Private Tales Gifts That Keep Giving

[Matthias Peligrade]

"... when ∆ activates ¶ then "¶" will activate spells ✓ π ^ € and ¢."
Matthias dipped his quill in the inkwell and continued writing in his spellbook.
Matthias wasn't chomping at the bit to leave the college, while he'd pumped each individual teacher for information and explored all available literature in the libraries, he wasn't quite satisfied... But still, as he continued his research he's been drawn more and more to sources outside of the college.

He'd excelled in his classes, but good grades didn't interest him, only magic and knowledge did.
He'd even held himself back by purposely flunking very select and calculated classes, classes that wouldn't give him a black mark to fail, but would let him remain longer to study more material.

Other students, on average, looked down on him because he lacked their natural powers or affinity. Their critiques didn't faze him, he made up for this lack through sheer ingenuity... However, sometimes their prejudice against him will manifest physically, and so he found it necessary to hire protection from his other classmates, gifted students with some physical competency with less than financial stability. His "gang" relied on him to remain and study as he relied on them for security.

He was in the lecture hall and currently working on a new spell, one he hoped would give him an edge should a physical encounter occur, between his classes and other experiments and homework he'd had little time for this spell in particular, but now was time to start testing it out.

 

[ASolis]

Adelina, on the other hand, was one hundred percent ready to graduate from the college and she was also one hundred percent about to get expelled. She had just finished her latest meeting with the Dean and some of the Professors and they were discussing her fate at this very moment.

There was a hiss and squeak from her right shoulder and she threw a glare at her pseudodragon familiar, Pippa. "This is your fault apparently. They said you burnt down two different sheds! They want me to get rid of you or I may be expelled." She let out a huff and scratched Pippa's tiny head.

"No, I do not want to listen to your explanation. Did you do it?" Pause. "Pippa!" Adelina huffed out a sigh of exasperation.

She looked up as she entered the empty lecture hall...well...mostly empty. She was not even sure how she got here. She was so focused on her telepathic communication with the tiny terrorist on her shoulder that she was surprised she had not walked into a few walls. It had happened!

"Pippa...if you do not start to behave...no no no...Pippa...damnit!"

Yes, people thought she was a little crazy but the images and ideas that flowed between them was a beautiful connection many people didn't get.

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

Matthias glanced up as the intruder entered the formerly peaceful lecture hall.
He recognized her immediately, even though they hadn't interacted previously.
Adelina. She was one of the "talented" as he called them, and apparently she had an advanced familiar summoning spell.

As detailed in his notes; summoning, or "calling", was different from conjuring, or "creation".
The creation form of familiar spells were more commonly taught in the college, a created familiar was more like a living puppet, a mere extension of the caster to control... But a called familiar was capable of it's own thoughts and actions, a spirit called from another realm to take a physical form and serve the caster.

He watched her converse with the little psuedodragon on her shoulder on a topic only the two of them understood. His own familiar spell was a conjuring one, but he would relish the opportunity to learn Adelina's more advanced version.
Although, at the moment he was more annoyed that she had interrupted his private research and testing session.

Nobody ever came to lecture hall at this hour except him.
He was tempted to put up a silence spell so that he could focus in peace...
For now he turned his eyes back to the spell he was working on and kept going, maybe she'll see he's alone and busy and go away...

 

[ASolis]

Adelina noticed Mattias and she saw that he seemed busy but she didn't care. She would be quiet. She just needed to think in peace and to hide from the powers that be who were determined to see her gone.

She took one of the seats towards the back and pulled out a notebook. She started to write and did not even notice when Pippa hopped off her shoulder.

Pippa being Pippa was already bored and she wanted to explore. The tiny gray dragon made her way over to Matthias and perched on a nearby chair where she squawked loudly at him causing Adelina to startle.

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

Okay, she noticed him and it looked like she was going to behave and be quiet. Good.
He wanted quite but he didn't want to be deafened, just in case the evocation team from the sorcery division decided to come pick on him...
That was one of the downsides to the college, the petty squabbling and childishness that is inherently instilled in those in an educational setting. Matthias felt like he was above such things, but even he had to bend down to their level and engage in order to protect himself from the elitist student body.

