.

“But I want to confuse them from out here,” sniffed Isa.

Amdirlain released Isa’s arm and playfully patted her on the head. “No cookie for you.”

As Amdirlain stepped through the open door with her arm still looped through Sarah’s, they heard Isa mutter. “No rationing my cookie munching.”

At Sarah and Amdirlain’s laughter, Livia’s left eyebrow lifted questioningly.