Desert Wind: 1.2
Within the embrace of clear water, Knoll contemplated his situation. What most preoccupied him was this new environment. He was currently confined to small, single room. It was nicer than any single space Knoll had ever stayed in. But in a way it was unnerving. This new world literally thrummed with magic. The lights weren't torches, but tiny crystals of spun glass that glowed blue-white and were cool to the touch. The water for the bath came from slats in the stone when Knoll pressed down on a bluish rune. The air was chilled and slightly moist, such a contrast to the desert air Knoll was so used to that he had felt the need to run a warm bath.
He'd taken three baths today. Cleaning oneself was a luxury in Dusttown, and the last bath Knoll could remember taking outside of the Ivory Spire was a brief splash in a fountain in the Feather District before a guard chased him away. Daily ablutions were the luxuries of priests and barons. After a single day his fur was as white as the day he was born, so much that it glowed in the light of the crystal lanterns. His hair billowed about him in the water like a ghostly veil, devoid of grime and dust and laying in a pale curtain around his face and shoulders.
The baths were certainly cleansing, but Knoll could not call them relaxing. He was on edge the whole time, expecting someone to kick down his locked door and accost him in the washbasin. He kept the jade colored scimitar within reach at all times, just in case. Curiously, Kuzon had let Knoll keep the green scimitar he had stolen days earlier. While the dragon reiterated that it was indeed commissioned within the Ivory Spire, he did not insist that Knoll return it. Knoll even inquired into this subject, and was greeted only with a wry smile and a brisk "Don't worry yourself, boy."
It had been more almost a day that Knoll had been in this room, and Kuzon had only spoken to him once, when he had delivered a morning meal. His words were cryptic, something about "bureaucracy" and "sorting things out," but Knoll couldn't make heads or tails of it. The food was excellent, but light. It was mostly fruits and vegetables, but Knoll learned never to be picky about nourishment.
Knoll stretched in the washtub and got out with a drip of water on to stone floors. He shook his white fur before toweling off. He'd also been provided with clothes. Actual clothes too, made with a light, soft fabric that was cool to the touch even after being on his body for hours. Knoll flattened his tall ears so that he could pull his head through the light green tunic before slipping on the grey pants.
Dry and clothed, Knoll sat down on the one chair in the room adorned with a blue cushion, angled so that Knoll could see the door, and the face of whoever tried to enter it. The other furniture was firm, wooden, and straight backed like the stuff he had sat in when Kuzon first brought him to the spire. He wished he had something to do here. The little, sandstone living space he was stuck in had nothing but a bed, two chairs and a desk, and countless little cubbies that looked too small to be hold much of anything.
A knock on the door, and Knoll jumped, clenching his fists reflexively before saying, "come in."
The dragon's tall form stepped through, dark robe gently billowing in the current of air cast by the opening door. "My apologies for the wait, Knoll. Did you find your stay unpleasant?"
Knoll shook his head, noticing the fact that Kuzon had used his name for the first time. "It was all right. Just a bit of a wait, is all. What took things so long? Do all the new students confine themselves to a room for a day?"
A chuckle escaped Kuzon's mouth, a low grumble of a laugh. "No... this procedure is not exactly standard. Well, the paperwork is. But the important thing is that you're now a student of the Ivory Spire, which means you need this." He threw a small silver amulet at the fox, adorned with an amethyst the size of a fingernail. "This is your college badge. Don't lose it, don't forget about it, and don't you ever try to pawn it," said Kuzon, as Knoll's eyes widened at the sight of the jewelry. "If you ever leave the grounds of the Spire, you're to have this on your person. It detects the smallest traces of magic. More so, any trace of aethermancy, pyromancy, and psychomancy will immediately alert an inquisitor, who could arrest you on grounds for improper use of spells. If you're caught casting magic without this, you could be imprisoned or even killed on the spot on the charge of witchcraft."
Knoll nodded, examining the amulet closer. It vibrated against his hands, almost glowing under the blue-white white of the crystal lanterns. "I see... why do we need these, though?"
"Did I not just say why we need to bear these badges?"
Knoll paused, trying to reword his question. "I mean... you said what happens if we don't wear the badge... but why do we need them in the first place?"
Kuzon didn't answer right away. Instead he flipped the black hood over his head and said, in a soft tone. "It's simply to ensure that magicians remain responsible with their gifts."
"I see," said Knoll, slowly. "So... now that I have this badge, what are we going to do?"
"Explore the mystic world of spellcraft, of course," smiled Kuzon, "But you do need to get changed. I do have your uniform. Novices wear grey here. You can wear whatever you like underneath the robe, within reason, but the robe and sash are required for most occasions here." He tossed a bundle of clothes at Knoll. "Change and meet me downstairs."
Knoll waited for Kuzon to click the door behind him before changing. He kept the clothes he was wearing on before pulling on the light satin robe. It was big, much too big, if Knoll was honest. The garment wouldn't close around his chest properly, even with the wide white sash tied tight around his waist and lower midriff. The hood felt heavy on his back, and Knoll flipped it over his head, adjusting it so that the slits on the top fit around his tall fennec ears.