But now, back to studying.
There was a flaw in his equations, something wasn't adding up or something was eluding his comprehension... The binding and attunement process that tied hundreds of thousands of arcane commands together into a spell. He had huge strings of commands but no way to put them together or get them to interact with each other.
He needed ¶ to activate ✓, but just saying it didn't make it so.
Creating his own spell was far more complicated than simply memorizing a spell already discovered.

Perhaps if he...

The tiny gray dragon made her way over to Matthias and perched on a nearby chair where she squawked loudly at him causing Adelina to startle.

He startled too, right out of his chair to fall into the desk and chair beside him.
"What the- oh crap! Ow!"
He landed in a highly undignified heap with a chair and desk on top of him and his glasses somewhere across the room.
He cursed under his breath as he blindly pushed the desk and chair away and reached out for something to help him to his feet. His hand found the edge of another desk and tipped that over too, eliciting another stream of curses.

 

[ASolis]

"What the- oh crap! Ow!"

There was a squawk.

There was a crash.

There was a curse.

Adelina was on her feet within a moment and she was running towards the poor student that Pippa had turned her boredness on. As she moved, she saw the glasses that had left his face and she quickly grabbed them so she could return them.

Perhaps the small gesture would stave his ire.

Based on the fact that he could not even get up without destroying the room, she had a feeling that bringing him his glasses would do little to help her out of this trouble.

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry!" She said as she held his glasses out to him. What was his name? Oh gosh, she was the worst. She knew him and she had been in many classes with him but she could not for the life of her remember his name. She knew they had never been formally introduced though so that was a tiny saving grace. "Are you okay?"

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

"Oh my goodness, I am so sorry!" She said as she held his glasses out to him. What was his name? Oh gosh, she was the worst. She knew him and she had been in many classes with him but she could not for the life of her remember his name. She knew they had never been formally introduced though so that was a tiny saving grace. "Are you okay?"

He made out the shape of his glasses through the haze and reached out for them.
With his glasses once again perched on his nose he could see.
He looked up at the girl and wanted to be mad at her, he wanted to yell at her and berate her and her familiar... But he didn't.
"I'm fine, no worries."
He staggered to his feet and sighed. Where was his possy when he needed them? Sure, he came here to be alone, but it sure would be nice if they had a sixth sense or something that told them when he was in trouble. Oh well, his train of thought was gone, just as well, he realized he probably missed lunch again.

"Matthias Peligrade. Your familiar is rather... Unique."
To put it nicely.

 

[ASolis]

"I'm fine, no worries."

His words said he was fine but the rest of him did not seem to agree. She threw Pippa a seething glare that caused the little dragon to just ruffle her wings.

You are a brat! She mentally communicated with her familiar. Adelina was sure she saw Pippa stick her tongue out.

"Matthias Peligrade. Your familiar is rather... Unique."

Her attention shifted from the dragon back to the wizard. As soon as he introduced himself, she felt like an idiot. Yes, of course, that was his name. She knew that.

A soft hmph came from her lips. "Unique is putting it nicely. They are currently deciding if I will be expelled because of her and because I refuse to get rid of her..." Adelina looked at Pippa with a frown on her face.

"I am Adelina Solis, by the way, and that is Pippa."

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

A soft hmph came from her lips. "Unique is putting it nicely. They are currently deciding if I will be expelled because of her and because I refuse to get rid of her..." Adelina looked at Pippa with a frown on her face.

"I am Adelina Solis, by the way, and that is Pippa."

He nodded in acknowledgement and adjusted his glasses.
"Miss Solis... Yes, I think I remember your name during rollcall."
He looked over and examined the little dragon.
"You apparently don't have much control over your... Pippa... he got you in trouble and so the faculty got involved. Naturally you have to take responsibility for the actions of your familiar, since you are the summoner."

