Chapter: 179 Bonus - Kannis (Patreon)

Hello,
This is just an extra special thank you to all my Archon and Transcendent Patrons. Your readership helps inspire me to continue writing and building in the world of Millennial Mage.

If this is well received by you all, I will try to do a bonus chapter from a non-Tala POV monthly, never to be released for free. The purpose of the chapters simply will be to expand on the world as a more "average" person would experience it.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Regards,
J.L. Mullins

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Kannis watched Mistress Tala walk away with mixed feelings.

At first, she had pretended not to recognize the woman to spare her embarrassment. Imagine going all the way through the Academy and then not making it as a Mage.

Kannis knew that she wouldn’t want to face her old classmates if that had happened to her.

But then, things had taken a turn for the strange.

Kannis’s prospective master, a Mage that Kannis had researched extensively as being a good fit for herself as well as being respected in her field, had treated Mistress Tala with regard and familiarity, explicitly correcting Kannis, insisting that Mistress Tala was a Mage, despite her lack of obvious inscriptions.

It’s like I missed a question on my final exam. She shivered at the unpleasantness of the remembered correction.

Kannis had seen recognition in Mistress Tala’s eyes, but the other woman hadn’t acknowledged their past history either. Not that there is really much of that, I suppose.

She stopped in her musings. Kannis, you are being a silly child. This is the most important day of your life so far. Focus.

She calmly turned back towards Mistress Lyn and smiled. She barely felt the longing for her long absent hair and how it would move and sway as she turned.

The lack was more a fond memory than anything truly missing anymore. She had accepted her new, bald state. I am a Mage, or I will be, and the privileges come with some drawbacks.

She’d been rather confused when she saw that most of the Mages she’d identified in the city had hair. Maybe some new development in inscription technology would let her regrow her own? Focus. “Thank you, again, for taking the time to work with me, Mistress Lyn.”

Mistress Lyn looked vaguely uncomfortable at the gratitude, but accepted it with aplomb nonetheless. “Of course, Kannis. I appreciate you seeking me out. I think that we will be a good match. Now, we should hammer out the details of our contract.”

“That sounds excellent.”

What followed were two hours of bliss.

Kannis loved working through the minutia of contract documents, and Mistress Lyn seemed to revel in the fine tuning of the language as well, taking the opportunity to train Kannis, even before they were officially linked as master and mageling.

Kannis had reviewed the standard contract extensively beforehand, so she had come prepared. Even so, Mistress Lyn pushed back on most of Kannis’s requested changes, always informing her exactly why the contract was worded as it was, and why it couldn’t be changed.

Regardless, the younger woman was able to gain much via small, seemingly inconsequential changes, at least in her own estimation.

For example, Mistress Lyn had committed to exposing her to every side of the Caravan Guild’s business, which wasn’t always the case for clerical magelings. Kannis also got a rigid timeline for her own advancement to full-Mage, though there were provisions that would allow that to be altered with cause.

Kannis would not give Mistress Lyn cause.

Kannis would be paid based on the work she accomplished, not a flat rate, and she would receive specific guidance on her inscriptions from Mistress Lyn as well as any relevant expert that Mistress Lyn could pull into the process.

“There. I think that does it.” Mistress Lyn pressed her thumb to the slate, which contained their contract to confirm her side of the deal, before handing it over to Kannis. “Please confirm this document. I assume you know how?”

Kannis did. She must have pricked her thumb without me noticing.

It was standard practice to magic-impress tests upon submitting them at the Academy.

She always felt a bit of pride, magically claiming her work. She felt even more, now, as all her work over the last years bore fruit in this amazing next step.

Kannis did her best to contain her excitement as she pricked her finger on the sharp nub of stone on one side of the slate. The spike retracted immediately after.

With an effort of will, Kannis allowed her gate to open…but no, she couldn’t do that. She lacked any inscriptions, including those of her keystone. As a result, her gate was out of her control for the first time in more than half a decade.

She did not like that. The very idea of magic running unchecked through her body disturbed her, greatly. The mundanes can only stand it due to their ignorance, I imagine.

Nonetheless, because her magic was flowing through her, unrestricted, it infused her blood just as she touched the cool stone, without any effort required on her part. The drop of blood that had been building on her finger vanished into the slate, and the tablet turned a pleasant, emerald green, denoting full confirmation.

“And it’s official. Welcome to the Caravaneer's Guild, mageling Kannis.”

