16 The feeling of magic (2)

"I beg your pardon?"

Iris couldn't believe her ears and almost took her words back. Who did this mage think he was to claim such a thing? He let it look like he knew her better than she knew herself.

Ray realised his mistake and rushed to the desk to stand in front of her, his words pouring from his mouth.

"I mean no offence, my lady. It is not my intention to mock Your Grace in any way. When I read you the other day, I could sense your spirit reacting to my magic. It spoke to me, to say so."

"It spoke to you? You mean my spirit spoke to you without me knowing?"

"Yes, you grace. I mean no, spoke might be the wrong word, communicated maybe," he tried to rectify, but saw in her eyes that it didn't have the desired effect. "I mean… when I read you, I could feel the traits of your soul, who my lady is deep inside."

This was going worse than Iris thought. She felt exposed now talking to a man who knew so much about her, probably about her fears. She felt her eyes beginning to sting and her face was warm. Tears threatened to come out any moment.

The mage became agitated, his words coming even faster than before.

"Please, my lady, it was not my intention. I never meant to do you any wrong."

"But you knew about this. That you would be able to sense my soul or whatever when you tested me."

She accused him and the mage retreated two steps. He faced the floor now, the guild weighing hard on his shoulders.

"I am truly sorry. I never thought there was anything to look after. I read you then mostly because I wanted to show you there is no magic inside. The result went beyond my imagination."

He hesitated, pounding whether to say more, and decided to continue.

"Usually, the testing bonds the teacher and the student so that the first will know how and what to teach the latter."

Iris looked exasperated at the mage. She understood that he was inexperienced, that he just came out from the academy, but did he not have the common sense to realise what such things mean to the other part. She was now bound to him to teach her. Not that she had any other alternative anyway if it were to remain a secret.

She sighted a few times, trying to calm herself down, trying to place the fault on his lack of exposure to the world outside the academy. He lived there for 8 years after all.

"And what did my spirit 'speak' to you?" She finally asked.

He either didn't realise the sarcasm in her voice or decided to ignore it, and went on, glad for the chance.

"You are so strong, my lady. Your spirit is just and kind but has great strength at the same time. If you ever decide to become a combatant mage, you'll turn out incredibly powerful. Even if you will be a healer or a protector, you might be able to surpass every mage alive."

The shock produced by his sincere words made her forget about the deception and the fury she felt before. A powerful mage? Much more powerful than the others?

"We only have to find your affinity and then the possibilities are countless."

"My affinity. You mentioned this before but didn't explain what that means."

"It's simple, one's magic is not infinite, and they have to gather it from the element closest to them. In my case it's water which helps greatly with healing because water can be purifying. Every time I touch water in any form, but especially liquid, I am able to fill my mana vessel and then perform magic. When it starts to empty, I have to fill it again."

"But you mentioned that there are those who have rare affinities. How do they gather their magic?"

"The same way."

"Doesn't that put them at a disadvantage? As they have a harder time getting close to their elements?"

"You are partially right. Some of them found solutions like having that element always with them, like I would always have a bottle of pure water or even a drop with me if I'm about to cross the desert."

"Water is easy to get by, but you mentioned lightning…"

"Those mages are very rare and some of them developed a spell to catch the lightning in a special globe so they can fill their mana vessel that way. However, that is really advanced magic that only a few can make."

"And you can just do magic after that?"

"It's not that simple, unfortunately. The mage must study geometry, science, physics to understand how spells are created inside your body and released to the outside."

"Geometry, science and physics then. Anything else?"

"Chemistry as well if the mage wants to be able to make potions."

"Chemistry?"

The first three subjects were taught at a basic level to most nobles who desired and at an advanced level to those who pursued an academic education. She never went to any academy but was curious since childhood and studied them. But chemistry was something else. Due to its classification as a dangerous subject, it was only taught at the academy.

Iris needed some time to process all the information and Ray waited quietly for her to ask more. After some time, she realised that she still could not use magic even if they were to find her affinity.

"What about the awakening? What is that?"

The mage could not wait to tell her about it as well, started speaking before Iris even finished her question.

"The awakening is a ritual. You need to draw a special rune on your face with anything any type of visible paint and recite a spell. That helps your affinity fill your mana pool for the first time and bond them together, also making the magic surface from within."

Ray waited for his words to have the desired effect before continuing, more than content to have someone to convey all this.

"I have some guesses about what your affinity might be. It's clearly not air as I did not sense any change in your mana vessel when I read you and there is always air around us. I don't think it's water either because you didn't resonate with my magic the same way a water user does. So, I guess it's either earth fire or earth. These four are the most common and we can test them easily."

She was astonished at his words.

"Do I have to hold fire with my bare hands?"

"No, my lady," the mage laughed, making her feel like an ignorant girl. "The element just has to be nearby."

Still indignant, she sighed with relief. As much as she wanted to use magic, she didn't dare to juggle with fire. Nor stand in a storm waiting to get hit by lightning.

"When can we start?"

"As soon as possible, whenever Your Grace has some free time."

"I have some free time now!"

Ray raised his right eyebrow, and his smile only grew wider if that was even possible. Iris almost regretted her impulsivity.

"Then, if Your Grace would like, please follow me to my tower."