Read Online The Mage's Grave: Mages of Martir Book #1 by Timothy L. Cerepaka - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Timothy L. Cerepaka
Ads: Link
said Aorja, brushing her long blonde hair out of her eyes. “He just needs rest is all. It's thanks to your headmistress, actually, that he's going to be okay.”
“That's good,” said the Institute mage. “Grand Magus very smart and talented. Of course.”
He said that with obvious pride, his chest puffed out. Auratus, standing next to him, looked proud of her headmistress as well, although it was hard to tell because she was so quiet and her goldfish-like face made it difficult to read her facial expressions.
“Say, what are your names, anyway?” said Darek. He held out a hand. “I'm Darek Takren and this is Aorja Kitano. You are—?”
The two Institute students stared at Darek's outstretched hand like they had never seen such a thing before. It confused Darek for a moment before he realized that aquarians might not greet each other with handshakes, but he had no idea how they greeted each other and he felt too embarrassed to ask them.
So, lowering his hand, Darek said, “Just a human way of greeting someone new. Anyway, you can just tell us your names.”
“Okay,” said the male student. “I Kuroshio. Botamancer. And this Auratus, personal pupil of Archmage.”
“I already knew her name,” said Darek. “She was there when I rescued Jiku here. Why doesn't she introduce herself, though?”
Auratus looked down at her feet, almost like she was embarrassed, while Kuroshio said, “She … what's the word. She is mute. Can't speak.”
“Oh,” said Darek. “I'm sorry to hear that. Has she always been that way or—?”
“Been that way for long time,” said Kuroshio. “But not forever. Not subject she like to talk about.”
Auratus gave Kuroshio a grateful smile, although Darek didn't understand it. He wanted to find out more about how she lost her ability to speak, but before he could, Aorja asked, “So how does Auratus communicate if she can't talk?”
Kuroshio tapped the side of his head. “Telepathy. Sends mental messages to people. Sometimes sign language, but telepathy more reliable.”
“Oh,” said Aorja. “I've heard of those types of mages. They're usually audimancers, aren't they?”
“Auratus not audimancer,” said Kuroshio, his tone sharp. “Fuscimancer. Controls shadows. Good at telemancy as well.”
Granted, Darek was no expert at understanding aquarians, but he knew the 'this is not a subject that you want to talk about' tone very well. Clearly, Auratus was sensitive about being accused of being an audimancer, though why, he didn't know and he didn't think Auratus or Kuroshio would be willing to elaborate. He had a feeling that it wasn't really any of their business, although he really wanted to know more about it. Maybe he could find out more about her, subtly.
“Oh, fuscimancy?” said Aorja. “That makes her a servant of Ooka, the God of Shadows and Knives, yes?”
“Yes,” said Kuroshio. “She very good. In training to one day replace Yorak as Archmage.”
“Then she must be very good,” said Darek. “The Magical Superior used to have a pupil years ago, but then he was killed and the Superior has gone without one since.”
“Why?” said Kuroshio. “Need successor, right? Why go without pupil?”
Darek shrugged. “It happened when I was very young, so I don't recall all of it. I've never talked about with the Superior and he hasn't shared his reasons for doing it, but there have always been rumors about him picking a new one every year, although he has yet to do it.”
“Hmm,” said Kuroshio, scratching his arm. “Interesting.”
That was all he said on the matter before lapsing into silence. Neither of the two aquarians said anything else and for a moment, Darek was too absorbed by the awkwardness of the moment to know what else he should say.
Then Aorja spoke up, pointing at Kuroshio's armband. “Why do you aquarian mages use stones to cast spells instead of wands?”
Kuroshio put his hand over his green stone. “More practical. Easier to use
“That's good,” said the Institute mage. “Grand Magus very smart and talented. Of course.”
He said that with obvious pride, his chest puffed out. Auratus, standing next to him, looked proud of her headmistress as well, although it was hard to tell because she was so quiet and her goldfish-like face made it difficult to read her facial expressions.
“Say, what are your names, anyway?” said Darek. He held out a hand. “I'm Darek Takren and this is Aorja Kitano. You are—?”
The two Institute students stared at Darek's outstretched hand like they had never seen such a thing before. It confused Darek for a moment before he realized that aquarians might not greet each other with handshakes, but he had no idea how they greeted each other and he felt too embarrassed to ask them.
So, lowering his hand, Darek said, “Just a human way of greeting someone new. Anyway, you can just tell us your names.”
“Okay,” said the male student. “I Kuroshio. Botamancer. And this Auratus, personal pupil of Archmage.”
“I already knew her name,” said Darek. “She was there when I rescued Jiku here. Why doesn't she introduce herself, though?”
Auratus looked down at her feet, almost like she was embarrassed, while Kuroshio said, “She … what's the word. She is mute. Can't speak.”
“Oh,” said Darek. “I'm sorry to hear that. Has she always been that way or—?”
“Been that way for long time,” said Kuroshio. “But not forever. Not subject she like to talk about.”
Auratus gave Kuroshio a grateful smile, although Darek didn't understand it. He wanted to find out more about how she lost her ability to speak, but before he could, Aorja asked, “So how does Auratus communicate if she can't talk?”
Kuroshio tapped the side of his head. “Telepathy. Sends mental messages to people. Sometimes sign language, but telepathy more reliable.”
“Oh,” said Aorja. “I've heard of those types of mages. They're usually audimancers, aren't they?”
“Auratus not audimancer,” said Kuroshio, his tone sharp. “Fuscimancer. Controls shadows. Good at telemancy as well.”
Granted, Darek was no expert at understanding aquarians, but he knew the 'this is not a subject that you want to talk about' tone very well. Clearly, Auratus was sensitive about being accused of being an audimancer, though why, he didn't know and he didn't think Auratus or Kuroshio would be willing to elaborate. He had a feeling that it wasn't really any of their business, although he really wanted to know more about it. Maybe he could find out more about her, subtly.
“Oh, fuscimancy?” said Aorja. “That makes her a servant of Ooka, the God of Shadows and Knives, yes?”
“Yes,” said Kuroshio. “She very good. In training to one day replace Yorak as Archmage.”
“Then she must be very good,” said Darek. “The Magical Superior used to have a pupil years ago, but then he was killed and the Superior has gone without one since.”
“Why?” said Kuroshio. “Need successor, right? Why go without pupil?”
Darek shrugged. “It happened when I was very young, so I don't recall all of it. I've never talked about with the Superior and he hasn't shared his reasons for doing it, but there have always been rumors about him picking a new one every year, although he has yet to do it.”
“Hmm,” said Kuroshio, scratching his arm. “Interesting.”
That was all he said on the matter before lapsing into silence. Neither of the two aquarians said anything else and for a moment, Darek was too absorbed by the awkwardness of the moment to know what else he should say.
Then Aorja spoke up, pointing at Kuroshio's armband. “Why do you aquarian mages use stones to cast spells instead of wands?”
Kuroshio put his hand over his green stone. “More practical. Easier to use
Similar Books