He picked up his chair and adjusted his books and writing utensils on the desk, debating whether he should try to refocus or go eat something... He did have a tendency to go days without sleep or sustenance, especially whenever he got excited about something. Maybe that's why he was so thin? Well, regardless of his habits he knew for a fact that he was in adequate health... Still, his mother would worry less if he took better care of himself...

He closed his spellbook and started gathering up his things.
"I'm heading down to the cafeteria, if you feel the need to join me. Otherwise, it was a... it was interesting making your acquaintance."
He put his pens in his satchel and slid his spellbook into the sheath on his hip when the doors to the lecture hall swung open, announcing the arrival of four students.
"Hey, Ennith! There's that magicless freak!"
A chorus of malicious chuckling erupted from the group as they brusquely started making their way towards the two (And a familiar) people, shoving desks and chairs out of the way.
"Hey Matty! Why don't you explain again how you plan to show the teachers that you can ACTUALLY cast spells without having any talent or bloodline?"
"Hey Matthew! If you're such a great wizard, why does it take you so long to learn a simple spell?"
"Hey Matto! Did your mommy sleep with a Maester to let you study here?"

Matthias let out a longsuffering sigh.
Of course, once people know you have hired help, they just wait for a moment when that help isn't around to come mess with you.
He took of his glasses a moment to squeeze his eyes shut and pinch the bridge of his nose like he suddenly got a really bad headache.
"Umm... Miss Solis? I know we've just met, but would you mind paying me back for the inconvenience earlier? I assume you know some offensive and defensive spells at your grade. Help me out of this little predicament and I can assure you that you and Pippa will not be expelled from the college."

 

[ASolis]

"You apparently don't have much control over your... Pippa... he got you in trouble and so the faculty got involved. Naturally you have to take responsibility for the actions of your familiar, since you are the summoner.

Adelina narrowed her eyes at him as Pippa hopped up to her shoulder and curled her tail around her summoner. She decided that it was better now to tell Matthias that Pippa was not something you controlled. She did what she want and she was the worst familiar.

He closed his spellbook and started gathering up his things.
"I'm heading down to the cafeteria, if you feel the need to join me. Otherwise, it was a... it was interesting making your acquaintance."
He put his pens in his satchel and slid his spellbook into the sheath on his hip when the doors to the lecture hall swung open, announcing the arrival of four students.
"Hey, Ennith! There's that magicless freak!"
A chorus of malicious chuckling erupted from the group as they brusquely started making their way towards the two (And a familiar) people, shoving desks and chairs out of the way.
"Hey Matty! Why don't you explain again how you plan to show the teachers that you can ACTUALLY cast spells without having any talent or bloodline?"
"Hey Matthew! If you're such a great wizard, why does it take you so long to learn a simple spell?"
"Hey Matto! Did your mommy sleep with a Maester to let you study here?"

She was about to reject his non invitation to the cafeteria but she was interrupted by four students. She knew them and she chose to avoid them. They were not people she really wanted to be friends with.

As they jeered at Matthias, Adelina grimaced. She did not stick up for him though. It was not her place. They were not friends and she did not particularly care for him. Neither did Pippa by the way she had harassed him.

In her periphery, she saw him remove his glasses and pinch the bridge of his nose. This was nothing new then. Poor kid, she though.

"Umm... Miss Solis? I know we've just met, but would you mind paying me back for the inconvenience earlier? I assume you know some offensive and defensive spells at your grade. Help me out of this little predicament and I can assure you that you and Pippa will not be expelled from the college."

"What?" She said as she tried to make sense of his words. He wanted her to attack the boys and in return she would not be expelled? "I..." She trailed off. She did not really a have a choice, did she? She did not want to get expelled and she did technically owe him for Pippa's little stunt.

Adelina nodded slowly and gave the command to Pippa. Pippa was very happy to oblige as she hopped off Adelina's shoulder flew towards the boys. A moment later, some part of each of their clothing was on fire and they were screaming as the flames grew and Pippa flew around hitting them all again.

