Chapter 157: Five Percent

Chapter 157: Five Percent

Tala grinned as she watched the first, quick bout. Even Terry lifted his head from her shoulder before flickering to his favorite spot on the roof to sun-bask and watch.

Adam neatly sidestepped or bent out of the way of Aproas attacks before moving in to place the tip of his practice weapon to her throat.

The Archon froze, simply staring at the man, before she glanced at Tala.

Adam stepped back a few paces.

Aproa laughed. Fair enough. Her grin was almost hungry as she looked back to Adam. Again, please.

He nodded acceptance, lifting his blade back to a more formal, ready position.

With Magic defenses? To incapacitation or surrender.

Adam hesitated. If you wish, Mistress. That highly favors you, though.

She shrugged. It seems that I need a reasonable set of advantages.

He still seemed hesitant, but he agreed. As you wish. And Tala would have sworn he was trying to keep a small smile from blossoming across his features.

The second fight was considerably longer. Aproa, it seemed, could thicken the air in a weaker imitation of Mistress Oderas shields. What she gave up in strength, however, she gained in speed of manifestation.

The thickened air could be almost instantly enacted, easily fouling the intercepted attempts to strike her down.

For his part, Adam quickly adapted, seeming to notice that Aproa had to see an attack coming to enact her defense. Additionally, there was a slight visual distortion caused by Aproas defensive magic, which Tala guessed was how Adam saw the workings. His movements became quicker, and he added feints and re-directs that Tala had trouble following.

A simple turn of Adams wrist would radically change the point of attack, often bypassing the defenses Aproa raised.

Still, though Adam scored hit after hit, most likely leaving damaged flesh, and possibly even bruised bones, Aproa persisted, her own weapons sweeping through the air in dizzying patterns, their momentum mostly maintained through the striking sequences.

Tala noted that Adam was at yet another disadvantage, given that his sword wouldnt cut like a real one would, but Aproas clubs would hit very nearly as hard as their non-practice lookalikes.

Even so, Adam didnt seem concerned. He rarely deigned to block her attacks directly, and when he did, it was almost always a deflection.

The final strike came suddenly, with nothing to set it apart from the flurry of exchanged blows that preceded it.

Aproa was swinging for Adams head with her left mace, a look of growing frustration across her features.

Adam stepped in, cutting at the wrist of the striking hand. This counterstrike was stopped by thickened air, which also spoiled Aproas own attack.

As he was cutting towards the attacking wrist, Adam stomped down on the Mages leading foot, causing her to bend forward reflexively from the shock and pain. Taking full advantage of that exact reaction, Adam struck Aproa across the center of her face with his offhand, breaking her nasal bone and folding the entire nose over, to one side.

Aproa cried out in pain, dropping her maces and clutching her face, even as blood spurted from her nostrils.

The healer was there in an instant, power washing through Aproa and reversing the injury.

Adam, for his part, had quick-stepped backwards, somehow wholly avoiding getting even a drop of blood on himself.

When the healer returned to the side, Aproa grimaced, then spit onto the sand, clearing her mouth of some blood. That wasinstructive.

Adam gave a slight bow. Indeed. Are you alright, Mistress?

The Archon shook her head, smiling. The only lasting injury is to my pride. She glanced down with a small frown. Well, and these bloodstains will be mildly irritating to get out. She shrugged and smiled again. What did you learn, master Guardsman?

Tala felt herself smile at the honorific given to Adam. Well earned, indeed.

Adam nodded. You dont block what you cant see, for one.

Aproa frowned at that. I dont? Dont you mean, cant?

Not at all. He swept his sword in a tight circle around his head. There, I have just blocked behind my head. I did not have to see behind me to defend my skull. You are capable of thickening the air out of your line of sight, yes? I believe you did so a few times when I made my next place of attack more obvious.

She nodded in return, considering.

Right, so here is my recommendation. You clearly have some training in striking and defensive patterns. We can map out standard defenses that cover for the openings in each of your patterns, and you can practice forming those defenses instinctively, whether you think an attack is coming there or not. Additionally, you need more practice against multiple opponents to increase your instincts for where attacks could be coming from, based on the flow of the fight.

That sounds wonderful. She bowed to the man. Thank you.The debut release of this chapter happened at Ñøv€l-B1n.

The rest of the morning went largely as Tala had expected. Since the Mages were restricted to mostly mundane fighting to help them improve those skills to better complement their magics, they were usually beaten, whether by groups of newer guards or individual, more experienced fighters.

Throughout, the instructors gave tips and corrections to all combatants, and all in all it was a refreshing way to spend the time.

Tala, for her part, cycled between three of Flows forms, as well as empty hand combat. She participated in matches with each of those four weapon-sets one-on-one, one-on-a-group, and group-vs-group.

The only style of traditional fighting she didnt practice that morning was fighting with Flow able to change shape mid-fight. Not, precisely, traditional, but it will be good to add in tomorrow.

She also deeply wanted more practice with her bloodstars, but that would also have to wait, for now.

When lunch rolled around, the Guards wished the Mages farewell, and let them know that this training ground would be open to any or all of them for the time being.

Rane, Aproa, and Tala then briefly discussed the plan going forward.

Aproa smiled. Thank you for letting me come today. I think it was a really good change of pace. I can see it adding a lot to my capabilities, going forward.

Rane cocked his head to the side. What do you normally do for training?

A few of us meet up in one of the Mage training yards to practice defense and offense, target protection or acquisition, and a host of other things. You are both welcome, if youd like. We meet after lunch daily. Though not everyone makes it every day. We could go grab some food and head over?

Rane glanced to Tala inquiringly, clearly interested.

