Mark of the Fool

Chapter 351: Ancient Rituals and New Applications

The words sounded ancient.

Primal almost.

The melody was simple, yet rang with power.

Alex listened.

Professor Holden Salingers voice filled the centre of camp, carrying with it ancient syllables and a tone that held respect, reverence and esteem. In a moment of deja vu, Alex felt like he was back in the church of Alric, listening to the choir sing hymns in Uldars name. His and Theresas eyes met, exchanging a look of reminiscence.

As Salinger placed his palms together, it struck Alex how similar the poses of prayer were among deities faithful, no matter the deity, and no matter the culture. He wondered if there was something to that, or if it was just one of lifes endless quirks.

The Professors voice fell, finishing a verse, and though he wasnt the best singer, he carried the tune well enough for the others to follow. As his melody repeated, those in the circle joined in, humming along, their voices blending with his words.

Once a single voice became many, the little aeld seemed to suddenly flourish, brimming over with life.

Its aura brightened, pulsing in time with the ceremonial song, pouring out pure glee to all in the circle. The wind roseblowing the saplings leaves in harmony with the pulsating lightthey waved to the songs melody, keeping a steady rhythm, like a heartbeat.

Its singing, Alex thought. In its own way, its joining the song.

Smiling, he used the Mark to learn Salingers words, and though he didnt know the meaning, he joined in.

Their voices carried into the air, rising with the wind.

Then Salinger caught Alexs eye and pointed to the hole before him.

Alright, Claygon, the young wizard thought. Lower the aeld. Slowly. Gently.

Claygon carefully lowered the tree, stabilising its root ball in the waiting hole. Professor Salinger nodded his approval, providing a signal to the participants in the ritual to be ready, he then positioned his shovel over his mound of soil, and filled the blade. Everyone followed his lead, then moving as one, they slowly sprinkled fresh earth over the young trees roots.

With each blade of soil, Professor Salingers assistants swung their censers back and forth, shedding white smoke, dispersing it over the earth and into the hole, mixing it with the growing mound of soil.

Shovel by shovel, verse by verse, and swing by swing, the hole was filling with smoke and fresh earth as the saplings light grew ever brighter. Its incandescence spiked to near blinding when Alex spread the last of the soil over the young trees roots, protecting them from the elements. With the planting complete and the earth tamped downaround the little tree, allowing it to settle in the middle of the encampment, the magical botany professor raised his shovel before him like a knight making an oath of fealty.

And so we honour this spirit in its new home, he proclaimed. May it grow and prosper, and may it share that prosperity with us. Would you like the honour of watering it now that its safely in its new home, Alex?

Of course. Alex summoned Bubbles and brought out another pinch of leas-todhar. He sprinkled Gwyllains gift over the soil around the rootsa light dusting which left a cerulean glow across the earthand sent a happy little wavethrough the trees aura.

As Bubbles watered it, Alex patted its trunk. Welcome to your new home. I hope our care for you matches the good fortune youll bring us.

And then what happened? Selina demanded, leaning over her textbook.

Well, not much after that. Alex took a sip of water, putting it on the soil beside him, well away from their books.

Another sunny noontime, but this one found the Roth siblings on campus a couple of days after the planting ceremony with Alex going over Blood Magic notes and tutoring Selina in magical theory. They were taking a short break, and he was regaling his sister with tales of the windmill, Gwyllain, blue annis hags who had a taste for fae, the aeld tree and the clawed monster.

leaving out parts of the story that werent for random ears to overhear.

I fed and watered the tree for a few days, took care of my duties, and before we knew it, it was time to come back home. And here we are, he shrugged. So thats basically it. Now we just keep feeding and nurturing the tree, and do our best to help it grow.

Awesome! Selinas green eyes sparkled. Can I see it?

Well, Im not sure about that, actually, Alex said. We cant really bring visitors into the encampment whenever we want. And the lands still not safeyknow, like I just said. Plus, Im pretty sure Professor Jules would tear me in half if I brought my sister there. but, I dont knowmaybe when the research castles finished? Itll probably be safer then, but... Theres still lots of monsters back home.

Hrmwell, I hope I get to see it one day She paused. Whats home like now? With all those monsters there?

Alex blew his breath out. I havent actually been back home home, not to Alric at least, butlets just say I get why everyone has to leave until the Raveners defeated.

She swallowed. I hope the taverns okay. And the rest of townif a big battle happened there like it did at the windmill, it doesnt sound like thered be much of our hometown left.

Alex sighed. Well, the army tries to defend towns and cities, especially important ones. So maybe Alric will be okay. Its important to Thameland because the Cave of the Travellers nearby.

Selina frowned. Butits our home. We live there. Lots of people do. It has the summer festival, and the church, and the magistrates officewouldnt that make it important enough?

Alex considered that. There were many ways he could answer her; many sweet lies he could tell to paint the picture of a kinder world for her. But, when it was all said and done, a half-truth would still be a lie. And Selina had grown beyond sweet lies that were meant to shield children.

