The Avatar's Flames (Through the Fire Book 1)

by Benjamin Medrano

  “It’s a very pretty tail, Korima,” Sella agreed, finally getting her dress smoothed out and looking at Korima with a bit of envy on her face. “As are you, for that matter.”

  “Aw, thanks! I sometimes think I’m a bit stocky around elves, but that helps,” Korima replied, smiling again. “Now, how do we go about this?”

  “I’ll be taking some measurements, then I can get started,” Ruethwyn said, considering a moment before asking. “Sella, would you mind writing down the measurements for me? It’d speed this up a fair amount.”

  “Sure, I can do that!” Sella said, smiling again as she set the dress on Ruethwyn’s bed again.

  “Great, here’s the slate and chalk,” Ruethwyn told her, handing over the items to Sella, then pulling out her measuring thread. “Now, let’s see…”

  Chapter 25

  Ruethwyn had trouble stopping the trembling in her fingers as she slowly painted the symbols she wanted onto the silver bracelet’s surface, so she kept taking breaks, staring at the ones she’d completed through the jeweler’s loupe. She’d been forced to redo a couple of the symbols already, but this was easier than carving, and she was thankful to Vrenne for the suggestion she’d made.

  The compound she was using on the silver didn’t do anything on its own, but when combined with another alchemical substance the teacher had introduced Ruethwyn to, it would etch runes into the silver for her. It wasn’t perfect, requiring a fair amount of smoothing and polishing afterward, but it was leaps and bounds easier than trying to carve the metal with one hand.

  The class had been moved to a lab with stone tables and floors, and which also had drains built into the floor. Madeline had protested strenuously about moving into such an uncomfortable room, but Vrenne had ignored her protests. Instead, the teacher had gone over most of the basics of artificing and set them to work figuring out how to imbue single-use spells into magical items. Ruethwyn had been allowed to work on a metal version of her bracelet to hold mana instead, but the thought of the single-use items intrigued her. She thought she had a few ideas that might be able to protect her from a dragon’s breath, if she was unfortunate enough to encounter one again.

  “Oh, drat.” Yalline’s words were loud, considering how quiet the room was, and Ruethwyn looked up in time to see the small segment of wood she’d been carving start falling apart.

  “You put too much mana into your runes, it looks like,” Vrenne said, the teacher approaching and smiling at the young woman. “A warming spell doesn’t need much more than a couple of drops of mana, Yalline, so the excess went into the wood, which could’ve only held together over one or two uses to begin with.”

  “Ah, well, that explains it. I’m just… that was nearly half an hour of work down the drain! I was just testing it,” Yalline said, her voice slightly forlorn.

  “It’s better to have something like this happen here than on a project you’ve been working on for a week, believe me,” Vrenne replied gently, shaking her head. “Once, I lost a staff I’d been working on for a month. I couldn’t work on a project for a week, I was so frustrated with myself.”

  “A full month?” Madeline exclaimed, looking up from her own wooden panel. “That’s… what were you working on?”

  “A staff for an air mage, he wanted to be able to add some additional elements to his repertoire in case he ran into enemies that were weak to fire or the like,” Vrenne explained with a wry smile on her face. “It wasn’t a good day for me, I’ll admit. Still, that isn’t going to help with things. Come on, Yalline, give it another try. Practice is the only way you’re going to learn.”

  “Alright,” Yalline said, taking another panel of wood from the pile in the middle of the table.

  “Hey, Rue? How does this look to you?” Tadrick asked, turning his own piece of wood to face Ruethwyn, who blinked, tilting her head to look at it more closely.

  “Let’s see… you’ve got the basics pretty well down, but the depth of lines isn’t very consistent,” Ruethwyn said, running a finger over the surface and tapping a spot as she added, “Also, this curve is a bit choppy, so I’d say try to smooth it out. Otherwise it looked pretty good for a light spell.”

  “Good, I’m glad I don’t need to start over,” Tadrick said, glancing at Yalline and hesitating before admitting. “I was about to test it when that happened.”

  “I don’t know that yours would’ve disintegrated like hers did, but it might’ve worn out a lot faster,” Ruethwyn said, smiling at him as she shrugged. “Still, I’d best get back to work on this.”