Tala shrugged. I definitely need to eat, but afterwards, I really should drop by my inscriber. There are a lot of things that I need checked into, including refreshing my scripts. Memory modification not the least. Truthfully, a large part of her had wanted to go straight to Holly when she arrived back in Bandfast, so that she could learn what she could about what had happened to her, but another part was afraid to find out the truth. She pushed that aside. Tomorrow? We can do more martial work here in the morning, then the Magical training after noon?

That sounds good. Rane turned back to Aproa. Im free after lunch, if the offer is good for just me.

She smiled in return. Of course! She looked back to Tala. And that sounds like a great plan for tomorrow. Solunch?

The more she considered it, the more Tala sort of liked the idea. Plus, Ive been wanting an Archive Tablet anyways. So, then could I pull other information from the Archive directly into my mind?

Technically, yes, but the conscious mind really cant handle true info dumps. You could call up specific books that you were authorized to access and read phantom copies. But you couldnt simply wish to know what a book said and imbibe it.

Tala considered. What about subconsciously?

Subconsciously? Holly tapped her lips. I suppose we could train your subconscious to utilize the bond, but that would take time that I dont really have.

I could use an inside-out Archon star.

Holly frowned. An inside-out Arch- Her eyes lost focus, like she was reading something that lay between Holly and Tala. Huh. Thats interesting. Her eyes began flicking back and forth, adding to the sense that Holly was reading. Yeah, that could work. Youd have to learn how to make one though Her eyes refocused, then she sighed. Let me guess, you already did so, by accident, and found someone to tell you what you had done?

That was almost hurtfully accurate. Something like that.

Holly sighed again. Alright, then. From what I understand, that would allow for some interesting things, but you would lose conscious control of the connection, at least until you trained that, specifically. Id have quite a bit of research to do, in order to integrate it, but I like learning new things.

Could the conscious control be mimicked by the inscription? That would eliminate the need for training.

You mean you ask the inscription for a book, and it presents it to you? Holly cocked her head to the side. Interesting. It could work, but it would be at least a bit less efficient for that. More complex, too. She nodded, then. It would be far better for the memory archive and analysis of your mind maps, though.

So?

So, yes. I think that would actually be a fantastic use for you. She shrugged. Ill have to finish designing the script with this in mind. As I consider it, Id likely have come to the need for a subconscious bond in the end, and Id have suggested it, then.

Would you now? Tala grinned.

What else do you wish to discuss?

Tala frowned. You mean, aside from the fact that an arcane seems to have altered my mind within this very city?

Holly waved her off. The Archon council is looking into it. It isnt a concern for a Bound.

Tala narrowed her eyes. It is my mind.

And we are addressing that, yes?

Can I know whats been found?

When appropriate, I will let you know.

Tala felt some things click into place. You want to wait until Im inscribed with the mental monitoring. She was leading me this way the whole time.

That is a consideration.

So, you arent really sure Im not still under their influence.

Sure is such a definitive word.

Tala growled. Whats going on, Mistress Holly?

You are you; you are human; and a Concept Arcane has taken particular interest in you. Until we can get you fully protected, we are on a need-to-know basis, and that is really all I can tell you. Even that is more than I was advised to share.

Tala ground her teeth, but then had a thought. You know, Archive tablets are expensive. Given this is a fairly critical matter?

Holly sighed. One will be provided for you to bond. BUT! She held up a finger. I am no longer going to be giving you my pity discount.

Tala rocked back as if slapped. Wow, pity discount?

Yes. You were poor but interesting, so I didnt want you to go off and die for lack of funds.

Thatthat is really heartless. You only helped me because I was interesting?

Thats what you have a problem with? Holly gave a small smile. I wanted to work on you, due to your magical density, and I wanted to work on your desired schemas. You are fascinating, and I wasnt willing to let your poverty stop me from experimenting.

Tala grimaced. So, why not give me the inscriptions for free?

Because that which you do not pay for isnt appreciated and is often abused. I calculated what I thought you could afford and charged you that. She patted Talas wrist. But you arent poor anymore. She hesitated. Well, not as poor.

Fine. Tala was not happy, but she realized that she wasnt going to get anywhere by pursuing the topic further. Ill inform the Constructionists to bill you for the tablet.

Holly rolled her eyes. Very well. Ill deal with the Archon Council about getting reimbursed. Now, what else?

Tala nodded once. So, I recently encountered a hallucinogenic effect. Can we protect against that?

Holly crinkled her nose. We cant really, because thats how the body functions. If we block hormones and the like from influencing your thinking you would lose the ability to doanything? She shrugged. I dont even know, really. Messing with hormones is almost never a good idea, at least not without good reason, and blanketly blocking mind altering compounds would be incredibly unwise.

What about the mental inscriptions I already have?

Those dont block anything, they just streamline the processes already taking place. If anything, they might make stimulants and hallucinogens more effective, though I dont think theyd have that effect. She scratched her cheek. You know, though. Once we add the expanded mental inscriptions, monitoring all of it could help you identify such manipulations more easily. Holly began nodding. Yeah. That is well within the capabilities of what well be working with.

What would that even do?

Holly shrugged. Depends on how you imagine it. Id think of it as making hormonal and such influence be moresecondary? Like you would have a better understanding of why youre feeling and acting as you do. For hallucinogens, youd likely see them more as figments, translucent and less real.

That sounds pretty ideal.

Well have to be careful, but I think it should be a natural feature of what were discussing.

That sounds reasonable. Alright. There are few other things I wanted to discuss.

Holly smiled. Well, with the Concept magic discussion behind us for the moment, we dont need this anymore. The inscriptions deactivate around the room, and Talas gate, once again, gushed power, refilling her reserves rapidly.

Terry didnt react, simply staying where he was, content to rest.

Holly stood. Lets get some tea and dig into your other questions and ideas.

That sounds wonderful, thank you. It was going to be an interesting afternoon.