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

Panic quickly spread amongst the boys as their uniforms caught fire, they initially scattered, falling over desks and chairs as they each attempted to put out the flames.
A familiar with such an ability was useful and Matthias now regarded the little dragon with keen interest.

One of the boys managed to fire off a spell spraying himself and his companions down with a low powered flurry of ice and cold.
Their panic subsided they collected themselves and turned angrily on Matthias and Adelina, their embarrassment evident in their indignation.

Matthias had been on the receiving end of their magic, these guys were elementalists, evocation majors. An ice mage, an earth mage, and two fire mage's. And of course the leader is an upper nobleman's son and the most advanced fire mage of their little clique.
"Now you've done it! We were going to let you off easy this time, and you didn't even need to get involved!"
The lead boy pointed at Adelina accusingly.
"Now you're both gonna get it, you and your damn dragon!"

All four boys began casting their spells.

Partially because of them, but mostly because of his own experiments, the first spell that Matthias completed was a warding spell. He stepped forward and flourished his wand, a quick command words and a flick of the wand and a barrier of energy appeared around both of them.

 

[ASolis]

Adelina smiled as Pippa did her best (and favorite) work. She loved being able to set things on fire. She couldn't help it. She was a dragon after all.

Pippa had returned to her should by the time the boys had composed themselves and turned their attention to Matthias, Pippa, and herself.

"Now you've done it! We were going to let you off easy this time, and you didn't even need to get involved!"
The lead boy pointed at Adelina accusingly.
"Now you're both gonna get it, you and your damn dragon!"

Pippa squawked at them as if telling them to go fuck themselves.

The four boys started to cast their spells and Adelina did the same as she moved into a defensive position. None of the spells had a chance to be cast before there was a ripple of energy surrounding them.

Adelina looked back at Matthias and smiled, "nice!"

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

The spells impacted harmlessly against the shield, the energy barrier dissipating the energy from their spells.
Matthias maintained the barrier, the stone in the tip of his wand glowing with energy.

The boys were in shock for a moment, but it wasn't long before the leader commanded another barrage.
The stone flared with the effort as the shield took another solid hit from the elemental attacks.
"That will only hold for a few more hits, until I find a better wand or staff. You wouldn't happen to have any spells that might prove useful in this situation, would you?"
Obviously they don't want to kill these students, but simply lighting their clothes on fire wasn't enough to scare them off.
"If you have an idea, feel free to cast, this ward won't block outgoing spells."

 

[ASolis]

Adelina was impressed by his shield work but the boys spells were battering it. It would not hold long.

"That will only hold for a few more hits, until I find a better wand or staff. You wouldn't happen to have any spells that might prove useful in this situation, would you?"

As if Matthias could read her mind, he let her know that she was correct. It would last a little bit longer.

"I do know one. Can you run?"

Matthias nodded.

"As soon as I cast it, run. Do not wait. Go and I will follow. We will have a small lead..."

"If you have an idea, feel free to cast, this ward won't block outgoing spells."

The barrier was straining as Adelina started to cast her spell. A moment of so later a burst of blinding light and a loud humming filled the entire room.

Adelina's ears were ringing as she turned on her heel so follow Matthias to somewhere safe. This would disorient the boys for at least five minutes.

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

"As soon as I cast it, run. Do not wait. Go and I will follow. We will have a small lead..."

He listened to her instructions.

As soon as the spell took effect and the barrage on his ward stopped, he dropped the ward and ran for the door, past the bullies while they were too stunned to try to stop them.

Only when he was in the safety of the hall did he have time to appreciate the utility of the spell she used. Nothing grand, but certainly creative!
As soon as she joined him in the hall he caught her by the arm and led her into a small surge of students who just got out of class.
"As promised, I'll speak with the Maesters and pay for your continued tuition, miss Adelina. I'll argue that you're performing serious research into the nature of familiars other summoned creatures."

He found an empty maintenance closet and pulled her inside, closing the door behind them.
"In return, I just ask for your protection and support until I am able to stand on my own. I am behind in my classes only because for the longest time I lacked a medium through which to perform magic, now that I have that I can start making progress. Until then, can I count on your loyalty?"

