Potatoes

Location: Gloria's Temple / Kitchen

Time: Y1502 / 3rd day of the Ice Moon

POV: Liara

*peel potato* (Liara)

Boring.

*peel* (Liara)

Boring.

*peel* (Liara)

Boring.

[The more you focus on how boring peeling potatoes is, the worse it will be.] (Doctor Me)

Doctor Me is right. Of course he is. But I can't help it!!!

[You have us. While your hands peel, you can talk with us!] (Bookworm Me)

Is this a joke? I can't do many things at once. And only I can control our body. This is the only way... We can't take turns doing it. I would if I could.

[Come on! Peeling potatoes doesn't require your full focus, Liara! help me decode their writings!] (Bookworm Me)

Look, I can't! I'm bad at multitasking, alright? If my mind wanders too much I'll just...

*cut* "Ouch!" *thumb bleed* (Liara)

"It looks like even the Gifted One can be clumsy." (Sister Bella, Head Cook)

"I'm sorry, Sister Bella." (Liara)

"Let this be a lesson for you. No matter how small your duty is. Slacking off bear consequences. Do you understand, young Initiate?" (Bella)

"I understand. I'll be more careful, Sister Bella." (Liara)

"Good. Use this rag to clean your cut. And here some more potatoes! So that you can make some more practice!" *grin* (Bella)

"!!!" (Liara)

This is totally child abuse.

[Who knows. Maybe this Sister is right. Peeling potatoes might do you some good!" (Bookworm Me)

[I agree. And you'd better pick up the pace, or it will take you all night!] (Gamer Me)

[Now, if you excuse us, we have lots of things to think about. Magic. Writing! Do your best. After all you are the only one who can control our body. We can't help it. He he he.] (Doctor Me)

... This is totally child abuse.

*peel potato* (Liara)

Boring.

*peel* (Liara)

If I knew starting school would mean having to work, I would have stayed silent longer.

*cut* "Ouch!!!" (Liara)

*giggle* (Bella)

Not a word!

[I didn't say anything.] (Doctor Me)

Sigh... I'll just focus on peeling the potatoes.

*peel* (Liara)

*peel* (Liara)

*peel* (Liara)

I'M BORED!!!

Magical Night

Location: Gloria's Temple / Serina's Chambers

Time: Y1502 / 3rd day of the Ice Moon

POV: Liara

*enter* (Liara)

"It's late, Liara. Were you peeling potatoes all day long?" (Serina)

"Yes! And Sister Bella gave me even more potatoes because I cut myself, and I cut myself even more because of all the potatoes! I'm so tired!" (Liara)

*giggle* "Oh my! It seems you had quite a day, Liara. Come here, I'll heal your hands for you." (Serina)

Since I'm small, Mother kneels in front of me.

"Ouch!" (Liara)

She gently unwrap the rags around my thumb. It hurts a little.

(Serina)

Mother's hands wraps around mine. Golden light is enveloping her body. She really look like an angel!

I carefully observe the magic at works. The blood stains crumble into dust. The shallow cuts on my thumb quickly close leaving a small scar behind. But even the scar is short lived. With the scar gone, the skin is smooth, without even my fingerprints and.~ Oh! There the fingerprints appear. I'm like new.

"There. You are all good now." *kiss thumb* (Serina)

"Thank you, Mother." (Liara)

*smile* "It's alright, Liara. I'll always be there for you. And remember that we all have duties toward Gloria. Sister Bella may look mean to you now, but you'll be thankful to her in the future." *hug* (Serina)

*knock* *knock*

A guest so late? Who is it?

"You may come in, Sister Meridia." (Serina)

"Good evening, Initiate Liara. How are you, today?" (Meridia)

Meridia changed so much since the first time I saw her. She looks like an old woman. Blind, and deeply scarred. But Mother think highly of her.

"Many blessing, Sister Meridia." (Liara)

*pat head* "You speak so eloquently, Liara! It's hard to believe that you are just over two years in age. We expect great things from you." (Meridia)

"I don't feel special. I just want Mother and everyone to be happy!" (Liara)

Leave me alone a while longer, will you?