  “Thanks, Rue, I’ll stop bothering you,” Tadrick said, going back to his project.

  Sighing, Ruethwyn picked up her paintbrush again and focused on the bracelet. She’d like to have it working before it was time for the performance, but if she didn’t get to work, it definitely wouldn’t be finished in time. At least classes were going well, though Lissa was keeping her distance after the disaster in the summoning lab, the young woman avoiding Ruethwyn as much as possible.

  Ruethwyn somewhat regretted that, but she couldn’t think of how to make up with the woman. Besides, even the memory of the dragon made her heart begin to race.

  The thought caused her to make the wrong stroke with her brush, and Ruethwyn hissed, setting down the brush and picking up her rag to clean off the bracelet. She really needed to focus better.

  Essryl laid a hand on the door calmly, holding her hand there as the prickling tingle of the wards over Resvarygrath’s laboratory washed through her. Finally, the wards finished their work and the door silently swung open in front of her.

  Stepping inside, Essryl took in the sight of the room with a glance. The laboratory was enormous, as expected for a dragon of Resvarygrath’s size, but it also had a good deal of smaller furniture and equipment inside, the reason for which was quickly understandable when one saw the dragon’s current form. Resvarygrath had taken the shape of a human man, standing just shy of seven feet tall and muscular, his hair long and black, but gilded in gold, and his skin pale beneath the black tunic and trousers he wore. His eyes were obviously draconic still as he flipped through a book, while in front of him were two tables, each of which had a body laying atop them.

  The bodies were different from one another as well. One was the figure which Essryl remembered him taking from the ruins of Mellesyn, which was little more than charred bones, though they’d since been polished to a fine sheen. The other was of similar build but was the mummified figure of an elven woman who’d been deceased for decades or more. The two figures somewhat concerned Essryl, but it wasn’t her business to pry into the dragon’s desires. What he did with his time and wealth was his own business.

  Essryl approached to just within ten paces and stopped, resting easily with her hands on the hilts of her daggers as she spoke respectfully. “You called for me, My Lord?”

  “Yes, I did.” Resvarygrath spoke in his deep, resonant voice, snapping the book shut as he turned to face her, his golden eyes intense. “How are the new servants coming, Essryl?”

  “Tolerably well, My Lord. None of them have gone catatonic yet, which is an improvement over the last group. It might have something to do with me giving them the slightest hint of hope, but I doubt anything will come of that. By the time they lose hope, they should be inured enough to their situation that they should survive the disappointment,” Essryl replied readily, tilting her head as she considered. “A couple are better than others, but the training is progressing at a steady pace.”

  “Good. Now, I’ve heard that you went on a side excursion of some form while you were retrieving this book from Tyrness for me,” Resvarygrath said, hefting the tome in his hand, frowning slightly. “Why?”

  “Do you recall the young woman who was caught in the edge of your flames at Mellesyn, My Lord?” Essryl asked, a sense of amusement bubbling up inside. The dragon always reacted so strangely about when she took an interest in someone.

  “I do. She might’ve been a halfway decent serva
nt if she hadn’t been caught in the blast. Unfortunately for her, she was caught in my augmented breath, and thus had no hope,” Resvarygrath said, frowning even more. “Why do you mention her? Surely she’s dead.”

  “No, she isn’t. She tried to fight me after you left, My Lord, and amused me in the process, so I healed her just enough to ensure she could survive. She now attends Tyrness Academy,” Essryl explained, shrugging. “I went to visit her, and to see if she still had that spark of defiance inside. I’m glad she didn’t disappoint me.”

  “Essryl…” Resvarygrath growled. “If she turns out to be a threat, I will be very displeased with you.”

  “My Lord, she’s an elven maiden less than fifty years of age. She lost an arm to your fire, an eye, and had half her mana veins crippled. Her most potent magic only verges on fifth circle, and any progress she makes will take decades, if not more,” Essryl replied, her smile vanishing as she looked at the dragon. “You don’t truly believe that someone like that is a threat? She intrigues me, no more, and her only chance of retaliation would be attempting to rescue those we’ve taken. Would you rather I dealt with her permanently? I think it’d be a waste of time, but I’ll do so if you ask it.”

