The Watchman did not have to wait long but busied himself in the lull. He inspected the trip wire that Caesi’s ankal had created. The lines were interwoven into every tent in such a way that one could tap into the lines and learn when people or animals had come and gone. The design was something that he could easily replicate and the practicality was in the simplistic brilliance. It was so simple that Azmere might have blushed if his awareness was capable. How had he not seen that application before in all his years of dabbling in the art? It was of no consequence. He had already learned something during this small adventure and felt almost rejuvenated; ready to begin instructing his pupil.
When the girl’s spirit joined the web, the ripple she sent out caused Azmere to turn and observe her for a few ticks. She was enthralled which was both fantastic and dangerous. He made mental notes to caution her in the same way that he had been taught. The wide-eyed expression made Caesi seem so young that it almost took Azmere back but he had a lot of practice at hiding his expressions. He smiled at her with his crooked grin and nodded. Her small frame presented itself net to him and began the lesson.
“This is the web but most of what you are seeing is relatively new.” He motioned to the brighter lines that encircled her pavilion and wove along the objects, animals and people. He moved and stood next to a dim thread that ran almost through the middle of the Starguide camp. It was very low to the ground as if it had been set into the soil. The archer stooped over it and motioned for Caesi to do the same. “This is a part of the old web. Every pavilion has its own web and each clan has its own as well but everything is tied to the Web.” He stressed the final words and made a big backward sweeping arch with his muscular arms. “The lines criss-cross the Sea of Grass and give us access to information of many things. When you bonded with your strider, you were tied to the web.” Azmere pointed to the glowing belt the girl seemed to wear and touched the intricate knot of djed that hung from her hip. He then turned so that she could see the knot which kept him bound to the intricate pattern of djed. “As a Drykas, we can be found anywhere in the web if the mage has enough skill and knows what to look for and the same holds true for anything you attach.”
Azmere stood up, not ignoring her question but wanting to make sure she understood a few things first. “Before you attempt anything, you must understand a few basic rules which will keep you safe.” The watchman signed important and bent his fingers into a quick phrase that indicated that the web was beautiful as she said but also deadly. “The first is never enter the web without someone to remain with your body.” The archer had broken this rule several times and he knew his luck would run out someday. “The second is to always check back on your body. My grandfather taught me this lesson for two reasons; never get lost and to renew focus.” Azmere stooped and grasped the old line and with a thought, he vanished several hundred miles away to check out what was available for training. After he had located what he sought, he returned to Caesi having only been gone a few ticks. The line throbbed like a lute string as the man knelt next to the line and left space for Caesi to join him.
“We’re going to work on travel first and then we’ll come back and I’ll tech you how to read.” When the girl finlly joined him, he pooled djed into his left palm while he explained the basics of movement. “Like striders who are in tune with their riders, we can use the djed lines to travel at great speeds. As a new webber, it is important to understand that once you get so far away from your body, your abilities will grow weak. So I suggest making small trips and gradually increase your distance. The first thing is to touch the web. Feel the djed and trust that it is as solid as Semele’s skin.” Azmere paused for several moments to allow her to experiment and realize the rope she held was pure magic yet fully tangible in this state. He continued to pool more djed in his hand creating a ball the size of an apple. “Once you take hold of the web, travel is as easy as a thought. Find something you can see from where we are and imagine being next to it. The web and your power will carry you to that spot.” The archer felt a warm feeling in his core. Despite being nothing more than the djed which resided in his body, the act of passing on something so sacred as Webbing filled him with a great sense of accomplishment. He was very happy despite his mental and physical wounds and was broadsided by the fat that in the web, he felt no pain. He watched Caesi and reflected on this fact for a while.
When the girl’s spirit joined the web, the ripple she sent out caused Azmere to turn and observe her for a few ticks. She was enthralled which was both fantastic and dangerous. He made mental notes to caution her in the same way that he had been taught. The wide-eyed expression made Caesi seem so young that it almost took Azmere back but he had a lot of practice at hiding his expressions. He smiled at her with his crooked grin and nodded. Her small frame presented itself net to him and began the lesson.
“This is the web but most of what you are seeing is relatively new.” He motioned to the brighter lines that encircled her pavilion and wove along the objects, animals and people. He moved and stood next to a dim thread that ran almost through the middle of the Starguide camp. It was very low to the ground as if it had been set into the soil. The archer stooped over it and motioned for Caesi to do the same. “This is a part of the old web. Every pavilion has its own web and each clan has its own as well but everything is tied to the Web.” He stressed the final words and made a big backward sweeping arch with his muscular arms. “The lines criss-cross the Sea of Grass and give us access to information of many things. When you bonded with your strider, you were tied to the web.” Azmere pointed to the glowing belt the girl seemed to wear and touched the intricate knot of djed that hung from her hip. He then turned so that she could see the knot which kept him bound to the intricate pattern of djed. “As a Drykas, we can be found anywhere in the web if the mage has enough skill and knows what to look for and the same holds true for anything you attach.”
Azmere stood up, not ignoring her question but wanting to make sure she understood a few things first. “Before you attempt anything, you must understand a few basic rules which will keep you safe.” The watchman signed important and bent his fingers into a quick phrase that indicated that the web was beautiful as she said but also deadly. “The first is never enter the web without someone to remain with your body.” The archer had broken this rule several times and he knew his luck would run out someday. “The second is to always check back on your body. My grandfather taught me this lesson for two reasons; never get lost and to renew focus.” Azmere stooped and grasped the old line and with a thought, he vanished several hundred miles away to check out what was available for training. After he had located what he sought, he returned to Caesi having only been gone a few ticks. The line throbbed like a lute string as the man knelt next to the line and left space for Caesi to join him.
“We’re going to work on travel first and then we’ll come back and I’ll tech you how to read.” When the girl finlly joined him, he pooled djed into his left palm while he explained the basics of movement. “Like striders who are in tune with their riders, we can use the djed lines to travel at great speeds. As a new webber, it is important to understand that once you get so far away from your body, your abilities will grow weak. So I suggest making small trips and gradually increase your distance. The first thing is to touch the web. Feel the djed and trust that it is as solid as Semele’s skin.” Azmere paused for several moments to allow her to experiment and realize the rope she held was pure magic yet fully tangible in this state. He continued to pool more djed in his hand creating a ball the size of an apple. “Once you take hold of the web, travel is as easy as a thought. Find something you can see from where we are and imagine being next to it. The web and your power will carry you to that spot.” The archer felt a warm feeling in his core. Despite being nothing more than the djed which resided in his body, the act of passing on something so sacred as Webbing filled him with a great sense of accomplishment. He was very happy despite his mental and physical wounds and was broadsided by the fat that in the web, he felt no pain. He watched Caesi and reflected on this fact for a while.
Textbox courtesy of Firenze
