[Center][h1]A Promised Deal[/h1][/center] [hr] [Center] [color=8882be]Ingrid[/color] [@dragonpiece] & [color=#6633CC]Zarra[/color] [@BreathOfTheWoof][/center] In the campus library, Zarra patients stares at the copy of 'Helegans: A Missing History' which admitted he had to pulled some strings to attain, sitting rather uncomfortably on the public dark oak seats, their height just low enough for his knees to stick out. Across him is Ingrid, glasses glaring from nearby candle lighting. Ingrid was reading up on how mana worked in blood. Having absorbed a few aberrations, Ingrid always felt the ick travel through her veins. So to read up on mana manipulation and where the Mana actually resided was in her mind the secret for getting the wand to work. She hoped at least. Little was known about the Hegelans so it was hard to say if it would be useful to study the Hegelans or Mana itself. This duel approach would help a lot. Ingrid took off her glasses to clean them as she talked at Zarra, [color=8882be]”Have you found anything of particular interest yet Zarra?”[/color] Ingrid had hoped that his research was baring easy fruits this early into their research. [color=#6633CC]"Not really, unfortunately. First off, the title itself is a lie, it's not remotely about Helegan history. It's just a story about a dude named Claude who is travelling to a supposed Helegan settlement. 'Day 51, I peed on a rock!', it doesn't obviously say that, but it equates to that. And half the book is him just trying to survive the wildlife with his supposed RAS of 8.88"[/color] Zarra looks clearly frustrated he got an adventure autobiography instead of a genuine textbook. Ingrid chuckled quietly at his frustration with the text before waving her hand at him apologetically.[color=8882be]”Sorry, I didn’t mean to laugh but the way you stated that was much funnier than I expected.”[/color] Ingrid put her glasses back on before speaking in a more assured tone, [color=8882be]”It’s only the first day Zarra, plus your not even done with the journal yet. Their may be more things inside of it. The Hegelans aren’t considered to be mostly legends for nothing. Maybe you can use his geographical area to determine if you should look in other areas.”[/color] Ingrid started to read her own book again, and now in a more monotone voice, [color=8882be]”If it makes you feel better, so far this book feels like a very general overview of what I knew. So maybe I also need to dig deeper after this. But that is what research is right?”[/color] [color=#6633CC]"Don't forget your shovel."[/color] Zarra says with literalist snark. More awkward time goes by as 1 page flip turns into 5, which turns into 50. After all hope seemed lost they would get something, Zarra furrows and rereads a passage. [color=#6633CC]"Aha. Here, he meets a Helegan on the outskirts of the mountains. He asked about their runes on their faces and armor, and the Helegan responded essentially that it is their language, but also an art. Each rune grows with every generation. It would be the equivalent to plasting your family tree to your clothes… But I am beyond doubtful that my bloodline is Helegan in origin. Plus it doesn't solve how runes are applied to tools, such as a wand."[/color] Zarra puts the book down and pushes his leg while turning his torso, audibly cracking stiff muscles. In a surprised tone, [color=8882be]“Oh so he actually met the Hegelans? That is pretty cool. And they use runes. Old Eskandish uses runes but I doubt that they have any power in them. As for me I have a theory but I need to do more research because it might be a bit to extreme.”[/color] [color=#6633CC]“No Ingrid, I’m not going to sacrifice baby birds to get it work, a man has to have some ethics…”[/color] Zarra rolls his eyes at his own sarcasm. [color=#6633CC]“Speaking of a lack of ethics, didn’t you say as part of your blood research, you were gonna engage Trypano? Are they willing to give information out for free?”[/color] Ingrid shook her head a little to play along with the sarcasm, [color=8882be]“Zarra I sacrifice at least a bird and 5 baby birds everyday.”[/color] Ingrid stopped the sarcasm by changing her tone of voice back to that monotonous way of speaking, [color=8882be]“In all reality Trypano would be able to help us for a price but it is a price that I believe you cannot bear very easily. She is also a binder like yourself but I would consider her a higher class one. Apologies, but she may ask for time with the wand as well and I assume you don’t want more people on this project?” [/color]Ingrid raised an eyebrow wondering what he truly thought about it. [color=#6633CC]“You make a good point, I don’t want the wand to play hot potato or I’m never going to see it again. I’m sure I could do the price, it’s just gonna be something likely very weird and out of left field and I’m going to regret all my life decisions up to that point.”