~Lisa~

I let out a faint sigh as the others faded from view. I could feel the hidden tension in my temples loosen as the social pressures reduce. I’m not exactly a hermit, but constantly being surrounded by others took a toll on me mentally, and I welcomed a moment to unwind even under the current circumstances. I’m still not alone yet though. Kot is sitting up on a boulder acting as my silent protector with his back towards me.

Deciding that I’ve procrastinated long enough, I unpack some supplies from my bag and get situated as best I can. A flattened rock is the best I can do for a desk and a half rotten log is even less appropriate for my chair but it could be worse. The talismans I’m crafting are relatively simple, anyway. They require no fancy circles, full moons, or demonic sacrifices; just a pen, some ink, and a surface to write on.

Simple wooden slips shaved from fresh maple make a decent enough canvas. It’s not the best for wind related enchantments, but maple is cheap and versatile. The pen is a bit more specialized, made from the feather of a swan and nibbed with a pinkish alloy of Nickel and Tin. It works well for most enchantments focusing on flow. As for the ink, I honestly had no clue what was inside. I’m lacking both in talent and interest regarding alchemy, but research, experimentation, and instinct have allowed me to get a feel for the magical properties within the mixture. For the price, it had better work anyway. The liquid is milky white and extremely thin, wanting to bead and roll free rather than attach itself to the material. When the ink finally relents and dries onto the canvas, it dissipates into a sedate smoke, drifting down and outwards.

After taking a moment to organize my temporary office, I started drawing the glyphs. I have often heard others describe the enchantment process as riding a peak-breed horse at a full gallop, just before a storm. It was different for me. After dipping my pen, I started channeling. My heart rate rose, my blood pressure increased, and a chill crept from my center throughout my limbs. As the pen hit the wood, I could feel my endurance slowly being drained, as if going for a jog on a windy morning just before the first snow of winter.

For the glyphs themselves, I used gusts of air, swaying grass and fluttering snow. Enchanting is all about groping blindly until you find something that works for you all while hoping you have the finances to continue until you reach success. There are guides, treatises and tutors all promising the most potent of insights for anyone with enough talent to learn, but replication of success is often impossible. The magic itself depends on the practitioner just as much as the materials used. All that others can offer is perspective, options, and alternatives.

One could spend an entire lifetime reading such treatises. All written by famed geniuses with endless talent. Often conflicting practices and ideologies work flawlessly for the respective authors with the absolute fate that their way is the correct one. That is why masters select their disciples while they are still young, when they have yet to truly form their own identity, letting their personality be more heavily influenced by their master. The hope is that similarities will increase the compatibility of any guidance that is passed down.

The same symbol can vary depending on style, intent or time. To add further confusion, they can have wildly different results depending on how the sequence is arranged. The best advice I have heard is to focus on the myths involving the materials and the feeling the symbol invokes before applying brute force practice until the desired result is achieved. With luck, the heavens will bestow enlightenment naturally; otherwise, precious elixirs and natural treasures are the only way to form a strong enough foundation to move forward.

With the sixth talisman completed, I’m forced to take a break. I have to apply enough pressure to the pen to etch lines in the wood to prevent the ink from running freely across the surface. It doesn’t take much force, but a cramp in my hand hindered my ability to draw the fluid arches and swirls required of most wind-aspected glyphs.

Kot must have heard the stop of my scribbling, as he spoke for the first time on our journey. He was still facing away, towards the sun. His robes and long black hair flowed gently in the wind, as if held by a current meant just for him. His twirling mustache was somehow left unmolested. He looked like a magnificent master, trying much too hard to impress his juniors.

“Have you yet pondered the matter?” Kot asked sagely, speaking our native tongue.

“I have.” I replied, hoping to brush him off. Seeing his mustache twitch, I began to elaborate.

“The elephant unaddressed is the goal. Avery, Lisa, and I could each be political targets. Ashley’s less likely, as valuable as she would be for producing an heir, it's not worth insulting so many influential families or, worse yet, the church. Could also be the group as a whole being targeted, ransoming three families at once would be bold, but profitable for some roving brigands.”

“Don’t discount the breeder,” Kot warned. “For all we know she's caught the eye of someone in a much higher realm. What other possibilities were swept under the bed?”

“One of our groups might be the instigator.” I said, “Or at least, someone in one of our groups. From an outside perspective, our Violavine clan would be the most likely culprit.”

“And we just happened to be isolated,” he continued.

“I doubt they are treating us with suspicion,” I defended.

“Perhaps not. But if something happens to either of the groups, while we only have one another as alibi…”

“You’re thinking Avery is setting us up?” I asked.

“Who knows. Maybe we are a convenient scapegoat. Or maybe someone is hoping to cultivate resentment.”

“I might consider it, but Avery divided the party while Sara offered me the invitation.” I argued, “Still, a foreign party might be hoping to sow discord.”

“Or they’re working together,” he retorted.

I doubted Kot’s suspicions were accurate. In fact, I was certain he didn’t believe it either. Cultivators have always been a paranoid bunch struggling to stay afloat in a turbid sea of politics.

After massaging and shaking out my wrist I get back to enchanting, effectively ending our conversation. The chirping of birds and buzzing of insects mix with the scribbling of my pen as I become engrossed in my work. The hours flew by and I was forced to rest twice more before I finally called it quits. I had completed fifteen talismans in total but I squirreled three away for later use, just in case.

“Shall we continue waiting here as bait, or seek out our ‘allies’?” Kot asked.

“No use waiting here,” I agreed, arching my back to release a satisfying pop, “might as well find out where we’ll put these to use. There's not much daylight left anyhow.”

Kot scowled. “If you would mind your posture, as a proper lady should, you wouldn’t be tempted to indulge such uncouth actions.”

I turned in the direction Sara and the others headed and left without giving the old man a response. Disregarding such minor formalities is one of the few benefits of being in the wildlands. The rustling of leaves caused me to turn and see the prickle-backed hog trotting to my left; though he was much too distant to be considered by my side. I thought he had left after his wounds recovered, but I guess he decided to watch us instead. I stopped to consider the beast with a tilted head. He stopped for a while as well but eventually snorted and continued as if he just so happened to be traveling in the same direction.

“This creature has a speck of intellect; it would cultivate quickly with the proper master,” Kot hinted.

Ignoring his comments, I continue. Others in my clan may jump at the opportunity to make a pact with a beast showing signs of enlightenment, but if anything it makes me hesitate more. Stories of reluctantly serving beasts biting their time before the opportunity to bite their masters neck are all too common; Hellen's recent escapade is just the most recent example.

“I know your… lineage makes you reluctant to form a pact, but you are the last of your generation that still lacks a companion. If you wait much longer, the others will quickly leave you behind.”

With a scowl, I continue.