Chapter 35

The spirit tempering ritual for Jito went without issue, once he had been awakened. None of us had been strained by the effort to heal him, not in terms of mana at least. My mind was a little tired, and Myta’s thoughts seemed restless. She didn’t share them, however, and I didn’t push.

Jito picked up the trick of moving his own mana fairly quickly, and Myta applied pressure to his spirit. I veiled the area in my presence, catching the degraded anima he shed. My vas and I were well practiced at this point, with the only variation being that she began with the squad leader’s crown node, working downward to his third eye and throat. The reformed meridians that would support his healing eye were hardened and strengthened. Now only time would reveal if our efforts bore fruit. With Myta’s catalyzing aspect to aid his healing, we would begin to see our success or failure within days.

Denu returned before we were finished, and she brought strange news.

“Nothing.” I muttered in confusion. “There’s absolutely nothing there?”

“There was plenty of signs that people passed through, but it’s all to old for me to tell much. I even went in to check.” Seeing my disapproval she hasten to elaborate. “Only after I watched a bit! But I wasn’t learning anything. So I went into the area and poked around. No one has been there since the last big rainstorm.”

*Are you sure the men came from this point?* I sent to Ket. I wasn’t sure what to make of this development.

*No,* she replied. *I tracked them to this general region. But the trail was too faint by the time I reached here. You surmised that their camps were warded, so I looked for wards.*

I sent her my thanks, musing on the problem. Wards didn’t form naturally, at least not to my knowledge, if there was one there, it was to hide something. More than that, wards needed to be supplied mana, or they would ****. They shared that trait with any other form of enchantment. While advanced enchantments could be created to draw in ambient mana, it stretched the bounds of my credulity to believe that these wards were unrelated to the Pure. Three wards, in relatively close proximity, in the region our attackers had emerged from? I just couldn’t believe that there was nothing. I needed to investigate the site myself.

We had dinner, and rested the night. Ket joined us in our camp, and we chatted a bit. I was becoming more comfortable with the spirit. She was highly intelligent, though her mindset was a bit alien. She didn’t just think like a smart animal, although her desires were certainly more honest and straightforward than any human I knew. But she had clearly left flesh behind a long time ago, viewing the world almost entirely in terms of mana and its interactions. Even conversations and relationships were framed for her by the mana they generated, at least as much as the information and feelings exchanged.

It was late, as we sat around a very small campfire, when Myta finally shared what had been occupying her thoughts.

“Master, when you healed Jito, in his inner world. What was that? He seemed so… vague, accepting and relaxed, even though he was far outside of his experience.”

I shot her a sidelong glance. “That is called a trance, a state of openness and suggestibility. Some doctors I’ve met can induce a mild version without sorcery as well. For me it is a tool to use cautiously. I focus on working purely through the body or spirit wherever I can, but a trance can open up the soul to direct manipulation. You don’t need to worry about it too much. A sorcerer who has realized their inner world is nearly impossible to put into a trance.”

“You’ve always talked about the spirit and soul as very distinct things.” Myta was carefully restraining her feelings. Both physically, and across the bond. “What is the difference? What is it that a soul sorcerer can affect that others can’t?”

“Well, you know quite a bit about the spirit body now. Souls are… more. A being’s soul is the sum of what they are. It’s tied to aspect in that way. A person’s soul creates their aspect.”

“If that’s true, then I don’t understand.” She furrowed her brow. “That makes it sound as though spirit and soul are exactly the same.”

“For spiritual beings,” I pointed at Ket, “there is no difference between between their spirit and the whole of their existence. But for us, there is. Our bodies and minds shape our spirit bodies as much as the reverse is true. A… spirit of anger, for example, will always be angry. Or, if it’s a more complicated spirit, it will always become angry in the same circumstances, for the same reasons. But for living beings, our bodies and minds change and shape our reactions and natures.

“A person might become angry more easily when they are hungry, they might become prone to fits of rage after a head injury. In some cases, they might even train themselves by being angry frequently, making it their default state. Of course our spirit can influence us as well, but for spiritual beings the spirit generates their thoughts and form entirely. So our souls are the sum of our parts; mind, body, and spirit.”

“I think I understand.” She nodded slowly. “So a soul sorcerer can transform a person completely.

“In theory,” I grunted. “It takes a great deal of skill and power to change anything fundamental to a person. Animals are easiest, then untrained humans. Sorcerers are harder, and skilled sorcerers are hardest of all. As I mentioned with the trance, it’s not something you really need to concern yourself with.”

“But… what if I want you to?” Myta’s voice was quiet and hesitant, so much so that I couldn’t believe my ears at first.

“You want me to… what? To change you?” I asked incredulously. My tone caused her to flinch, and I felt a wave of humiliation wash over our bond as her control slipped. Instantly I regretted my reaction, wrapping my arm around her shoulders and kissing her head.

“You have nothing to be ashamed of,” I amended hastily. “I just don’t understand. All your life people have tried to break you down, to turn you into something you’re not. Why would want something like that from me?”

“Because, you make me better, happier.” Her fingers trembled as she touched them to the silvery band at her throat. “But even now I am afraid. Afraid that I won’t be good enough for you, afraid you will discard me or need to leave me behind. I saw in Jito’s face in there, he had no fear, no worry at all. I want that.”

I felt lost. I just couldn’t understand how my beautiful flame felt that sacrificing more of her control would make her life better, but a low growl pierced my confusion.

*You shame yourself. You are Vethris now, and your vas has made her request. Care for her.* Apparently Ket has no tolerance for my confusion, not when it came to this relationship. The spirit’s brusque words pulled me from my doubts, however. She was entirely correct, I didn’t need to understand Myra’s desires to fulfill them. Honestly, I would never tolerate most of the things she loved for me to do to her. So what if this was more **** in my eyes, if I could help her, I needed to.

“With your cooperation, it should be possible,” I told my love “It will most likely require a deliberate effort on you part, but we will try tonight, while we sleep.” Ket settled back down, looking mollified.

“You said something different though,” I said to the spirit. “I thought I was a veth, not vethris”

*You vas now has vas of her own.* She sneezed, dismissively. *You are a veth of a veth now, vethris. The power and responsibility you bear are greater now. Do not disappoint us.*

Standing, the ethereal leopard stalked away, clearly done with the conversation. I didn’t press her, but I couldn’t help wondering whe she meant by ‘us’ in this context. Her and Kubek perhaps? I hoped that was the case, but I couldn’t help but worry over the mysterious forces that might be judging me. Rather than dwell on it, I turned back to Myta.

“So, you want me to change you? I need you to tell me what you want, specifically.”

“I’m… not completely sure, master. I want to stop feeling this fear, to not worry constantly over disappointing you. I just want to know that you can shape me to better serve you. To know that you have already shaped me. Then maybe, I will feel like my place with you is secure.”

“Well, that is simple enough at least.” I chuckled. “It has the benefit of being completely true. I have shaped you Myta, by teaching you and growing your power, I have made you into my tool.” She shuddered in pleasure when I said that.

“Let’s retire to the tent. By the time I’m done with you, you’ll be an even better tool, a better toy for me to use.”