“Thank you!” She clapped her hands in giddy excitement, then schooled her features as best as she could. “I’m so so excited, Mistress Lyn. What do we do next? Do I get to see the job’s boards? Are we going to get inscribed? Will you have me shadow you through part of the day?”

Mistress Lyn looked genuinely taken aback. “My, you are well informed.” She hesitated, then gave a little shrug, her eyes flickering towards the entrance for the barest instant. “Well, I suppose I’ve forgotten how well the Academy can prepare some for life after graduation.”

“Some?”

She waved the question away. “Never you mind. We’ll take a look at the job’s board, first. There’s quite a bit of specifics that I don’t remember being covered at the Academy.”

Kannis’s new master led her to one side of the Caravaneer’s great entry hall, to what seemed to be a large board with notices on it. Exactly as I imagined it!

There were several such boards, but this one was denoted with big, bold letters across the top proclaiming the word “Clerks.”

“This is a tasks board. I apologize if some of this is review, but I’d rather repeat than miss something important.”

“Whatever you think best, Mistress.”

Mistress Lyn hesitated again at that, then shook her head with a smile and continued. “We take in a lot of information in our guild, and we need to process, collate, and draw conclusions. Each of these pages details a set of data to be pulled from the Archive and the way in which it should be processed, tabulated, etc. There is pay associated with the work, as well as its weight with regards to how much it will help the guild. As my mageling, you will assist me in assisting the guild. As such, I will expect you to complete a certain number of these each week, and we will go through your results, together, at least at first.”

Mistress Lyn then gave an in-depth explanation as to how that would function, and Kannis found herself excited to begin work immediately. Unfortunately, there were some little tasks to get out of the way, first.

Inscribing… She gilded herself, knowing that the pain was necessary and worth it. I’ll be able to pay off my debts in no time with this, and with any luck, I should be able to send my family some money sooner than I’d dared to hope.

They were free and clear thanks to her ability to take on the family debts with her chosen career, and now, she was the first Mage in her family for three generations. It really was hard to contain her excitement.

With the job’s board explained and expanded upon, there was nothing further holding them in the guildhall for the moment. So, they went to the check-in and grabbed their heavy coats and winter boots.

As they were pulling on the winter-wear, they were approached by a young man in Mage’s robes.

“Well, as I live and breathe. Mistress Lyn, she is a mageling. I’ll take no denials.”

Mistress Lyn looked up as she finished lacing her boots. “Master Cran, it’s been too long.” She stood and shook his hand. “You are right. This is my mageling, Kannis.”

Kannis beamed at that. I’m her mageling. “A pleasure to meet you, Master Cran.”

“So, no excuses this time? You’re actually taking on a mageling?”

Mistress Lyn shrugged. “She’s a good fit, and actually a mageling.”

He held up his hands in surrendered. “Alright, alright. Fair’s fair.”

What are they talking about? She’d likely never know.

He smiled towards Kannis once again. “Well, you’re a lucky girl, Kannis. Mistress Lyn here is a gold one.”

Without another word, he waved farewell and wondered off.

“Who was that?”

“Oh, Master Cran is harmless. He’s something of a fixture in the Mage’s lounge, here, but he makes his money bouncing at a large, local tavern. Those that don’t respect his station as a Mage learn quickly why that respect is due.”

“He works at mundane taverns?” How very odd.

“Just one, really, and he seems to like it. They pay him well as he’s basically the only bouncer they need, when he works. They still apparently have door-staff, but that’s a different position.” The way Mistress Lyn was speaking made it clear that her knowledge on the subject was at least partly involuntary.

So, Master Cran is a talker? That’s good to know. Kannis had learned a lot about whom to avoid and whom to approach, both teachers and students, by knowing whom to listen to, and how to sift through the tidbits.

All words hold truth, even lies. Her foundational principle had never led her astray, and she didn’t imagine it ever would.

Coats and boots on and secured, the pair walked outside, back into the frigid winter streets.

Kannis loved Bandfast already, and it wasn’t just the snow. Honestly, she preferred heat to cold, but that was a small price to pay.

She was so sick of the smell of salty air. It had been just her luck that the Academy had been situated by the ocean, just like her hometown of Clevenhold.

The fresh air of the plains was a welcome relief, not to mention the drop in humidity. Cold and dry is better. She hesitated. Warm and dry would be better still, but I am quite happy with this, here.

The people in Bandfast tended towards more fanciful colors than those in her home city as well, even in their winter-wear.

She could easily spot yellows, reds, blues, and greens, and the quality of the dyes used was beyond question.