[Meridia was a great mage once. I could really use some information about magic. Can you ask?] (Science Me)

No! Mother is good too, you know? Plus I don't want to attract any more attention for now.

[That's the right call, Liara. Let's play it safe.] (Doctor Me)

[Safe means boring!] (Gamer Me)

Quiet!

We'll discuss later.

"Liara, Meridia is here to watch over me, as I perform a Ceremony of Gifts on you. It's a spell that will allow me to check on you, and to see if you are healthy." (Serina)

I wondered why I wasn't examined along with the other children two days ago, at the start of winter. It seems they'll do the check up in private from now on.

It works for me!

I trust Mother. Still, I'd better feign some ignorance. I'm not supposed to remember last time. Or the times before that.

[You are learning how to blend in finally!] (Doctor Me)

I can't tell if Doctor Me is praising me or mocking me...

"... Will it hurt?" (Liara)

"Of course not, my sweet Liara. Also Meridia is here to make sure everything goes well" (Serina)

"But she is blind!" (Liara)

[That... Was rude.] (Doctor Me)

What? Everybody knows children are honest and tactless. And I'm a little girl.

[You are becoming really good at using your situation to your advantage.] (Gamer Me)

"Young Liara, magic is complex, but just know this. You can see magic without your eyes." (Meridia)

"Lay down on the bed, Liara. It'll be quick" (Serina)

"Alright, Mother." *lay down* (Liara)

(Serina)

I can feel Mother's magic inside of me. As expected I don't hate it as much as when Meridia was doing it.

...

A few minutes passed. She is focusing on my belly right now.

"Mother, is something wrong with my tummy? You haven't moved from there in a while." (Liara)

"?!? You can feel the place I'm treating?" (Serina)

"Yes. Is that... Wrong?" (Liara)

Let's hope I didn't drop the ball here! I just have no idea what I'm supposed to be able to do! It's not my fault I can feel it!

Magic leave my body. The spell is no longer active.

"No, Liara... It's just... I was thirteen when I first was able to feel magic. And people said I was quick. It's nothing you should worry about, Liara." (Serina)

"Liara, this only mean your aptitude is beyond imagination. You develop at your own rate. Only that rate exceeds anything in our records." (Meridia)

"Anyway don't worry. You are healthy, my child" *smile* (Serina)

I love Mother's smile. I had two useless mothers before coming under her care. Third time really is the charm! I love you, Mother.

"When was the first time you saw magic, Liara?" (Meridia)

"I don't know. I was able to see the lights for as long as I can remember?" (Liara)

No use in deceiving them here. They know I was able to see even as a baby. I can say I don't remember so far back. I do. But a baby is not supposed to remember their first days.

[This is a perfect chance to ask them about magic. Don't let it slip away. Who know when the next chance when we will be able to ask nonchalantly will come.] (Science Me)

"Uhm... About magic. I can see the lights, and I know you call it magic. But I don't really know what it is. Do you think I can make lights myself?" (Liara)

Mother and Meridia look each others in the eyes. They nod. They seem to have come to an agreement.

"My sweet Liara. This woman beside me once was the High Priestess of Gloria. The most powerful enchantress in the continent. She looks like this because of... An accident. But nobody knows more about magic. She now serves as magic teacher for this temple." (Serina)

"I'll give you your very first magic lesson. Get up, close your eyes and extend your hands like you were holding a ball." (Liara)

Yes!!!

I couldn't unlock magic on my own. I just don't know what to do! I need somewhere to start from.

*take pose* (Liara)

"Magic comes from the mind. This exercise is simple. You must imagine yourself holding a ball of light. Strongly. With every fibre of your being. If you do this every day, eventually~ (Meridia)

"..." (Serina)

*orb of light* (Liara)

"I think I can see the light! Is it working?" (Liara)

...

*grin* "It is, Gifted One. The light is definitely there." (Meridia)

Practice

Location: Gloria's Temple / Serina's Chamber

Time: Y1502 / 24th day of the Ice Moon

*enter* (Liara)

Mother's chamber is empty. Good.

Adults have it harder than us children. Duties fill their days from dawn until dusk.

This mean I have Mother's chamber all for myself!

Other children go play in those hours, but the games they do are boring to me. And there is something I must do.

