A curt nod was his only response to the ghost hunter’s thanks. From the man’s expression it was actually appreciated though it he had been surprised. It was a small favor that required little from him. Kynier was not in need of counting his coppers though he suspected that Anja was. The man hunted ghosts. After a few years of living here Kynier had only ever seen two. Anja was also caring for a horse, or Strider as he put it. Adding in the blessing from Dira herself, Kynier suspected that Anja did not have a conventional method of income. With how dedicated the man was to his tasks, his income was probably based off his world magic. And world magics had their own material expenses.
Kynier followed the man’s lead out of the tavern. He bid Lana a good day and she replied with one of her customary farewells to him. Anja talked of heading to the market for supplies before going to the Dust Bed. Kynier had no argument against it and agreed. After that, they walked in silence. Kynier was a half-step behind the drykas and watched the man with a sideways glance. Anja had the walk of an outsider. One that indicated he was deep in thought and potentially less aware of his environment. For one that had no intention of interfering in death, he sure seemed inviting.
So he kept watch for both of them. His eyes wandering around the streets for signs of danger. After a while of walking through the city once could easily get accustomed to spotting the intent of others. To Kynier it was in how they moved. Amateurs tended to move to slowly then hasten their pace to catch up or cut off at the last instant. Others would watch too intently. These were the things Kynier watched out for. When they were in the market it was much harder. People were squeezing past each other to get their dinner supplies for the evening. Anja himself seemed to be one of them. When he was done he stepped away with flour, cheese, and eggs. Those are supplied for making souldmist?
Kynier took the bowl that had been offered to him. “Thank you,” he said inspecting it. There was nothing special about it that he could see. It was just a bowl. But it was to be used for his practice in Spiritism. Since they were in the market, Kynier purchased a few blank journals and some ink. That way he could keep note of the things Anja said in case he should forget. Kynier had the sense that Spiritism was a magic that was taught orally and wouldn’t be available in a book. At least, not in any book he’d find in Sunberth.
As they walked east Anja finally broke the silence between them. He used that word again. Eiyon. Kynier repeated it mentally a few times to commit it to memory. The Eiyon asked a peculiar question. Or at least it would’ve been to any eavesdropper. He clearly suspected Kynier was a mage and was being courteous to ask his question with some tact. A way to better understand a ghost’s mentality? Kynier dwelled on that in silence for a moment. The answer to the second question was something he didn’t know. Auristics gave the senses new perspectives and would be able to assist in determining an apparition’s mentality. Kynier had used it once to be able to see a ghost that hadn’t materialized.
“There is one method,” he said without meeting the Eiyon’s gaze as they walked. “It answers your first question, but not really the second. There’s a way for your senses to… detect things normally outside their ability to notice. I could mention more in detail, but there’s a possibility that that would be misleading. I know how to implement this method and can teach you about it in exchange for Spiritism. But it’s use is different for each person. How my instructor used it is different from how I use it. And it had a good probability that you would use it different than I do.”
Kynier turned his head to look at Anja, “There is no ‘correct’ way to use it. It’s just like a person’s hair color. Everyone has hair, but it’s just different from everyone else’s. It’s called Auristics.”
Boxcode credit goes to Gossamer!
