Page 11 of The Mage on the Hill
THE LECTUREstarted with introductions, some blah-blah-blah about methodology that nearly put Toby to sleep and finally—
This blockage, if you will, of magical energy is what causes the magically induced seizures and subsequent uncontrolled bursts. Except in rare cases, where the student’s magical sourcing never progresses beyond a minimal level, these unchanneled magic events grow as the student ages until they reach catastrophic proportions. Historically, those who remain without viable Arcana channels rarely survive past the age of sixteen.
There were footnotes about seeing Appendix this and Chart that. Toby ignored those for the moment. He didn’t need to know about the dying part in more detail. What he wished he could have experienced was Darius giving this lecture to a gathering of guild officers. Standing tall and confident, both bright eyes raking his audience as he made his points. He’d probably had a strong voice, one that carried without a microphone. Hints of it remained when he raised his voice, despite the sandpaper rasp.
With concentrated exercises, several students have been observed to bleed off magic when directed to actively meditate on the web itself and its component parts. Exercises using a combination of problem-solving and fine motor skills appear to be most effective. Using this technique to bleed off the blockage of the student’s magical flows, I’ve observed students exhibit less frequent and in some cases less intense magical seizures. By careful observation during these and other exercises, I’ve been able to discern subtle, subconscious preferences for one channel over another and have been able to guide students appropriately.
“Oh, sothat’swhat we’re doing.” Toby wondered if maybe he shouldn’t have known that. Though… since he had no idea where his stupid Arcanum channels were, he didn’t think he could influence the subconscious stuff. Not telling would’ve been for early students, right? While Darius was young and running actual experiments.
It must’ve worked. He must’ve helped some people. Right? It worked… until it didn’t and something awful happened and Darius nearly died. He had to have needed help back then, must have needed support, and the guild tossed him out. The guild….
Was supposed to help. That was why magic guilds existed. They were supposed tohelp. Nauseated, hands shaking, Toby closed the folder and pushed it away.
“He shouldn’t be up here alone,” Toby whispered.
It occurred to him that he might be overreacting. The guild might have ordered him never to teach again, but they might’ve tried to help. Maybe Darius hadchosento be alone. Plenty of evidence that he’d given up on himself, maybe on life. He pushed to his feet, waited for the dark edges to clear from his vision, and went searching for his host. Not in the kitchen or the den. Not in the front parlor or living room or whatever it was called. Not in the cozy little room that looked like a study or the library next to it.
“He didn’t go upstairs. I would’ve heard the stomping. Seriously, how hard is it to find someone that size?”
Turned out it wasn’t difficult at all. It just took Toby longer since he wasn’t moving much faster than a tree sloth. Darius was out on the stone bench by his koi pond staring at the fish. Carefully, Toby eased down onto the opposite side of the bench.
“Hey. Thanks for that.” Toby joined in the koi watching so he wouldn’t make Darius any more uncomfortable. “So I’m like this steam pipe under pressure, and what we’re doing, it’s like a safety valve?”
“Release valve.” Darius shrugged. “Bleeds off.”
“Gotta tell you, I really don’t like the whole bleeding imagery here.”
Darius let out a soft snort. “Leaks.”
“Better, thanks.” Toby ran his palm over the tufted ornamental grass growing beside him. “You think there’s any chance I might make it?”
The rasping voice gained an extra layer of husk. “Everyone dies.”
“Thank you, Mr. Philosopher.” Toby dared a gentle nudge with his shoulder. “You’ve seen people like me before. Taught them. Does it feel like…?”
“Maybe.” Darius squeezed his one good eye shut. “I’ve been wrong.”
The temptation to touch was almost overwhelming, but Toby didn’t think a hug or even a hand on his arm would be welcome. Didn’t take a genius to see how far Darius was wrapped in his pain and guilt, and he’d probably snarl at any offer of comfort.
“Look, I know something awful happened. They wouldn’t tell me details, but it’s not hard to kinda figure out the big parts. And….” Toby stopped and swallowed hard. “And if I’m going to be too big of a danger to you, you need to let me know. I’ll… I don’t know. Go somewhere I won’t hurt you. But I was serious about the Obi-wan part. You’re my last shot.”
Darius shot him a sidelong glare. “No wandering off.”
“Um, okay?”
“You stay with me.” Darius stood and dusted off the seat of his pants. “Dinner.”
Toby couldn’t help a tired snicker. “Not to change the subject or anything.”
Shoulders straighter than his usual hunch, Darius pointed. “You. Need to eat.” He actually held out a hand to help Toby up. “Get you stronger.”
Well, damn. We’re having a conversation. Too shocked to do otherwise, Toby accepted the hand, warmth spreading down his arm as strong, callused fingers closed over his. “Totally on board with this. But I get to help this time, deal?”
Darius blinked at him, something happening in that less than penetrable brain. “Deal.”
OVER THEnext three days, Darius established a routine and monitored constantly. Toby was far stronger than he looked, and his conditiondidimprove rather than sliding further toward a point of no return. They kept up the exercises, Darius reaching back through the years for ones he’d used and inventing others when he needed them. Sheer raw power roiled behind Toby’s walls, just enough seeping through now to keep magical explosions at bay.
He hadn’t expected to discover his student’s natural channels quickly, but it would’ve been a relief.