Her own brown, calf-length, fur-lined coat seemed drab in comparison to the standards around her, though she wasn’t the only one in earth-tones by a long shot.

Mistress Lyn, herself, wore a tan parka with dark brown boots.

“Mistress, where are we going now?”

Kannis’s master gave a small smile. “Well, per our contract I have an inscriber to take you too, but I will warn you, she doesn’t usually take on new clients.”

“Alright. What if she refuses?”

Her master hesitated. “Well, she’s almost certainly going to, at least at first.” She seemed to consider further. “In all likelihood, she’s going to be fairly cutting in her refusal as well. Don’t let it get to you. Either approaching her will work, or it won’t. If she won’t inscribe you, then we’ll go to my inscriber and get you properly done.”

*      *      *

“Mistress Lyn. Why are you wasting my time?”

Mistress Holly was…terrifying. She had taken one look at Kannis and grimaced. Then, when the inscriber had reluctantly agreed to look at the set of inscriptions designed for the young woman, she’d practically growled.

“There is nothing new, nothing special, nothing interesting in these inscriptions.”

“You could improve them.”

“Obviously, but why bother?” Mistress Holly rolled her eyes before fixing her gaze on Kannis.

Kannis felt herself hunch, pulling inward involuntarily. Mistress Holly’s words held deep, uncomfortable truths. Truths I need to face. Mistress Holly addressed her, pulling her back to the present.

“Girl. How’s your pain tolerance?”

Kannis paled as she tried to formulate a quick, precise, and correct answer. “To my understanding, as good as any, Mistress. I don’t like being inscribed, but I can take it without pulling away, screaming, crying, or otherwise interfering with the process.”

Mistress Holly grunted. “So, average. Her power density is average. Her through-put is average. Her inscriptions are uninspired. Her foundational principle lacks even the meager potential of yours, Mistress Lyn. Though, you have drawn great things from that potential.” The woman’s eyes sparkled at that. “I heard about your recent encounter. I would have loved to have seen you…” She trailed off, glancing back towards Kannis with an unsatisfied look. “No. I don’t work on magelings.”

Mistress Lyn gave a slight bow of her head. “As you wish. Thank you for your time.”

As they had turned to go, Mistress Holly had actually growled, then tapped the side of Kannis’s face so quickly that the younger woman hadn’t thought to react, let alone move. “Tell whoever you take her to that she doesn’t need a cognitive perception enhancer, and definitely not through the jaw-line. That location would be perfect for a Jevine-Recursion, to begin forging her will.”

Mistress Lyn bowed again, lower this time, and Kannis caught a look of triumph in her master’s eyes. “I will pass it on.”

Mistress Holly clucked her tongue. “Fifteen minutes. I’ll spend fifteen minutes ironing out the most flagrant disasters in these inscriptions, and then, I’ll update her entry in the Archive with the improvements and explanations there-of.”

“You are too kind.”

“Don’t mock me, girl. I know you brought me this regurgitated rat’s nest masquerading as spell-work in the hope that it would offend me too much to leave alone. Congratulations; I am thoroughly offended.”

“If you say so.”

Mistress Holly was already turning away, but she tossed a comment at Mistress Lyn in parting. “Tell, Mistress Tala that Mistress Jenna informed me of the most recent developments, and I am pleased. I’d appreciate it if she would drop through each morning that she’s in town, so that I can keep tabs on her development and continued compression. Mind you: I just mean stepping through the door and then leaving. No talking. No bothering my staff. I don’t want her interrupting me every day without cause.”

Mistress Lyn sighed, but without much true emotion behind it. “I’ll let her know.”

Mistress Tala? Tala is connected to this mad woman? Kannis didn’t know whether to be jealous, impressed, or horrified at the very idea.

*      *      *

Kannis held back tears and clutched her Mage’s robes tightly to her chest as the repeated, sharp pricks sent involuntary twitches through the muscles of her back.

“Almost done, deary.” The voice was kind and had a grandmotherly air about it, though it came from a face that barely looked older than Kannis’s own.

Don’t forget, Mages outside the Academy don’t show their age. To be fair, the teachers at the Academy looked amazing for their various ages, but they didn’t look, precisely, young.

Almost done. Almost done. Almost done.

The keystone was the largest portion that had to be done in one go. Even with Holly’s amendments, and the few minor changes that the inscribers did to other parts of the spell-form, it wasn't a hugely complex working.

Even so, Kannis was grateful that the rest could and would be done in piece-meal fashion over the next couple of weeks.

You can bear through this. And she did.