[/color] Zarra is not really reading the book anymore at this point and has his full attention with the banter between his research partner. Ingird still having a seriousness to it, [color=8882be]“She would probably take parts of your body and experiment on you since you are a rare specimen.”[/color] Ingird looked back over to him seeing he had stopped researching. Ingrid started to collect her things, [color=8882be]“My research should be over in a couple of days. We can meet up here in a few days or you can come to my room after school when you wish.”[/color] [color=#6633CC]“I would like the latter but I don’t like your guardsman, I’m sure he does it to everyone, but he gives me stares. He probably doesn’t like that I'm a greyborn and can essentially sneak past him at any time I please, plus, my parents have expressed they are in fact coming, so it would be simpler if we shared research while doing that at the same time.”[/color] Zarra seems to be trying to make more intelligence decisions this time around, though the futility of that is beyond him. Zarra seems to not like Eirik, Ingrid’s guard, and Ingrid can confirm the feeling is not 1 to 1. No, Eirik dislikes Zarra much more than Zarra dislikes him. In fact it was worrying to say the least but Ingrid trusted Eirik to not kill Zarra just because, even though at times it has felt that way. Essentially, Eirik hates kids like Zarra. So Ingrid lied, [color=8882be]“He does indeed stare at everyone. If you are uncomfortable with him, how about we go to my bedchambers? I have essentially another study in there.”[/color] The boy looks confused more than anything, [color=#6633CC]“I assume you bringing it up, that you’re ok with that? You and I both know how dangerous it is with you being such a celebrity.”[/color] While it did not come off in a complimentary tone, Zarra genuinely seems to mean that Ingrid is popular and liked enough to be one of the supposed ‘popular kids’ of the school. [color=8882be]“You would be entering my dorm, Zarra. From there I would guide you to my bedroom. No one will see.”[/color] Ingrid had collected her things at this point and was beginning to rise from her seat. [color=8882be]“Plus my popularity has waned recently so it should be fine.”[/color] Ingrid started to head off. It was up to him if he would patiently wait by himself or come to her room to continue her half of the research. Zarra seems to get up along with Ingrid, not really with purpose like her, more of ‘so what are we doing next’ kind of manner, he continues to follow her as if somehow this question will answer itself. Ingrid looked at him, [color=8882be]“Um, Zarra, I thank you that you believe I’m talented enough to have a theory to test right away but it is going to take a few days to make me comfortable with presenting it to you. I more meant that since your research has come to an end, if you wanted to help me out, I would be in my room…”[/color] Ingrid questioned where the miscommunication came from. [color=#6633CC]"Oh, sorry. Didn't mean to make it awkward, I was under the impression we were going there now. Alright, I'll talk to you later about it."[/color] —-------------------- A few days pass as students from every corner of Ersand participate in the Societies Faire, Zarra and Ingrid are no exceptions. As promised, Zarra meets Ingrid on [undecided day of the week] with his parents, knocking on her dorm door expectantly. Ingrid wasn’t in tip top shape after all that happened but this needed to happen so she put on a face and moved forward. Ingrid once again had Eirik greet the guests under explicit instruction to be kind and if any attitude would be detected then it was off with his beard. Under this threat Zarra and his family was met with the utmost care and Zarra could swear this was a different person. Once again they met in Ingrid’s study. Upon being told they were entering, Ingrid rose to personally greet them, [color=8882be]“You must be Lord and Lady Travendour, it is good to meet you, please have a seat,”[/color] Ingird gestured to the finely crafted chairs, Normally there was only 2 but Ingrid had another one brought for Zarra to sit in on the talks as well. Now that they were settled, [color=8882be]“My name is Ingrid Penderson, Zarra has informed me that your family are talented ship builders?”