章 26: Unlocking the Heart (2)

The room was cozy – not too spacious, yet not cramped either.

The odh node seems weaker, Riniock noted, inspecting the floating mass of energy suspended at the centre. Must be because of Niann's harnessing session.

A warm, inviting spot had been prepared for those deemed worthy of the reward. As the door closed and sealed behind him, Riniock settled into place. He wasn't about to waste a single moment idling.

With no established conduits to circulate odh throughout his body, his only option was to absorb the energy in raw form and hold it, refining it into usable matter. Fortunately, Professor Gieller's technique proved far more effective than he had anticipated.

He focused, drawing in the delicate wisps of energy from the fading odh node. Even as the node's reservoir depleted, his refined technique allowed him to consume odh with an intensity that surpassed Niann's efforts.

The node flickered slightly, its energy dwindling, but Riniock pressed on. Every breath, every pulse of focus, brought him closer to forming his conduits and inching towards his goal.

All the odh he absorbed seemed to gather in a single spot, near where his human heart was. If Telian's anatomy lesson was accurate, Riniock thought, this is where the maegi's heart would eventually form.

He had attempted to absorb odh many times before, but never with such progress. For the first time, he felt the odh surging through him, no longer aimless but purposeful – transforming his human body into that of a maegi. The sensation was overwhelming, a chaotic storm of energy coalescing into order.

Alongside the heart, he could sense the formation of conduits – the delicate pathways through which a maegi circulates magickal essence to different parts of their body. Each conduit etched itself into existence, threading through his being like veins of pure energy.

Riniock's consciousness began to drift as he surrendered fully to the process. The carving of conduits, the hollowing out of his vessel – it was excruciating. Yet this was the threshold all acolytes sought to cross. To endure the agony was to transcend, to become something greater. His mind finally slipped into darkness, a protective respite from the pain.

Is this...what it feels like to become a maegi? he wondered when he returned to awareness. He marvelled at the energy now residing within him, gradually filling the newly formed vessel. It pulsed softly, his to command, his to expand.

Riniock had reached the first summit of his journey. He had taken a step beyond mere potential; he was now a vessel of power, a fledgling maegi poised to grow.

He still had time before his session ended. Selfish as he was, Riniock intended to drain every last trace of energy from the odh node before he had to leave the training room. For the next few minutes, he concentrated, drawing in a manner that left the node teetering on the brink of complete depletion.

I doubt this node will last until the fourth person, he giggled to himself, just as the door creaked open and Professor Gieller stepped inside.

Behind the professor stood Urael, his expression shadowed with frustration – the look of someone who realised others had beaten him to the assignment.

'Mr. Tolgir,' Gieller called, his eyes immediately locking onto Riniock. The professor's gaze widened as he noted the changes. 'My, my. If this is a sign of things to come, your growth will be nothing short of heaven-shattering.'

'You could tell right away?' Riniock asked, a flicker of pride in his voice. Urael was within earshot, and Riniock relished the chance to flaunt his success.

'A maegi of my experience can easily probe an acolyte's progress,' Gieller said with a smile. 'Very good. You may leave. You've done outstanding work this time.'

'Thank you, professor. I'll see myself out.'

Riniock walked past Urael, a triumphant smirk curling his lips. He could practically hear the gears grinding in Urael's mind, imagining his dismay when he discovered the odh node had little left to offer.

'Niann? You're still here?' Riniock saw him sitting behind one of the classroom desks.

'I am. It wasn't a long wait, and I had a brief chat with Professor Gieller.'

'I see. Thanks for waiting for me.'

'Not at all.' Niann's expression turned slightly serious. 'Oh, by the way – one of the staff members, you know, from the admission test, came looking for you.'

Riniock's posture stiffened, his guard immediately rising. 'What did he want?'

'I'm not entirely sure. He asked me a few questions…about Urael and his group. Specifically, about Odrean.'

Riniock's brow furrowed. Why Odrean? He didn't like the sound of this.

'Did you catch his name?' Riniock asked, his voice edged with tension, a hundred scenarios racing through his mind.

'He said his name was Jorian.'

'Jorian?' Riniock's eyes narrowed. He recalled the name – he'd heard it from Noidron and his colleagues. His impeccable memory, a condition known as hyperthymesia, ensured he hadn't forgotten that interaction, especially since he had been eavesdropping at the time.

Did Jorian figure something out and come looking for me specifically? Riniock wondered. Or is this just part of a standard investigation, and I'm being questioned simply because I was part of the test?

The uncertainty gnawed at him, but one thing was clear: he needed to be prepared.

'Did he talk to Urael as well?' Riniock pressed, determined to gather all the facts before planning his next move.

'He did,' Niann confirmed, though he seemed unsure why it mattered. 'Not sure what they talked about, though.'

He did, huh…Riniock's mind churned. It was entirely possible Urael had instigated the questioning. Their altercation on the first day was no secret. If Urael hinted at anything suspicious, it might lead Jorian to believe Riniock had something to do with what happened to Odrean – assuming anyone suspected the death was murder in the first place.

I shouldn't jump to conclusions, he thought. If I investigate too carelessly, I might draw suspicion where none existed.

'Should we head out?' Niann's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. 'We're expected in the main hall.'

'Oh? What's going on there?'

'Not sure.' Niann stretched and stood up. 'Apparently, the Arch-Maegi has summoned everyone.'

'And Urael?' Riniock asked, glancing back towards the classroom.

'He'll join the rest once he's done,' Niann replied quickly, grabbing Riniock's arm and tugging him towards the exit. 'Come on. I hear there's plenty of food.'

Riniock allowed himself a small smile. For now, that was reason enough to go.