For the majority of the ride Ionis and Liana had a drawn-out discussion driven by more cursory and superficial questions Liana had. Even though Ionis had instructed Liana to adjust her behavior - specifically disregard the social etiquette Liana had been raised on - the girl was still hesitant. Given the wording of the contract it sounded like the social norms did matter to her, so why would she ask Liana to not adhere to them. The only thing she could think of was a test.

What the test could end up being she didn’t know. Whether following Ionis’ commands or her contract would be the correct answer she couldn’t discern. So she just ignored the dilemma.

Having run out of polite and non-agitating questions to ask Liana had grown quieter over time.

“Is that all the questions you had? I’m sure you had another earlier. I really don’t see why you are dancing around it so much. Just go ahead and ask,” the woman sitting on the opposite side of Liana prodded.

This had to be a trick doesn’t it, she thought. Though she couldn’t think of what Ionis wanted her to do besides just going ahead with what she asked of Liana. Having lost her patients by thinking in circles her patients for the woman grew dangerously low, prompting her to stop caring about staying on her master's good side. Further agitated by being put on the spot like that Liana just kind of blurted out her question.

“Why are we going to Larkos instead of Teeram. I thought you live in Teeram.”

“Haa, life isn’t just about going home and doing whatever you want. I have a job and responsibilities. Compared to other high leveled people I need tools and products to pursue my craft. So we are going to visit a rift,” Ionis responded.

“You craft? I thought you were a flowbringer. Why am I even apprenticing to you if that’s the case,” Liana asked while crossing her arms and shifting her fact to a grimace.

“Ohh but I am. Didn’t they teach you that in that fancy school of yours? Flowbringer is just a label that says you have a class that allows for the use of flow in addition to the other attributes. I am what most people would call a crafter. My classes are all neatly trimmed to working with fabrics. You should probably know that I used to be a weaver and got two very good class modifiers along the way allowing me to reach an effective one-hundred flow value. Don’t spread that around by the way,” Ionis answered.

Hearing that number Liana just stared a bit with open eyes before readying herself to ask another question, all hesitation thrown overboard.

“So why are we going to go into a rift? If you are a crafter, we’d need an escort, right?

Now Ionis burst out laughing.

“Child we are going into a level one-hundred or so rift. What would we need an escort for? Listen, I am a level 239 crafter but also an affliction specialist. Anything below 120 isn’t even a challenge for me anymore. Especially not if I know what I’m facing.

“Alright enough of that. I need to know if you have been foolish while you weren’t an apprentice of mine. Please, tell me that you haven’t picked another skill. You haven’t right? We did talk about that. Just tell me about your status and explain what you can,” Ionis finished and looked at Liana expectantly.

The girl checked her status, though she had spent plenty of time staring at the overview, helping her remember everything easily.

Name: Liana

Class Unlock: 4 years

Status:

Physique: 5

Agility: 7

Reaction: 4

Flow: 8/8

Attunement: Ocean (Water, Air, Life, Death, Cycle)

Traits:

In Rhythm

Child of the ocean

Ocean’s Attunements

General Skills:

[Panous’ Cycle](blessed) - Rank 1 Lvl 1

[Ocean Breeze] - Rank 1 Lvl 3

[Dancing] - Rank 1 Lvl 1

“I might have picked another skill,” she said, not daring to look at Ionis. In an effort to hinder the weaver from scolding her she quickly continued.

“Four years until my class unlocks. Five Physique, seven agility, four reaction, and eight -”

“Don’t you dare tell me that you have eight flow. I started out with fucking two,” the woman interrupted her almost screaming. “And I showed promise, you’ve done nothing yet.”

Liana just stared at the clearly irate woman, and a future full of tension, stress, and being yelled at appeared in her mind. The girl grew increasingly agitated but managed to hold back the terror of her imagined scenarios. She did not cry, neither did she sob, though a tear rolled down her left cheek.

“I’m sorry,” the flowbringer said after a few moments. “I shouldn’t have had such an outburst. It is not your fault that I have not been given as many gifts as you apparently have. Though that Reaction attribute is worryingly low, I guess that goes for most commoners, you just don’t have the possibility to train your mental facilities as much. The lack of infrastructure to properly train it up to five or even six is just shameful. Regardless, we can talk further about that once you have finished.”