[/color] Atlas responded first, his silver hair his most striking feature, it’s likely he’s graying and he just decided to commit to the look, one can only wonder how much they spend on their looks with dyes and obviously well-tailored clothes. Atlas is visibly taller than the rest of his family, but just as scrawny as his son. “Oh no, that’s a myth mostly, I am a ship schematist, I design the boats, we pay for the labor. The only parts we do make are the sails, which is my wife’s specialty.” The redhead that is just over Zarra’s height pipes up. “Atlas, you haven’t even asked the woman for her name!” Atlas seems to glaze his eyes towards the wall before coming with a proper response. “Do we need to? You are Ingrid Panderson are you not? And you are aware of our names? Unless my son has failed to communicate such basics.” Zarra is already feeling the exhaustion of listening to dad talk like his entire life is business. [color=8882be][i]This is going to be exhausting isn't it?[/i][/color] From Atlas’s choice of words, to the mother already forgetting or never even acknowledging I gave my name to begin with. [color=8882be][i]You know I assumed that Zarra was a but an unbelievably quirky child that was uniquely odd. Now I see it was hereditary,[/i][/color] Ingrid thought as she tried to figure our how to continue the conversation. Playing along was probably the best option, [color=8882be]“I am indeed Ingrid Penderson, and I am aware of your names. So to move on, you design the ships and hire shipwrights to build it for you. This is done directly under your supervision no?”[/color] "Yes, exclusively my own. I also own all blueprints, attempting to use them without my express permission will result in legal action." Milennia adds to the discussion, "Yes, same for all my cloth designs, we take our work very seriously." While Atlas is much more stern in his assessments, Milennia seems to give almost a bored or disappointed tone. Atleast they have their priorities in order. Zarra is starting to pick at his nails and hair like a bored kid brought against their will. [color=8882be]“Alright, I can accept that. So then, will you be gathering materials?”[/color] Ingrid asked. Atlas and Milennia look at each other in confusion, before the mom inquisits further, "You own a mine. Why would we be supplying the matetials?" Zarra actually engages for once, even if it's to be pedantic. "Actually, mom. Her family owns the mine. It isn't under her ownership, just like you are with me." She puts her hand to her face with a 'oh' expression, but doesn't seem that shocked she missed such a detail. Ingrid chuckled,[color=8882be] “While I’m glad you belief I could be the owner of a high production mine and forge, I am sadly only connected to them. I can still arrange for quality materials to be delivered to your works site.”[/color] Ingrid seemed confident in this assertion. Atlas continues with the trade conversation, “I am understanding that you are asking us to exclusively build the ship? And you will compensate us for the labor costs; you will be the owner of the ship. If this is the case, I can make an exception to the no manual labor on our part clause, and I will personally oversee the build, this should easily remove a third of the construction time.” Ingrid was impressed but kept it under a laxed smile, [color=8882be]“I see, then we should get to pricing. Since I’m going to be buying and shipping the materials to you, I would like to put a down payment for your build. Then the rest on completion of the Galleon. I believe this is fair as I’m holding a majority of the risk.” [/color] “Oh, honey. Working this us is not a risk.” It’s a little disconcerting that she doesn’t elaborate on that, Atlas visibly wants to contradict her, while Zarra isn’t really able to, he seemed to have fallen asleep of boredom in his chair. His parents seem entirely unphased by this, like it’s just a thing that happens. [color=8882be]“I mean that if I were to pay you fully right now and purchase the materials and then ship them to you, I would be the one risking their capital. It is not that I do not trust you, it is to make sure that there is incentive for you to finish.”