 

[ASolis]

"As promised, I'll speak with the Maesters and pay for your continued tuition, miss Adelina. I'll argue that you're performing serious research into the nature of familiars other summoned creatures."

“Thank you but I can continue to pay my tuition. I just don’t want to be expelled…”

Adelina’s words were cut off as he pulled her into the maintenance closet. She was flustered and about to ask what he was doing when he continued to speak.

"In return, I just ask for your protection and support until I am able to stand on my own. I am behind in my classes only because for the longest time I lacked a medium through which to perform magic, now that I have that I can start making progress. Until then, can I count on your loyalty?"

Adelina stiffened completely at his words this time.

“I thought getting you out of that mess was my payment for you keeping me from getting expelled…”

She knew without needing an answer that her continued enrollment would only continue if she played his game.

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

“Thank you but I can continue to pay my tuition. I just don’t want to be expelled…”

He shook his head.
"I've dealt with the Maesters before on the behalf of other students. They will have increased your tuition to make sure you are unable to continue pursuing an education here, that's just one of the ways that they get rid of problem students.
I've accounted for this already.

In any case, you need someone to have your back when dealing with the Maesters, since you agreed to have my back, I'll make sure you can continue to study here."

“I thought getting you out of that mess was my payment for you keeping me from getting expelled…”

"It's going to cost me quite a bit to keep you in this college. And my vulnerability to the machinations of my classmates is not going to go away just because you helped me once. I need people around me I can trust, and I find gold is the fastest way to find such people."
He reached into his robe and produced a pouch full of coins.
"Will this be enough to keep you in close company?"

 

[ASolis]

"I've dealt with the Maesters before on the behalf of other students. They will have increased your tuition to make sure you are unable to continue pursuing an education here, that's just one of the ways that they get rid of problem students.
I've accounted for this already.

In any case, you need someone to have your back when dealing with the Maesters, since you agreed to have my back, I'll make sure you can continue to study here."

A small oh left her lips but she did not say anything else. She was still trying to grasp what he was saying.

"It's going to cost me quite a bit to keep you in this college. And my vulnerability to the machinations of my classmates is not going to go away just because you helped me once. I need people around me I can trust, and I find gold is the fastest way to find such people."
He reached into his robe and produced a pouch full of coins.
"Will this be enough to keep you in close company?"

"I don't need your coins, Matthias," Adelina finally recovered enough to speak again.

"So just to make sure I am understanding this correctly...you will make sure that I am not expelled as long as I have your back against anyone who wants to attack you?"

Adelina was sure she understood but it was best to lay out the terms to be extra sure.

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

"I don't need your coins, Matthias," Adelina finally recovered enough to speak again.

"So just to make sure I am understanding this correctly...you will make sure that I am not expelled as long as I have your back against anyone who wants to attack you?"

"You will not be expelled so long as you don't turn your back on me."
He corrected.
"Naturally I won't require your aid at all times, I don't expect danger around every corner, and I won't be this helpless forever, so it's not like I will stop paying your tuition when I am no longer in danger or otherwise no longer have a use for you."

He replaced the pouch in his robes.
"I know I'm asking a lot, so I'm not asking you to be my friend. But I hope we can help each other effectively."

 

[ASolis]

"You will not be expelled so long as you don't turn your back on me."
He corrected.
"Naturally I won't require your aid at all times, I don't expect danger around every corner, and I won't be this helpless forever, so it's not like I will stop paying your tuition when I am no longer in danger or otherwise no longer have a use for you."

Adelina still did not like it. He was blackmailing her with fancier words. She just narrowed her eyes and she felt Pippa ruffle her wings. The familiar was picking up on Adelina's irritation.

"I know I'm asking a lot, so I'm not asking you to be my friend. But I hope we can help each other effectively."

"That is good because I think you are vile," she snapped before she could stop the words from coming out of her mouth.