Meridia taught me the basics of magic.

She taught me that it comes from the mind, that one must stay still, think about refining the aether in threads, like you would from wool. She even showed me how Sisters make clothes to give me a proper mental image.

She was the greatest mage in the continent.

And she is wrong.

[That's the power of the Scientific Method. They do things the way their ancestors did them. It's against their very being to doubt their teachings. But that prevents them from developing more efficient ways to weave magic.] (Science Me)

Every day since that first lesson, Science Me asked me to try do things in different ways. Making experiments.

In our world too, sometimes, an untrained could discover new things. An untrained has no bias. They don't know how things are supposed to be done, so they try unreasonable and weird things. Most of the times failing, but not always.

Sometimes math teachers hide unsolvable problems in entry tests to see if a freshman can solve it by trying something nobody else tried before.

Most of the times nothing happens. And no harm is done. But other times a student succeed. And everything changes.

I close my eyes. I focus my attention on the tip of my fingers. And I start dancing.

Rather than thinking about collimating a moving point in a 3D space, I collimate on the tips of my fingers. All ten of them at once. And I physically move my hands to weave the magic threads.

Meridia taught me that a mage has to be perfectly still in order to weave. Wrong. By moving, I can weave 20 times faster and 10 threads at once. A 200 fold improvement!

Meridia also taught me that the scale of the magic that can be weaved depends on how much aether you refine. This is correct. And means that In terms of raw magic I exceed most people here right now. I still lack experience and knowledge though.

But I'm just two years old. Give me time!

*grin* (Liara)

I dance for about a minute. Now I'm surrounded by long thin magic threads floating around me.

The threads are still attached to my fingertips and move according to my will. I can use them to do many things.

I used them to physically move objects at a distance. To make visible light.

Today I'll try to make something else.

With my eyes closed I imagine my threads forming together, intersecting each others, forming something similar to a sheet or a grid. Shaping itself like a dome.

(Liara)

I open my eyes, and stop focusing on my barrier.

[Success!!! The barrier is invisible to the eye, but it's there. The thread are sticking together even without focusing on them. Now, I want you to test its strength.] (Science Me)

I extend my short arm outside... That's not going to work. The barrier is centred around me. My arms are not long enough to touch it. I'm a two years old baby girl after all...

I pick a wooden sphere from the floor. One of my toys. I throw it against my barrier.

*throw wooden ball* (Liara)

*bounce* *fall* (Wooden Ball)

[Success!!! The barrier react to physical object like an elastic sheet would!] (Science Me)

He he. Science Me is in his natural environment! He really is enjoying himself. He must have missed discovering new stuffs. And working on something that didn't even exist in our world is bringing him pure joy. Good for him!

[Next experiment. Walk toward the bed] (Science Me)

I get what he is trying to do.

I walk toward the bed. The edge of my barrier hit the bed and bend.

My barrier is slightly bending. And I can't move forward anymore. My legs are not strong enough to push the bed. My barrier is a hemisphere, and is larger than the door. I wouldn't be able to go out like this.

[As expected. You are the focal point of the barrier. All outside forces act directly on you.] (Science Me)

[That's bad, isn't it? It's like having a bulletproof vest. Even if the projectile does not penetrate, the skin below has to bear the force of the impact.] (Doctor Me)

[Yes. And I have ideas on how to solve this problem. This is just our first barrier.] (Science Me)

[Guys. Be quick about mastering the basics. You have no idea how many ideas for spells I have. With all the games I played, I might as well have limitless inspiration!!!] (Gamer Me)

[Uhm... I liked to read fantasy works. I'm not sure if they are helpful, but there are ideas for spells I'd like to try too.] (Bookworm Me)

[I can feel the day when we will unlock getting closer. I can't wait to see the outside of this temple! Who knows what this world is like. I want to see it all!] (Explorer Me)

Everyone is fired up! I am too.

I'm a mage!!!

I have the help of dozens of personalities with wildly varying experiences. I have a body with unbound aptitude, surely a gift from . On top of that I have a broken unique power!

I have a loving mother, the greatest mage in the continent to consult and I'm in an environment where my talents are being nurtured!

Life is good.

*radiant smile* (Liara)