Three inscribers had worked simultaneously, expertly maneuvering around each other to speed up the process.

As she’d hoped, it didn’t really make it three times as painful. She could only register so much discomfort, before it started to all fuzz together and go numb.

It still hurt, but it was a numbing pain. A sharp numbing pain.

She needed a distraction.

As usual, she began by going through her accomplishments. She reveled in some of the awards that she’d received before leaving home, then in the assignments and tests completed with distinction at the Academy.

Finally, she thought through the myriad recruiters who had offered her mageling positions in the clerical side of their businesses or guilds.

The only one that had truly tempted her had been the Library.

She’d had to gild herself twice over to say “no” to them. She wanted to explore the wider world, and only the most senior Librarians did that. She hadn’t wanted to wait decades to see what lay outside city walls, if she ever did.

No, her only real choice had been the Carvaneer’s Guild, no matter how much it had surprised her teachers or friends.

I know what I want.

She’d had some slight fear about striking out on her own, but even those who were recruited still had to find a master to learn under, and no one was ever allowed to be without. Though, stars above help the ones who need a civilly-mandated master.

“There. All done.” She felt a cool cloth run across her back, followed by a pulse of healing. “Give it a test, if you please.”

Kannis closed her eyes and activated her keystone, opening her gate a fraction. She filled with power quickly, even though she closed it again as fast as she was able..

With no inscriptions to burn the power through, it sat within her, buzzing uncomfortably, and filling her with a nervous energy.

Kannis quickly worked her way into her simple Mage’s robes. Designed for easy doffing, not donning… Then, she bowed to the inscriber-trio. “Thank you, Mistress, Mistress, Master.”

They smiled in turn. “Our pleasure.”

Mistress Lyn came over and inspected her, likely using her own mage-sight.

“Good work from what I can see. Thank you. We will return after lunch for her mage-sight inscriptions.”

Kannis had known that would be coming, but she grimaced slightly nonetheless.

Mistress Lyn clearly noticed the expression by the soft smile she gave Kannis, but she didn’t comment. They left together, presumably heading towards the aforementioned lunch.

Trying to draw her out and away from the memory of the pain or contemplations of more to come, Mistress Lyn began talking. “You know, if you want to grow your hair back, there are some needles that can be used to inscribe your scalp, so the hair doesn’t get in the way. They are expensive, but we can make it happen if you’d like.”

“Really?” I might actually be able to have hair again? Mistress Lyn had gotten her a hat on the way to the Mistress Holly’s workshop, when it became obvious that even in her coat, Kannis was cold. Hair would be so much better. Though, she still might need the hat.

“Of course. It’s a small thing, really. But for now, come on, let’s get some food in you.”

As they walked out of the shop, Kannis was nodding to herself. “I didn’t have much breakfast, so I have room for a large lunch, if that’s alright.” She hesitated. “Well, no. If we’re having a large dinner as a celebration, I need to eat a much smaller lunch than I normally would.” She ran through dozens of calculations in her own head, most with hardly a conscious thought. Keeping her intake to a reasonable level was second nature to Kannis after so long under the restrictions.

In truth, she would rather not eat, but she needed sustenance, even if it was a chore.

*      *      *

“And…done!”

Kannis breathed out a sigh of relief and opened her eyes. She did not like having her eyes open, while mage-sight inscriptions were being laid.

Too many needles, too close to my eyes….

“Give them a try.”

Obediently, Kannis opened her gate fractionally and activated her mage-sight. The world lit up around her in brilliant patterns and with wondrous traces of power.

The air seemed much less…potent? Much less full of power than it had at the Academy, but she supposed that was to be expected.

The Academy was a place of magic, and the cities were every day. But I get to be magic in them.

That pushed back some of her melancholy at having so recently left what had become a second home to her.

She glanced towards Mistress Lyn, and found herself confused. There was a subtle red-ish tint, overlaying her master’s form, as if heat were building up to a glow within her. But much more mild than that.

The woman must have seen Kannis’s look of confusion, because she lifted a hand to forestall her. “I’ll explain everything in time, but to put a name to what you’ve likely just noticed. That is my aura.” She nodded to the inscribers, and Kannis looked at each of them, seeing hints of color around all three of them, as well.

“Archons.” Kannis breathed out in wonder.

She had, of course, heard of Archons, and of aura, but it wasn’t described or detailed at the Academy. She’d even known that Mistress Lyn was an Archon, though she still didn’t really know exactly what that meant, except that she was exceptional. You’ve hitched yourself to an incredible master, Kannis. Well done.

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