[/color] Ingrid hid her irritation at what they said. Atlas pulls out some sort of large tome, starting to sift through and grasping the information again. He turns to his wife, asking a question in the middle of his study. “Are you going to make them supply the sails? You know the price of making them…” she laughs haughtily. “You know the answer to that.” Atlas furrows and continues to study the book, who someone could easily deduce is a financial record of some kind. “Well, we made the decision to supply the sails ourselves, we only trust explicitly our supplier, and your family surely doesn't have easy access to the many pounds of fabrics required. Avoids headache for everyone. With that in mind, the costs are… Three thousand, five hundred magus?” Ingrid was quick to ask, [color=8882be]“What is the break down between the sails and work?” [/color]She was mostly curious. She assumed that sails would be any where between 1400 to 1600 Magus for all the sails. “They’re about 1500, according to my charting.” Atlas responds, “2000 for labor, and for any hiccups that come up” “That’s so much material, looks like I am not sleeping for a few weeks. Not that I got any with 2 kids, haha.” Milennia tried to break the awkward tension of a sleeping Zarra and only Ingrid and Atlas dominating the conversation, the failure is palpable. [color=8882be]“Alright, that seems reasonable.”[/color] Ingrid started pulling out some papers. [color=8882be]“So, would a thousand Magus be enough of a down payment for the labor. I believe the sails do not need to be bought right away?”[/color] “No, I was actually just going to ask if you would like a family logo or anything like that on the galleon? And, no, I will not accept ‘just make it white’ as an answer, it’s part of our trademark to do custom sails.” Milennia shares canderously, [color=8882be]“Well give me some time to commission some art for the sails then,”[/color] it is a small thing she has to take care of so it shouldn’t be an issue. [color=8882be]“So I will start with a down payment of 1000 magus to lock you in and the project will start when the first shipment comes in.”[/color] Ingrid wanted to confirm this since they seem to be a bit airy. Milennia and Atlas huddle together and whisper a little bit to each other. They turn back to Ingrid. “Yep, sounds good to us. We will stay on campus until a contract can be decided.” “Before we do that, my son had brought up the idea of using our hot air balloons for these so called ‘trials’, what is this about?” Milennia hopes asking one of Zarra’s classmates will get her answers. With the main things laid out, Ingrid asked Åsa to start the contract as Ingrid answered some questions, [color=8882be]“Oh, the trials is an event that many schools attend to take part in a variety of games. The overall winners get unknown prizes. And I think a hot Air balloon would be immensely helpful,”[/color] Ingrid said as she shook Zarra awake. Zarra shuffles awake, not particularly tired and more of just understimulated. “And so how many will you need? And more importantly, will they be at any risk of damage?” Atlas has for once taken the backseat in the interaction. [color=#6633CC]“Are you done already? I expected that to take longer.”[/color] Zarra adds naively. [color=8882be]“I cannot say,”[/color] Ingrid replied. Relaxing back into her seat now that business has been finished, [color=8882be]“I have never done so but I believe it would be safe to be ready for some in any case.”[/color] “While we absolutely support our son being creative, surely they’re going to set rules about this in the future. If it’s just a one time thing, why bother?” interprets Atlas. “Got anything to defend yourself mister?” Millennia says to her son, rather confrontationally at that.[color=#6633CC] “You never listen to me. I told you it’s for a trial where we have to rise for as long and as high as possible. A balloon would be able to carry my whole class and Ingrid herself is an Arcanist, she could learn it effortlessly.”[/color] There’s a subtle undertone between the two, while there’s a veil of resentment, it’s never remotely explicitly expressed, how unhealthy… Ingrid coughed to make her way back into the conversation, [color=8882be]“Lord and Lady Travendour, I believe Zarra’s suggestion was quite ingenious. No one would be able to replicate your technology and if you are worried about the use of it, I am quite capable of keeping it afloat.”