  The dragon paused for a long minute, frowning to himself as he drummed his fingers on a nearby table. If he asked her to kill Ruethwyn, Essryl would be quite annoyed with him. Not that she wouldn’t obey, but she’d lose one of her few sources of enjoyment over the last few months, and for a number in the future. Fortunately, it looked like Resvarygrath’s pride was going to win out over his caution as he nodded.

  “Fine, then. If she’s truly that weak, she isn’t worth my time,” the dragon said grudgingly, then added, “I don’t understand why you obsess so over weaklings like that.”

  “The girl may be weak, but the fire in her eyes… it impresses me. I’m curious to see just how far the young woman can go before she breaks. If she doesn’t break… well, that’s even more fascinating to me,” Essryl said, firmly suppressing the other thoughts in the back of her mind. It was no business of Resvarygrath’s how she went about trying to find those of interest to her. “I doubt that you summoned me to speak about some young woman whose hometown was destroyed, though. May I ask what it is you require me for, My Lord?”

  “No, I didn’t, though I was concerned about your activities. The issue is that my previous summoner attempted to steal a number of valuable items from my vault, and I was forced to eat her,” Resvarygrath said, his voice flat. “This has made continuing with my work more difficult than I’d like. However, I also learned from a spy that a young woman in the Tyrness Academy has manifested the full talent for summoning, complete with a soul-bound fire dragon elemental. I want you to acquire her, even if she’s your object of interest.”

  “A summoner?” Essryl’s eyebrows rose, and she frowned as she brought his former summoner to mind. The woman hadn’t impressed her, seeming a little greedy, if pretty enough for a human. It didn’t surprise her that the woman had gotten herself killed. The surprise was that someone at the academy had turned out to be a summoner. Soul-bound elementals were unusual, to say the least. Finally she frowned thoughtfully. “Do you have any additional information on this summoner? I don’t recall seeing one while I was there…”

  “I don’t. You know who the agents are in the city, so you can learn what’s necessary before acting,” Resvarygrath said bluntly, smiling thinly as he added, “It would also give you time to play with the girl you’re toying with, so don’t pretend you wouldn’t enjoy the excuse to go to Selwyn again. Just do your best to ensure that no one knows that you’re the one who took her.”

  “I see… well, I wouldn’t call it toying with the girl, but so be it,” Essryl said, smiling in amusement. “By your leave, My Lord?”

  “Go ahead. Try not to take too long. Though with as long as I’ve waited… don’t rush, either,” Resvarygrath turned back to the tables and opened the book again. “I can wait a little longer if necessary.”

  “As you say, My Lord,” Essryl said, bowing her head slightly, then turned to leave.

  She had to admit that she did look forward to seeing what Ruethwyn had been up to.

  Chapter 26

  “Korima, Sella?” Ruethwyn asked, poking her head into the dining room and glancing around, checking the right first, which turned out to be useful since the two women were sitting at a table with Dana and Delvin, all of them with books out and looking like they were studying.

  “Huh? What’s going on, Rue?” Korima asked, looking up from her book in confusion.

  “It isn’t anything huge. I just was finishing your dress and thought I’d ask you to come up, and Sella as well,” Ruethwyn said, holding back her smile. She was looking forward to surprising both of them. “If you’re busy, we can wait.”

  “Me? But isn’t it Korima’s dress that you’re finishing?” Sella asked, looking confused but setting her book aside. “I don’t mind;I’m just a little surprised.”

  “Korima got the first look at your dress, so I thought it was only fair that you get the same,” Ruethwyn explained, smiling as Korima bounded out of her chair eagerly.

  “That’s wonderful! I’ve been looking forward to it, since you said you wanted a little more time to get the embroidery right,” Korima said, bouncing up on her toes as she grinned. “Does it look good, Rue?”

  “I think so,” Ruethwyn said, hesitating before adding, “It’s nothing compared to the clothing that I’m sure Madeline wears, but I think it’s pretty nice, considering.”

  “I’m sure it is,” Sella said, even as Dana laughed softly, looking up from her book.

