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Part 21 - Tea By Flame

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Part 20 - Gifts And Favours

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Silgren stared at it intently, admiring the pretty colours, “What does it do?” The old man chimed in, “Aside from nearly killing both of us when we first touched it, and allowing us to pass through walls beneath the island to get to where Merobaku was... it can also do this...” The old man focused on a lit candle resting on a table in the centre of the room, and raised his hand. He cleared his mind of ill thought and cradled the glowing words in his mind as he calmly read them in his mind. Silgren looked on in suspense, having no idea what to expect. Above the candle's flame a berry sized ball of water formed and doused the flame, slightly darkening the room. Orvus followed up with just the opposite a moment later and re-lit the candle with an even brighter flame than before. Silgren looked astonished at the both of them, and then sat down speechless in a chair. Kogg cawed at Silgren to snap him out of it. Silgren looked up at them both, “Teach me to do that, and whatever favour you want done is yours.”

Part 21 - Tea By Flame

Orvus let out a hearty laugh as he patted Silgren on the shoulder and then pulled up a chair. “Merobaku,” started Orvus, signalling to her for the stone, "let's give this a try." Merobaku approached them while avoiding knocking her head on the low horizontal wooden beams of the ceiling and then handed Orvus the stone. Silgren stared at as it exchanged hands, perplexed by the cascade of colours from its' vibrant, jagged surface. Merobaku felt it necessary to instruct Orvus in the delicate process of awakening the stone's power in someone else through an exchange. “Orvus, when you hand him the stone, I'd like for you to account for a few things...” directed Merobaku softly. Orvus listened closely to Merobaku's words, “Clear you mind of ill chatter. Rise above the vexatious noise... and, gaze not upon the mirror of greed. You may let go after a few moments.” Silgren looked up at Merobaku, “What would you like me to do?” “Your aim,” started Merobaku, “is to open yourself to the stone's energy, guide it along energetic rivers and allow it to settle in the valleys of your soul. Pay attention to the symbols that appear before you.”

Both Orvus and Silgren readied their minds, forgetting the surroundings as they washed away into a dull breeze of little consequence. Orvus held the stone up between them. Silgren reached out while a distant ringing sound grew louder and sunk deeper into his bones. His hand gripped the stone carefully, then he felt an immense flow of energy into his body. The stone's energy cascaded forth and rushed over Silgren's spirit, causing his fingertips to numb. Silgren became slightly concerned when his toes started to numb too, and Merobaku could sense this in him. She stepped forward and put her hand on Silgren's shoulder, using her energy to tame the flow. A shock-wave of energy rebounded somewhere deep within the trio's connection and exited through Silgren's chair. The legs of the chair Silgren was sitting on exploded into pieces and dropped him towards the floor. Merobaku reacted swiftly and caught Silgren by the scruff of his graphite grey cloak, hoisted him into the air and set him on his feet.

Silgren stood there dumbfounded and silent, stone in hand. His hair was standing in the static from the stone. “Here, let me take that,” eased Orvus for the stone, taking it and giving it back to Merobaku. Both the old man and Orvus asked at the same time, “How do you feel?” Silgren looked at them both slowly, while stretching and manipulating his hand to get some feeling back into his fingers. “I-I've never felt anything like this,” Silgren said astonished, “this... this is amazing!” Orvus gave a joyful laugh, and the old man joined in. “Okay,” said Silgren, “how do I make the alphabet and symbols in my mind go away?” Merobaku giggled at Silgren's clear desperation. “No, seriously I can't see anything but symbols everywhere!” said Silgren frustrated. Merobaku faced Silgren towards her and held up the pouch of yellow field flowers in front of his face. “What you're seeing has always been there,” began Merobaku, “you just hadn't ever noticed it before. What you need to do now is deny it attention and intention.”

Silgren stumbled forward as Merobaku shook him into focus. The old man stepped beside Orvus, “See past it!” “Yes,” exclaimed Orvus, “like when you misplace your glasses on your own face.” Suddenly, a blurred vision of yellow flowers enveloped Silgren's vision. The vibrant visage of yellow petals slumped clearly into sight as Silgren found his fingertips and pressed his glasses back up onto his nose. “By the good graces of the twelve! I have reached new heights and been enlightened to the meagerness of my previous level of knowledge,” praised Silgren nearly collapsing in an emotional heap before Merobaku. Merobaku caught him once more and held him steady while the old man fetched another chair from the other side of the table for Silgren to sit on. Kogg hopped down onto the table and cawed at Silgren to boost his morale. “How long does this last?” asked Silgren while guided into the chair. “Give it time, it will pass as the energy adopts your soul's unique vibration,” chimed Merobaku in reassurance.

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Orvus retrieved from his travel-pack a couple more flasks of gold Ormus, his water-bladder and a handful of the flower petals they harvested from the trees on the island in the lake. “How about some tea?” asked Orvus with a big smile. “Great idea, Orvus!” agreed the old man. Silgren happily directed the old man to a copper pot and some tea mugs hanging by the north wall above a water basin. The old man found some dried tea leaves in bags made from a thin, porous parchment made from the bark of an Ollek tree in a cupboard nearby and then brought it all over to the table. Merobaku watched curiously as Orvus poured the milky water from his water-bladder into the pot and added in the fragrant flower petals. “Silgren,” started Orvus, “I want you to heat the water using the candle's flame. Here...” Orvus held the pot of water up above the flame in the centre of the table. “Start by clearing your mind,” instructed Orvus, “focus on the flame and then recite the incantation.”

Silgren turned and faced the candle. The flicker of the light danced in the reflection in Silgren's eyes as the symbol of fire took hold of his mind's eye. Silgren spoke, “Purifying light and thee who wrought ashes, bring forth flame from your vibrant clashes!” Without warning, both the candle's flame and the crackling fire of the fireplace nearby roared forth with great ferocity. Merobaku's voice commanded over the hot gusts of wind from the fire, “Focus, Silgren! Find the calm and focus on one flame!” The noise of the fireplace died down to normal as the tower of flame from the candle reared back. Orvus let the pot sit in the flame a while longer and then pulled its' dark, scorched body from the flame. The presence of the room swelled back into Silgren's consciousness as he slumped forward out of breath onto the table. Orvus peered into the pot at the boiling water, “The tea's ready!”

Awaken

Part 01 - Message to Orvus
Part 02 - The Lake Beckons
Part 03 - Night of Rest
Part 04 - The Tomb's Secret
Part 05 - The Deep Gouge
Part 06 - Dismay Down Deep
Part 07 - Orvus Restores Order
Part 08 - Magic Sans Scroll
Part 09 - Clear Path Provided
Part 10 - Trace The Key
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Poem 01 - Immortals of the Aegis
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Part 11 - Eigin Rooted Magic
Part 12 - Ancient Koaj'kah Magic
Part 13 - Elemental Wisp Infestation
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Poem 02 - Elemental Call Song
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Part 14 - Kogg's Aerial Ace
Part 15 - Fiendish Fiery Foe
Part 16 - Water Wisp Woe
Part 17 - Home Sweet Home
Part 18 - A Blessed Breakfast
Part 19 - Ships At Sea
Part 20 - Gifts And Favours
Part 21 - CURRENT
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First new reader to read all of Parts 1 -> 21, and to write a synopsis below will win $5 SBD.

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