Yes, she wanted to stay at the college and he was willing to help her. She just did not like getting put in this position and it was wrong to snap at him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean that..."

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

"That is good because I think you are vile," she snapped before she could stop the words from coming out of her mouth.

That was out of the blue, but he could live with it.

Yes, she wanted to stay at the college and he was willing to help her. She just did not like getting put in this position and it was wrong to snap at him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean that..."

He grimaced and raised his hands, realizing that he never released her arm.
"Fair enough, so long as we're being honest with each other I think you have some redeeming qualities but you're overall rather incompetent. You have an advanced familiar spell which I would like to learn more about, but other than that you seem to rather new to magic of other sorts. This isn't necessarily your fault, you might just lack a competent teacher."
He adjusted his glasses on his nose.

"Just initial observations. But I also think you're creative with the way you used that spell to get us out of the lecture hall. If you're creative you have a future as a great summoner, which would make me honored to have you by my side."

 

[ASolis]

"Fair enough, so long as we're being honest with each other I think you have some redeeming qualities but you're overall rather incompetent. You have an advanced familiar spell which I would like to learn more about, but other than that you seem to rather new to magic of other sorts. This isn't necessarily your fault, you might just lack a competent teacher."

Adelina just narrowed her eyes at him again. She was incompetent?! He didn't even have his own magic and had to blackmail people into helping him but she was the incompetent one. Right. Totally made sense. She found that she was liking him less and less the more he spoke.

"Just initial observations. But I also think you're creative with the way you used that spell to get us out of the lecture hall. If you're creative you have a future as a great summoner, which would make me honored to have you by my side."

"I am only by your side until I graduate," she said with a bitter tone.

"Do you need me to walk you to your next class or do you think you can manage?" Snide and bitter that time.

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

"I am only by your side until I graduate," she said with a bitter tone.

"Fair enough."

"Do you need me to walk you to your next class or do you think you can manage?" Snide and bitter that time.

He wasn't deaf to her tone. Why the attitude? He gave her pretty high praise along with his honest observations, yet now she was giving him this nasty attitude.
He was well versed as a courtier, so he knew not to rise to her bait, but he really wanted to in that moment.

"Sure, walk me to class. Couldn't do any harm to be on the safe side."
See how she handled that. She thought he would be above admitting his fear or weakness, but he wasn't so foolish as to base any decision off of pride... Well, except for not giving in to the anger her attitude induced in him, that was certainly a matter of pride.

He opened the door and let her exit first.
"I look forward to learning from you."

 

[ASolis]

"Sure, walk me to class. Couldn't do any harm to be on the safe side."

Adelina cursed under her breath. She did not want to walk him to class but now she had to. She was still upset by this turn of events all because Pippa was bored. She glared over at the dragon and Pippa just looked innocent.

"This is your fault," she told her pesky, pain in the ass familiar.

"I look forward to learning from you."

She stepped out of the closet before Matthias and continued to glower. It definitely looked like two students had just taken a detour to do some activities and that made her flush slightly.

"How are you going to learn from me when you do not have any magic of your own?"

 

[Matthias Peligrade]

"How are you going to learn from me when you do not have any magic of your own?

He glanced back at her with a wry smile.
"Learning is something anyone could do with or without magic, if you're being literal. But I am so glad you asked!"
He adjusted his glasses before producing the wand he had been using earlier.
"Using the same tool that magic users like yourself use to channel the magic you have innately, I use this arcane focus to store up magical power from the ambient magic of the world that I can then use as if wielding a magical tool or item. It provides the magical power I need to cast my spells."
He handed her the wand.
"As I mentioned in the lecture hall, I need to make a more efficient tool to make my spells more effective. Perhaps a wand of higher quality or a staff... With a better arcane focus I would have been able to maintain that ward indefinitely against a barrage like we survived, provided my calculations are correct."

He indicated Pippa.
"Even without the wand, I know how to conjure a familiar but only in theory since I had no tool to do it myself. Summoning like what you did with Pippa is something I am less familiar with."