“That’s fine I guess,” Liana responded faking her acceptance of Ionis’ apology with a voice that trembled with each syllable.” I have the trait In Rhythm, though my parents are not entirely sure what it does. The keeper hasn’t been very helpful either,” Liana continued.

“It gives you flow, doesn’t it?” Ionis asked to which Liana only nodded.

“Wouldn’t be surprised if it is just one of those traits that help with flow interactions. Very handy those. There is a certain category of traits that empowers flow when interacted within a specific way, I have one too, and the keepers hadn’t been helpful with that either, figured it out through speaking with other flowbringers in the end. Continue, if you would,” Ionis said.

Liana did as prompted and told Ionis about her other two traits, something that Ionis was very jealous of. The woman had said so herself. She was also very intrigued by the Ocean attunement, having never heard of it, and promised Liana to look into it further and inform the girl.

Encouraged by the genuine curiosity and helpful opinions Ionis had voiced Liana continued explaining her skills with more vigor.

“So you are telling me that you have a skill called [Panous’ Cycle] that the keepers have no knowledge of, and that your own status declares as unknown? Not only that, but it also says that it doesn’t count towards a class evolution?” Ionis asked after Liana was done. Liana only nodded in response, fed up with the useless skill.

“This is the biggest bullshit I have ever heard. If it weren’t for the no direct lies compulsion clause in your apprenticeship contract I’d bet you’re shitting me.

“There is a lie clause? Why didn’t my parents say so and I didn’t see one either,” Liana almost yelled, her brows furrowed.

Ionis put her arms placatingly on Liana’s shoulders and pushed the girl back onto the cushioned bench.

“Ah well uhmm, you see, I can somewhat influence contracts slightly through flow impressions. The fabric on which the contract was written was woven so I was able to affect it a bit. Don’t worry, there is nothing else in there. Also, sadly it goes two ways. Though there is no way for you to check. Sorry about that,” Ionis grinned cheekily.

Scratching her neck a bit the woman was quiet for a while before she spoke up again, ignoring Liana’s angry expression.

“Ocean Attunement sounds like a good support skill, I’d like you to demonstrate it with the guertls around, figure out what sort of effect it has and who it affects. [Dancing] was a ridiculously stupid choice. You definitely want to get rid of it with your first class, otherwise, you’ll just carry it around for the rest of your life where it will take up a general slot forever. I don’t know of many classes that can make [Dancing] a class skill but there should be one that fits sufficiently well. Dancing isn’t too far removed from the seaman’s entertaining skill choice, and given your traits the chances are high that a ship-adjacent class might consolidate it. That is by the way the most likely way your class evolutions will go. You have at least two ocean-related traits, that shows a strong bias.

“You are really quite the interesting specimen, and by the gods, I’m glad that you had all those traits boosting your flow level. Three, as a base, is a lot less insane for a base flow value. Still, the way traits count your natural flow cap it is going to be insane at around fifteen.

“Given your high flow values, there is one skill I’d think would be prudent to take. [Flow Infusion] is a bit difficult to learn, but we have the time. The skill allows you to charge impressions with flow. Since I can create impressions on fabrics that would be an ideal skill for you. It would greatly boost your potential and versatility, and it is one that should consolidate under almost any class. I’ll of course deck you out in the best-impressed gear I can make during your apprenticeship. It is your choice, but [Flow Infusion] would be my recommendation. You shouldn’t take another skill until your class choices are visible to you, so we can see what you already qualify for and chose another skill that works well with the available classes,” Ionis said.

Hearing about getting decked out with impressed equipment sounded like music to Liana’s ears. And while Ionis’s arguments for the skill weren’t great, Liana’s knowledge from school justified learning the skill. Impressions cost flow, and she would need a way to charge impressions when rifting alone - a requirement to increase her classes grade at a later point.

“You no doubt are aware that most good classes require 4 or more skills that synergize in some way. So we should best wait and see what you get offered. And even if a fitting skill ends up being less than ideal it won’t matter. If it gets made a class skill you got the general skill slot again. Any questions?”

“No, I… Thank you for all this and I think I will follow your advice,” Liana responded.

After the talk of skills, both conversationalists quieted down and relaxed. They did engage in idle talk, and Ionis told Liana a bit about herself on occasion. Seldomly they were interrupted, when their driver thought it acceptable they took short breaks to water the transport monsters. As the day began to wane so did the power the guertls could deliver, subsequently, the pace of travel decreased and their coachman once again called for a quick halt.