[/color] “It is more about the fact being that this is a competition of sorts, there’s a high likelihood someone will attempt to destroy your balloon to make sure you can’t stay afloat.” Atlas fairly reasons. “We could attempt to use it as advertisement, but I don’t know how good of an idea this is. If Zarra has not told you, I am Revidian, but my husband is Perrence.” Like a true couple, Atlas finishes his partner’s thought. “The single last thing we want is to brandish ourselves too much and get pulled into the war, as we’ll be betraying one, if not both of our home countries.” [color=8882be]“Lord Travendour, with all do respect, unless you have the population, the children, or the capital, you will find yourself in the war. A balloon that exists as a luxury item would do little to make people weary.”[/color] Ingrid was speaking mostly because it seemed to need a mage to operate it. And unless it could directionally move itself, hold hundreds of people, and move vast cargo, then it would at best be a footnote if war was to break out. "You seem to misunderstand, I am talking about our ships. Being used to transport men and weapons. While our balloons are our prized inventions, they do not always pay our bills." Atlas retorts this in a rather patronizing manner. [color=8882be]“Then simply don’t mark the as your own,”[/color] Ingrid responded. [color=8882be]“Then when the war is over, I will let you take claim for building it if you are truly worried about this.”[/color] Ingrid didn’t care that much since this honestly wasn’t her issue. They want to build the ship and they want the cash. And so the finalization of the business is done, and Zarra and Ingrid are able to reconvene and share research as promised. Ingrid had sent word to Zarra, [color=8882be][i]Meet me in my bed chambers during the early hours of Eshiran. Make sure you are clean and bring a spare set of clothes, I doubt you will be returning to your own bed that night.[/i][/color] Zarra is understandably a little spooked by these instructions but ultimately follows them, bringing a set that he has less remorse for if they happen to become damaged in any way. He knocks formally at her chambers while bringing along a borrowed book from the campus library. Åsa, Ingrid’s secretary, answered the door and smirked when looking at him, “It seems you followed her message, Zarra. The Lady will be pleased.” She turned as she guided him to the Ingrid’s bed chamber’s. Letting him in before shutting the door behind him In the room was Ingrid in her normal clothing, maybe dressed down a bit. On her desk were plenty of cloth and sutures. Along with what seemed to be a sharp dagger and a pot of water. Ingrid took notice of Zarra,[color=8882be] “ah, Zarra, you made it. I believe I have something to show you,”[/color] Ingrid smirked. [color=#6633CC] "So where's the part where I never see the light of day again?"[/color] Zarra quipped while looking at in his mind some sort of sacrificial ritual set-up. [color=#6633CC] "I see we had vastly different ideas on how to handle the wand. I was gonna suggest we attempt to put as much power into it as possible, see what the upper limit of it is, if we learn anything from that…"[/color] Well it is similar, Ingrid thought but decided to cut to the chase. [color=8882be]“By my research, the wand is activated by Mana and if combined spells are the line of logic we are using in this case, then I believe cutting yourself to let your blood run over the wand would bring out its power. Essentially, we need to have your mana interact with the wand. But we are neither skilled enough to do that so cutting ourselves should be an effective substitute for our lack of skill.” [/color]Ingrid held the dagger in her hand quite confidently. [color=#6633CC] "Hugo gave me this nice old fancy wand and I'm told I have to bleed on it, gnarly. Does it matter where I'm cut at? It sounds easier to do on like the arm or elbow over a sensitive part like my hand. Just don't make me bleed too much or you're gonna have a dying grayborn in your room."[/color] Zarra seems rather squeamish and physically averse to this whole idea. Ingrid responded bluntly, [color=8882be]“Do you hold the wand with your elbow or forearm? We need it to be as close as possible. I would personally recommend we cut a semi sphere into your hand to increase the amount of area it is in contact with your blood”[/color] And Ingrid smiled afterwards, [color=8882be]“Don’t worry about bleeding out, you are a binder after all. Plus I can always ask the Centuries for help if you are truly dying!”[/color] Ingrid was showing an unnerving amount of enthusiasm. [color=#6633CC] "Look Trypano, I gotta cool moon scare"[/color] Zarra says in an intentionally annoying falsetto. He inhales to calm his nerves as he waits for Ingrid to make the incision. There's an obvious look of 'aren't you gonna do it yourself?' but Zarra quickly looks at her like she's legally insane if she expected that to happen. Ingrid sighed, [color=8882be]“Fine.”