[b][color=#CE2B95]"G-gold?!"[/color][/b] Yue blanched, wide burgundy eyes flicking down to the last corner of toast perched between her fingers. At least ten seconds passed; from her perspective, twenty minutes of the mind-melting horror that [i]'Oh God, I just ate gold for a snack! I didn't even butter it, the decadence of this limited underground commodity was wasted on my bland taste! How am I ever going to pay this back?'[/i]

And then she finally looked up to see Raudd's mirthful expression.

Yue suppressed the urge to throw the book at him, remembering that the spooky tome was both invisible and intangible to the man, and would do naught but make her get up and fetch it from the other side of the room. Yue huffed, exhaling the breath she'd been holding after taking a moment to recompose herself and crunch the last corner of toast.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"Something like that. When I went looking for spells to learn I was basically told to 'figure it out' and 'good luck.' "[/color][/b] she finally answered.  [b][color=#CE2B95]"I guess I'm just having a hard time seeing the value of all this new information with no practical way to apply it, compared to the thing I can already do,"[/color][/b] she sighed, flipping her hair over one shoulder so she could braid it idly in thought.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"And no, I didn't sleep well. I have frequent night terrors. Normally I'd be logged in to Final Odyssey to keep my brain occupied while my body rests. Otherwise I thrash endlessly, wake up in sleep paralysis, or have my 'fight or flight' triggered hard enough to forget where I am. It's better for everyone if I don't sleep, in the traditional sense at least."[/color][/b]

[b][color=#c45302]"Well, sorcery is an extremely personal journey for everyone,"[/color][/b] Archer quipped. He had appeared sitting next to her with her coffee in his hands, causing her to flinch and squeak. He stole a quick slurp from her cup and made a face.  [b][color=#c45302]"You're a barbarian: no cream?"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#CE2B95]"That's basically what the [i]book[/i] said,"[/color][/b] she hissed, slapping him in the thigh with a frustrated huff.  Archer giggled maniacally for a moment.

[b][color=#c45302]"I have a bad habit of repeating the words of other people, it seems,"[/color][/b] he smirked and endured her withering glare, stealing a second sip before he let her take the cup back.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"How long until this becomes something [i]useful[/i]?"[/color][/b]

[b][color=#c45302]"Depends on what you consider 'useful,'"[/color][/b] he answered thoughtfully, rubbing at the stubble that was accumulating on his chin and neck with a distasteful expression.  [b][color=#c45302]"My opinion, take it as you will, is that the 'thing you can do' already is very powerful, so maybe we focus on supplementing that by expanding your utility. Or shore up some of your weaknesses,"[/color][/b] he shrugged.

[b][color=#CE2B95]"Hmm,"[/color][/b] Yue grumbled, suppressing the urge to make a Final Odyssey comparison.