Well, we think its important. Alex leaned back against Claygons leg, his hands resting on the grass. Butyou know how the world just seemed to move on in the Rhinean Empire and here in Generasi, even while all of Thameland was running from the Ravener? Its kinda like that. We think our towns important, but theres a lot of people out there who think their towns more important than ours. And the officials who decide where the army goes make those decisions. Since the Cave of the Travellers important to everyone in Thameland, it means theyll protect our town more than other towns.

Selinas frown deepened. Hm, she said. Kinda like how the flour in that windmill was probably important to somebody? But you needed to blow those monsters up, so using it to burn them was the better choice.

Exactly, Alex said. Itskinda grim when you think about itbut maybe healthy in its own way. The worlds a great, big, wide placewith good things and bad things happening to people weve never even met. They dont know about the things that happen to us, and we dont know about the things that happen to them. So basically, we just have to decide how much of our lives and spirits we use for othersand who we use them on.

Hmm, you sound like Baelin, she said.

Yeah, I think hes rubbing off.

She giggled. Youre not scary like he is.

Hey! he said, pretending to be offended. Im sure those monsters were plenty scared of your mighty brother.

More like mighty, lame brother. She rolled her eyes.

Well, the sister takes after the brother.

No she doesnt.

Yes she does.

No she doesnt!

Yes she does!

They glared at each other. Well, the tree wasnt scared of you. If you were so big and scary, itd be scared of you, wouldnt it?

Of course not, I just saved it like it was a damsel and I was a brave knight from a fairy tale! It could feel my aura of mighty goodneWait, what are you doing?

Selina had leaned over the grass, pressing her palm to her lips and puffing her cheeks out. Tryingnottothrow up.

Ugh. He looked up at the branches of the large tree they were sitting under. I should have Claygon pick you up and put you on one of those branches up there.

He wouldnt do that. She patted Claygons foot, smiling sweetly at the golem. Would you?

For a brief, horrifying moment, Alex imagined his golems first true display of sentience would be to side with his sister. He studied Claygons face with his breath held, looking for signs of imminent betrayalbut, there werent any.

His golem was his usual, stoic self.

Smiling smugly, he turned his attention back to Selina.

The smile dropped.

A deep frown had creased her brow, she looked like something unseen was pressing on her shoulders, like she carried the weight of the world on them.

Before he could say anything, she spoke up.

Alexdo you think the tree would be afraid of me? Do you think itd sense myfire affinity? You said it was afraid of the fire you started.

Oh no, I dont think so, he said. I did start the fire, yet it doesnt fear me. I dont think there's any reason for it to be afraid of you.

Yeah, but you only used fire. Firespart of me she said, sucking her lip between her teeth. Andits a tree.

Well, I dont think itd sense your fire affinity. As far as I know, aeld trees cant sense elemental affinities, he said. Besides, if you treat it kindly, Im sure itll have no problem with you. Youre not just a walking ball of fire. I mean, fire has its own place in the wild: it clears the way for new growth, and burnt things feed the soil. Professor Salinger says fire means renewal. And listen, I used fire to put out the fire in the windmill. So, it can be used for a lot of different things, just like Shiani said. Point is thoughI used fire and it wasnt afraid of me, so I dont think it would be afraid of you. I think it reacts more to how folks treat it.

He raised an eyebrow. Did something happen? You dont usually talk about this stuff.

She looked away, her hand falling on her textbook. In our next classwell be learning more about affinities. SoIve been thinking.

Oh, Alex said. Whatre you thinking about?

I dont know she said. Lots of things, I guess.

He thought about what to do. A part of him considered talking to her teacher about maybe letting her go to the library during that course butwhat would that accomplish? It would just make her more afraid and teach her that she should run from knowledge she might not want.

And if he supported that sort of thinking, he would be telling her that Alric was just as special to everyone else in Thameland as it was to them.

And what good would that lie do in the long run?

Alric was only special to the kingdom because the Cave of the Traveller was so close to it, and the transportation potential it had was enormous. If they came to understand how to control the magic, then the Kingdom of Thameland could be a far different place after the war. A network of teleportation gates could transform Thameland from a remote kingdom, to a trade mecca in under a decade.

That was what gave Alric value, not the fact that people lived in it and loved it.

And Selina had a fire affinity. Nothing would change that. She wasnt going to grow out of it. It couldnt be removed. She couldnt will it away. As far as anyone knew, elemental affinities were as inherent to people as their soul, mana, or flesh and blood. Even more inherent, in the case of flesh and blood: shapeshifting magic could change the flesh.

No known magic could change an affinity.

So would he really leave his sister with the idea that she should run away and hide from the knowledge of something that was inherent to her?

No. That wouldnt help her. Hed have to let her decide for herself,just like hed done before.

Well, what do you want to do? Alex asked. It sounds like your teachers just going to go over what the affinities are like, right?

She nodded.

She wont force you to do anything with them?

No. Selina shook her head. She even said that we werent allowed to do any magic for a long time.

Rightso it sounds like youll just be finding out how some of this stuff works Alex said.

Yeah, I know, she said. Im a little scaredbut Her hand fell on the knife belted at her waist. But I want to find out more.

He smiled, leaning over to squeeze her shoulder. Youre brave. Good for you.

She looked up at him. Butcould you tell me about that fire you made one more time, and how it fought the other fire?

Sure, Alex said. Ill tell it as many times as you want.