faderift | [Closed] I've got the magic in me

WHO: Five billion mages.
WHAT: The mages Anders has invited mingle
WHEN: The tenth of Wintermarch
WHERE: A warehouse in the docks
NOTES: None atm.

The warehouse is set up pretty sparsely. Part of the warehouse is taken up by a table of food next to a table of drinks next to a table of plates and cups that don't match, near a lot of scattered chairs. A short space away is a deliberate oval of chairs because he, at least, is amused in making sure no circle shapes occur here. Finally, there's a table with a stack of scraps of parchment.

When everyone's gathered and is starting to mingle, Anders stands up and clears his throat.

"Thank you for coming." It takes work to look calm and confident. This feels so important to him and he doesn't want to make a mess of it. "Obviously the food and drink is self-explanatory," he says with a faint smile before gesturing at the oval, "As far as the rest, I figured we could have a small area set up for serious discussion, any heavy matters that people want to talk about, easily joined and left or ignored completely."

He jerks a thumb in the direction of the last table. "Finally, the parchment is for writing down anything you particularly want to teach or learn. Put your name on it, and people can page through them and be in contact. And I think that's enough from me."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"All day." He doesn't look like he regrets it at all. "And I am, thank you. I'll probably sleep well tonight."

He shakes his head, smiling faintly. Colin has dedication and drive, and not for the first time Anders wishes the young mage didn't want to hide... but part of this is about giving mages freedom to live how they pleased. He wants safety as anyone does. He has a right to it.

"I'll probably be tossing and turning and contemplating everything I could have done better after the fact, so it's good to know someone will sleep well." It's delivered warmly. "If we're lucky, this meeting will help a few people with the sleeping. Where... Are you staying in the Gallows? Or do you have a place above your shop?"

"Both. I'm on the third floor of the mage tower. That's my roommate." Colin points to Fern. "She's very sweet, especially considering that shifty fellow she has to live with."

He chuckles at the self-depreciation.

"I'm of the opinion she chose well. You've a good heart, Colin. Fern needs people like that around her." Mages like that, really, but Anders is actually doing decent with the being sneaky right now and he's proud of himself for that. "And maybe you could need her around in return."

Mages need mages. That's so much of the reason behind tonight.

Colin's gaze falls. After a moment, he looks back at Anders and smiles.

"I'm not ready to...be known, but I was wondering if you might tutor me in creation magic. I've gotten a bit sloppy since leaving the Circle."

"Of course." The answer is instant. It's not just that he likes teaching, he's genuinely interested in Colin having a chance to delve more into his gift. The young man cooks better than anyone else Anders knows and that's obviously a talent too, one that shouldn't be overlooked or ignored, but when one is going to pay for being a mage they should have enough training to make something of it.

"I'm certain no one would notice if I went to your stall more, as word has spread about how good the food is. Do you take a lunch break? I can come over just before then, buy lunch, and then after we've eaten I could give you a lesson." It is one of the most subtle plans Anders has ever come up with.

"No," Colin says, looking slightly bemused. "No, you have that completely wrong. You would come over on my lunch break, I would give you a free meal, and after we've eaten you could give me a lesson."

Nobody has to know why Anders eats free. Or whether Anders eats free. Creation magic lessons are only one of numerous possibilities. He can say it's for his aching old joints and try to charm people into laughing instead of pressing the issue.

"The other day, I was, um, upset with someone. And it's been so long since I used any magic at all that it...leaked. And they talk like you never do anything by accident after your Harrowing, but that's not how it is. I don't want to break anything else in my shop."

After the initial surprise of the no, Anders relaxes.

"I didn't want to presume or impose," he says, gratitude in his voice. "And yes. Sometimes it... happens. If you're greatly distracted or emotional especially. I'd be glad to work with you. Do you have an idea of frequency, or should we meet in a couple of days for an initial class and see what you're thinking then?"

"Could we meet three times a week?" He waffles at saying the next word, but it gets out: "Enchanter?" And he continues. "Maybe it would help me blend, a bit. I'm good at spirit magic, pretty good at entropy but entropy isn't very useful outside combat and...torture?"

He leaves off on that note, waiting for a response.

"Three times a week sounds good, and you don't have to call me Enchanter." It's a Circle title. It means something, but most of its meaning comes from a context they're trying to leave behind.

"I can teach anything except Entropy. It has its uses, there have been plenty of times I've wished I could cast Sleep on a patient who was suffering, but I've no ability in that school." After his education from Merrill on blood mages and their usefulness and... potential to not be demon-possessed malevolent sorts, he can't really see fit to dismiss any school of magic. "We can balance out creation with spirit as you'd like, and if you'd like some elemental thrown in we can do that too. Will Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursdays work for you?"

"I'm no better with elemental than you are with entropy. I can heat up a cup of tea and that's roughly it." Colin finger-combs some hair out of the way. "I can do those days. I'd like to learn something that doesn't destroy things and people. Although I'm really, really good at grabbing things that are out of reach, that's pretty exciting. I can put things on the top shelf."

Colin's words are some of the most encouraging words he's heard today. Yes, there's likely destruction and fighting yet to come, but having a student not want to learn more about that is a nice change.

"Being able to get to the top shelf is exciting indeed." His husband sometimes has to help him there. Anders' force control isn't too shabby but it's not so precise that he can really say the same. "We'll start on Sunday, Colin. I'm looking forward to it."

And not just for the tasty food.

[Closed] I've got the magic in me

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