“My lady, We will reach the post station fairly soon. I just let the guertls pause to rehydrate one last time. We should be on the move in just a moment,” the coachman said through the door and left again.

Ionis had a different idea it seemed. The woman leaned out of the window to yell at the driver's back.

“No worries, we will take a short break here and stretch our legs. You can take a short break if you want.” Turning around to Liana she spoke again, “Let’s see what that fancy spell of yours can do, shall we? Let’s see if I got my money’s worth,” Ionis said, a cheeky smile barely visible as she turned away.

Outside they moved fairly close to the guertls. Close enough that the driver had tried to discourage them from stepping any closer. Ionis had disregarded the warnings and approached further together with Liana - who was dragged behind the woman - until Liana confirmed that both monsters would be covered by her skills effect.

“Start at your own discretion,” Ionis requested. Turning around she yelled at the driver scaring the guertls in the same action.

Guertl Lvl 53 - Tamed

“Eyy, you might wanna stick close. Will probably we worth it.”

But Liana didn’t spare the shout a shred of attention; the monster's attention was on them now, and their taglines were enough for her to want to run away.

What is wrong with her, couldn’t she have just asked them like a normal person, Liana wondered, not for the first time.

“What are you waiting for, go on. Daylight’s waning. Hop hop,” came the less than encouraging voice of Ionis. Sighing Liana followed the promptings of the woman, knowing full well by now that there was no point in arguing.

Taking the first steps of the dance that summoned the breeze Liana stopped paying attention to the world around her and only the guiding movements of the skill.

She felt odd, each time she used it. The movements were hers, she knew as much, but they also felt alien, brought onto her by some external force. Time passed as she mused on the topic until the guidance given by the skill stopped and a breeze picked up.

[Ocean Breeze] has increased in level

“Woow,” Liana said, staring at the message. The first two level-ups for the skill had come easily, but in the last week, its level hadn’t budged. Now it suddenly had, unexpectedly.

“Ohh, this is quite nice, and a bit stronger than what I remember. No change in satiation though, that would have been great, how do you feel?” she asked the last question directed at the driver.

With a bow, he turned to Liana and thanked her.

“I appreciate this very much miss. The effect is very much appreciated. Makes me feel a bit younger again, as though I hadn’t just sat on a wooden bench for the better part of the day,” he said. Ionis chuckled in response.

“You are a tamer, is that correct?” the inquisitive woman asked the coachman.

“Something of the sort, yes. It is a handler class. May I ask why the lady is interested,” he responded.

“Can you see the exhaustion of your beasts? If yes could you tell me whether that has changed in the last few minutes?” Ionis further inquired.

“Yes indeed, one moment please.”

“By Tions reigns, what did you do. They are up to almost half again. Can you do this again? If you can keep this up we can ride through the night,” he coughed. “If the Lady finds that acceptable. We might even be in Larkos by tomorrow at noon,” the coachman said, excitement palpable in their voice. The words guzzled out of them as from a spring.

“Well, can you?” Ionis asked directed at Liana.

“Yes I’m good for a few more rounds, at least five or six, I think. I’ve never tried to go all out before,” the apprentice responded.

“Then go ahead and do so. Try to suppress your [Dancing] for this time around,” she said and started furiously rubbing her hands against each other. “This is prone to be really interesting. Maybe you were right about picking the skill after all. Let’s see,” Ionis instructed.

“How do I suppress a skill. I didn’t know that was possible at all,” Liana asked looking puzzled at the woman.

“It is fairly easy in effect but requires concentration. You need to actively will your skill to stop working, stop affecting you. There is also a skill related that is called [Skill Suppression], which you can unlock that way - that one is actually quite interesting because it gives you the attribute of the skill you first suppressed when you take it. Uhm where was I… Right, just think really hard that you don’t want the skill to take effect,” the prompt and muddled answer came.

Following her master's instructions, she began the dance once again, though the effects of [Dancing] still flowed through her. It took another seven tries until she managed to start [Ocean Breeze] without the effects of [Dancing] contributing.

“Good man, could you check you beasts again, please,” Ionis instructed after Liana had completed the required movements to the skills satisfaction.

“It is a bit weaker than last time. They are now at a bit more than three in four of prime condition. But this is amazing if I may say so myself. I too feel very refreshed,”

“Liana, you are gonna be the most wonderful apprentice there ever was,” Ionis said and hugged Liana, who was not sure how to react.