  “Madeline probably spends close to a hundred gold per outfit, if not more,” the woman said, glancing at Delvin as she added, “I sincerely doubt that you’d be able to match that without being a dedicated tailor yourself.”

  “See?” Ruethwyn said, nodding in agreement. “My father was skilled, but we were in the middle of nowhere. Simple clothing with a nice bit of embroidery was about as complex as it got out there.”

  “Since I grew up in a similar area and I’ve seen your work, I think it’s more than good enough,” Sella said firmly, shrugging. “Shall we? We do have to get back to memorizing the runes for that test tomorrow, Korima.”

  “Don’t remind me,” the kitsune replied, her ears wilting slightly. “There are so many runes! It’s like learning a language with ten times the letters, and they all have different meanings!”

  “There’s a reason why dedicated artificers get paid so well. Not many people have the patience to pick up the art,” Ruethwyn replied, nodding to the twins as she led the way back to the stairs. “I probably wouldn’t have considered it as heavily if it weren’t for my injuries, if I’m being perfectly honest.”

  “I suppose that makes sense,” Sella agreed, pausing for a moment before asking. “You finished that bracelet, right?”

  “Yes,” Ruethwyn confirmed, raising her hand so that the rune-covered bracelet was easier to see. “It turned out pretty well, I think.”

  “Neat!” Korima said, her voice bright again. “What’re you working on now?”

  “A rather… strange project, honestly. It’s using air magic and energy, with a bit of ice,” Ruethwyn replied, frowning as she approached her room and pulled out her key. “My idea is to freeze the air in a bubble, a sort of stasis bubble, really, since it’d also lock other dimensions briefly. Not freeze the person, mind you.”

  “What would that even be used for?” Sella asked, looking a bit curious.

  “My thought was that it’d make it possible to use to block a dragon’s breath, if I’m ever unfortunate enough to run into one again,” Ruethwyn explained, unlocking the door and opening it. “I’m thinking to inscribe it on a gem, or maybe a nugget of metal. Then I can just toss it at my feet or keep it in my belt pouch to activate when needed.”

  “Oh, that’s a neat idea! Why the dimensional locking, though?” Korima asked brightly, then her ey
es widened on seeing the toga-like light red dress on the bed, the edges glittering with silver embroidery. “Ooh, it’s pretty, Rue!”

  “I’m glad you like it, Korima,” Ruethwyn said, stepping out of the way so the kitsune could dash over to the dress, then closing the door behind Sella. “As for the dimension locking, it’s to keep spells from getting through other cracks, and I think I could potentially use it to delay opponents if I threw the focus at them.”

  “Heh, that’d be clever… how long would it last?” Sella laughed, smiling as she asked, “Korima, want a hand putting your dress on?”

  “Definitely!” Korima exclaimed, beginning to strip again.

  Ruethwyn shook her head as she replied. “I’m still figuring it out, Sella. Probably seconds, no more than minutes if I try to make it as powerful as I can. Remember, it’s a project I’m working on, not something I’ve done before.”

  “I suppose,” Sella said, beginning to help Korima into the dress, though she paused as the tail appeared again.

  It took them a minute to get into the dress, and once Korima was finished, Ruethwyn smiled and asked, “How does it fit? Any problem areas?”

  “Nope! This time it’s about perfect, and I like the embroidery,” Korima replied happily, looking closely at the patterns, then she looked up and asked, “In fact, it looks a bit like some of the patterns I’ve seen on my mother’s dresses… did you research kitsune iconography or something?”

  “Um, yes,” Ruethwyn replied, surprised that Korima had noticed. “I didn’t know if you’d realize that.”

  “Of course I did. I’m observant when I want to be, Rue,” Korima replied with a grin.

  “You outdid yourself with this one, Rue,” Sella said, sighing and shaking her head. “I think you did a better job this time around, in fact. Practice helps, I suppose.”

  “Is that so? Well, in that case I guess it’s good that I decided to use your first dress as a test run,” Ruethwyn said, smiling again as she went over to the wardrobe. “I’m just glad it fit right, as otherwise I would’ve had to come up with another excuse to get the two of you up here.”