[/color] She boiled the water to sterilize the blade, then cooled it before carefully cutting a semisphere into his hand. Ingrid held him close, almost holding him to make sure he didn’t move. She gave him a piece of leather to bit down on. [color=8882be]“Do you best to not pass out Zarra, you are your own healer after all”[/color] With that Ingrid did it. Blood started to pool and she said lets begin the testing The leather did little to help as Zarra instead basically just screamed, one of which could probably top Ayla in pitch. [color=#6633CC] "Son of an actual woofaworf! God damn that freaking hurt. Who designs magic items to bleed on?? That's how you get like, every infection in the book!"[/color] Zarra shouts exasperatedly Ingrid covered his mouth to muffle the screams. Last thing she needs is the Centuries busting in and believing she is a blood mage. [color=8882be]“Quiet…”[/color] Ingrid said as she tried to calm him down. [color=8882be]“Now look at that bath filled with hot water. It is very salinated and should be difficult to freeze with your RAS. Absorb from it as much as you can without holding the wand, taking note how you feel.”[/color] Zarra instinctively tries to use his unsliced hand on the water but Ingrid basically stops him and forces him to use the sliced hand. Zarra is understanding he has to freeze the water. Which is made more annoying as he visibly bleeds into it, [color=#6633CC] "Yah. I can feel it cooling but barely, if it were any hotter it'd burn."[/color] Zarra impatiently waits for Ingrid to hand him the wand so he can try and get this strange trial over with. Ingird said,[color=8882be] “Good, Now release the heat back into the water and I’ll bring it back up to where it was.”[/color] Once the tub had been reset, [color=8882be]“Roll the wand in your blood and then set the pearl in the wound, then draw and see if you feel any difference.”[/color] Ingrid was doing her best to comfort him by holding him as he went though a lot of pain. [color=#6633CC] “Do I put the wand in the water? Do I use my hand after touching the pearl? Gotta be a little more specific here…”[/color] What sounds like basic instructions to the Penderson clearly does translate well to the Travendour. [color=8882be]“Grab the wand like you would hold it in the injured hand. Do not put in water, draw the heat at a safe distance now using the wand and trying to focus on it. Then release the heat back into the water and note any differences. Do you understand”[/color] [color=#6633CC] “No, absolutely not,”[/color] Zarra proceeds to do exactly as Ingrid asks, making the denial to be entirely rhetorical. As Zarra does so, the water visibly stops steaming and if he decided to push for any longer, he could get the water to freeze as well. [color=8882be]“Alright, that is a small change! But a change is a change! Lets repeat this a few hundred cycles tonight and then tomorrow we can do some kinetic testing on ships bobbying up and down in the on the dock!” [/color]Ingrid seemed to be wanting to kill this poor boy… Like she had some ulterior motives. Or she could just be excited about researching. [color=#6633CC] “Uh, Ingrid, I am going to probably cry tears of boredom if you think I’m going to stay here for hundreds of tests. I’m happy to do less than that, but at that point any possible benefit the wand would have would be canceled out by my complete lack of focus.”[/color] Zarra argues while he wipes down the bloody and wet wand with his undershirt. Ingrid grips onto Zarra, [color=8882be]“Zarra? This is research. And if we want to get to use this during the Trials to win then we need to put forth a grand amount of effort. Now sit down and do magic”[/color] Ingird voice seemed friendly but it seemed a little threatening in the way a tutor would. Zarra sighs before sitting down, deciding he better get comfortable. And with that Zarra is not seen for the entire rest of the day and night. Some say you can still hear his girly screams from the floor below. The end. The end of that day! Ingrid was not done with her training of Zarra to unlock the potential of the Wand. Every day she was cutting him open to get him used to casting with it. From moving boats to increasing chemical reactions to simply burning things. More tests to get him used to the wand. Ingrid was ruthless. Zarra cried a lot. Like a lot. But in the end, he could pull a decent amount out of the wand but their was no idea if they had reached the bottom of the wand's potential.