‘Yes, Solus and I always communicate like this. Focus more, please. I can barely hear you.’ Lith understood why they had to use two tendrils.
This way, a stray thought couldn’t be shared by mistake since they had to overcome the other’s mana by infusing willpower in their messages.
Otherwise, while asking a question, a beginner would actually reveal what they were looking for and what they were trying to avoid to their prisoner. On top of that, the double mana strand technique prevented mana poisoning.
‘How did you know what thoughts were yours?’ Phloria said.
‘Even inside my head, my voice and hers sound completely different. Also, the way she thoughts is nothing like mine.’ Lith replied.
‘How do you share images and plans? I tried all morning but Faluel said none of it made sense.’
‘It’s easy. You must visualize any detail you want to communicate. You can’t let logic or memory fill the gaps or the other person will receive an incomplete picture because they don’t reason as you do.’ Lith sent her an image from their date in Vinea, back when they still attended the academy.
It was a picture of the night when Phloria had shared with him her fears for the future, wishing to have a few more years before coming of age.
‘What does that mean?’ The image triggered too many memories at once, both good and bad, making Phloria’s heart hurt.
‘I used an image of our shared past to make it easier for you to understand what I mean. You were there with me, but it’s likely that you remember it differently.’ Lith replied.
‘You are right. To me, the stars were brighter than this, and I had completely forgotten about the chilly breeze.’ When she sent her version of the memory to him, it looked like a painting drawn by an artist trying to express their love for life.
It depicted two people staring at a perfect night sky while holding hands. The absence of passers-by didn’t give a feeling of isolation so much as of intimacy.
Lith had actually toned down the romanticism in his memories because he wanted to teach her, not to take a trip down memory lane.
‘Excellent. Now try doing the same with a memory we do not share. Before sending it to me, make sure you have a clear mental image of what you want to share. Like this.’ Lith showed her a clip of Acala turning into Dawn.
The beauty of the Horseman and her raw, savage splendor left Phloria in awe.
‘Could the same happen to you?’ She asked before even realizing it.
‘What could happen?’ The question confused Lith.
‘Solus taking over. Replacing your body with her own.’
‘I guess so. It’s what happens to all those who bond with cursed objects. Why do you think Scarlett was bent on splitting us apart when she met us?’Â Lith’s indifference made her understand how deeply they trusted each other.
Phloria shrugged off her worries and focused on the task at hand, trying to show him both Baba Yaga and her hut.
‘I’m so happy to be paired with you, Quylla. Back at the academy, you were my favorite.’ Solus’s thoughts were filled with so much joy and enthusiasm that made Quylla feel awkward.
‘Thanks, I guess. What do you mean, favorite?’ Her question reminded Solus that even though she knew Lith’s companions for years, they had no idea of her existence until recently.
‘Your past was similar to Lith’s, yet you never let your darkness turn you into a grumpy, cynical person. I always admired your good heart.’ After Solus had realized how inappropriate was to tell Quylla how she had shipped Lith back at the academy, Solus had changed the topic with a mix of truth and compliments.
‘Thanks. Yet I consider my past self weak and naïve. I let Yurial lead me by the nose at first and then I never had the guts to do what I really wanted.’ Her thoughts sounded depressed, inducing Solus to change the subject.
‘Do you know that Lith and I met a real Dragon back in Huryole?’ Solus shared with Quylla all of her memories of Jakra.
‘Oh my, I’d surely hit that.’ Quylla thought while looking at the Dragon’s human appearance.
‘I beg your pardon?’ Solus blushed at Quylla’s following in-depth appreciation of Jakra’s physical attributes.
‘Good gods, did you heard that? I’m so sorry! I’m not a pervert, it’s just that I’m not used to sharing my mind with someone else.’ Quylla turned to a shade of purple, making Faluel wonder what kind of naughty pictures they might be sharing and if it was appropriate for her to ask for a copy.
‘Jokes aside, the Royal Forgemaster wand is an amazing tool. Now I understand why Menadion is revered as the first Royal Forgemaster and she’s considered the second Greatest Magus of the Griffon Kingdom.
‘The wand not only allows fake mages to use Spirit Magic, but it also smooths their mana, making it a great conductor for their willpower. On the one hand, it lessens the focus required for high precision jobs.
‘On the other hand, Quylla and Friya have a hard time keeping stray thoughts for themselves. I learned a lot about them this morning. Those two will make two excellent subjects.’ Faluel thought.
She had not paired up Tista and Friya but made both of them practice with her to study the Royal Forgemaster wand. That way Faluel could better understand its properties and limitations while comparing the wand’s effects with Tista’s Spirit Magic.
‘How am I doing?’ Friya asked.
‘Please, don’t tell me I’m once again the worst in my group.’ She added without her own knowledge.
‘You’re doing great. Your thoughts are loud and clear, much better than Phloria’s. On top of that, your strand is more stable than Tista’s.’ Faluel said to help Friya overcome her self-confidence issues.
‘Now try to share one of your memories with me. The better you remember those events, the easier it will be.’
Friya searched her memory for something not embarrassing nor too private that would make her look good, giving Faluel several glimpses of her past. Just like it had happened for Quylla, the little resistance the wand offered to their willpower was actually a double-edged sword.
In the hope of impressing Faluel, Friya showed her the fight against the Awakened in Zantia and how she had utterly defeated him despite being a fake mage.
‘Remarkable performance.’ Faluel nodded. ‘Dimensional Mages are a rarity even among Awakened. Not only because dimensional magic is second only to gravity magic in complexity, but also because it can be easily countered.’
‘Is that a compliment or a critic?’ Friya said.
‘A compliment. It means you are equally skilled in all six elements. Now you only have to properly send me a complex made up thought, like a battle plan, and your exercise will be over.’ Faluel said.
“Okay, I need a break.” The more Nalrond learned to build his mental defenses, the more Faluel increased the pressure until he had been forced to use Fusion Magic just to keep up with the onslaught.
Now his head ached as if he had remained trapped inside a ringing bell and had circulated so much mana that his human body was on the verge of collapse.