He examined himself in the mirror in the washroom. The robe enveloped him like an overzealous lover, and the hood was so voluminous that his whole face was cast in shadow. The robe opened across the chest revealing the underlying tunic in a splash of bright green that attracted the eye to his chest. The hem of the robe draped over the top of his white toes. Any fur that was bare beneath his clothes practically glowed. He still had no shoes, but that didn't particularly bother him. His feet were tough and calloused, and he liked being able to feel the ground beneath him. Satisfied with his appearance and marveling a little that he actually had the luxury of caring in the first place, Knoll left his tiny room and took a set of sloping stairs down to meet Kuzon.
The dragonkin was waiting patiently, drumming clawed fingers idly against the sandstone wall behind him. He chuckled as Knoll descended the stairs with a billow of fabric. "You look positively swamped, lad."
"I wouldn't be if you gave me something smaller," grumbled Knoll. He compared his own robe to Kuzon's. Besides the differing color, his robe was of a different cut about the chest and hood, and lacked the silver and green adornments that caught the light of the Spire's crystal lanterns.
"If we had anything smaller I'd have given it to you," said Kuzon, a little placatingly. "If it becomes too irritating, I can find you a tailor."
Knoll shrugged with a rustle of fabric. "So... I look the part, I guess.. What do we do now?"
"Now? Now we learn," Said Kuzon with a smile. "We need to start with what you actually know about magic. Follow me."
Knoll obeyed, trotting to match Kuzon's long strides. The Ivory Spire seemed so labyrinthine as he followed the dragon. Hallways branched into hallways branched into doorways branched into stairways, with no real way to navigate them besides a series of strange runes that Knoll could not recognize. It was an unsettling sensation. Even The Warrens, in all their mazelike tunnels were familiar enough to him that he knew the exit routes without conscious thought.. Although, that was probably a bad thing. Besides, he didn't need an exit route now. He wasn't here to steal or fight. If things went smoothly, he'd never need to worry about a hasty escape route in the Spire. Still, Knoll instinctually counted his turns and steps.
After three left turns, two staircases, and a jog to the right, Kuzon held a mahogany door open for Knoll. "In here, boy." It was an empty room, most likely a private study, as it lacked any of the comforts of the living space Knoll was held in earlier. A large desk of cheap desert wood dominated the small space. One of the walls, the largest, was slate black instead of the normal bone-white sandstone.
"Sit down, lad." The fox obeyed, taking one of the old wooden chairs. Kuzon did not take a chair, instead choosing to lean on the desk. "The Ivory Spire is a place of magic, but is also a place of social ritual. You will be expected to follow this, lest you alienate yourself from your peers and superiors. First names are discouraged amongst acquaintances here. Also, as a novice, you shall address all others here by rank, titles, such as 'sage' or 'scholar,' or simply a 'sir,' or 'ma'am.' This does include me as well. I'll admit it's slightly archaic, but it will reflect poorly on you if you do not follow these procedures. Do you understand?"
"I understand," said Knoll, nodding. He kept his face neutral, but he bit the inside of his mouth. This was beginning to feel like the reason he left the Sandworms.
"I understand, sir," corrected Kuzon. Knoll did his best to not roll his eyes. Kuzon continued, "Now, you must tell me: what do you know of magic?"
Knoll frowned, disarmed by the open-endedness of the question. He struggled to conceptualize such a vast and alien subject in a succinct manner. "Well... If... if you've got this, this spark in you... you can do things. Things that other people can't do."
"Mmhmhmhm..." chuckled Kuzon, unable to contain himself. "'If you've got the spark, you can do things other people can't.'" He reiterated Knoll's words, doing his best not to patronize his pupil. "You're not incorrect, and if I were asked to explain magic in a single sentence, I'd perhaps use similar words to yours."
Knoll still frowned, unhappy with the backhanded compliment. "Well, what am I supposed to know? I told you I never knew I could cast a spell."
"Know this," said Kuzon firmly. "I never intend to talk down to my students. I asked you only to know where to begin." Knoll's frown softened at this. "It is apparent that I must start from the very beginning, as the basis of this world we dive into requires intimate knowledge of every aspect, and that each part is a foundation for the next. Each step of your education requires complete mastery before moving on to the next part, if you are to succeed."
Knoll crossed his arms expectantly. "So where do we start then? sir." Knoll ammended himself quickly.
"With the six schools," said Kuzon, picking up a piece of white chalk. "The six schools of magic make up everything about spellcraft, and perhaps even make up everything about the world itself. You are already familiar with two schools. When you attempted to escape my claws in the street yesterday, you expressed your urge to run through aethermancy, the art of guiding wind. And when, if your story is true, you tried to free yourself from prison, you expressed your desires for freedom through pyromancy, the art of weaving fire. You have had intimate experiences with two schools of magic. But there are indeed four more you do not know."
Knoll interjected at this statement. "Why did I manage to cast a spell with no knowledge of magic, sir?"
Kuzon paused, contemplating his answer. "If I were a gambling man, I'd wager that more supernatural incidents happened around you, regardless of your awareness of them. Strange lights, noises, gusts of wind that picked you off your feet when you jumped or knocked down an assailant? Magic is a vain beast, and the less its owner pays attention to it, the more it tries to break free and manifest despite its users wishes." He paused, letting Knoll recollect, matching his memories to the events just described. Kuzon waited for the look of dawning comprehension to cross Knoll's face before continuing.
"You should know the basic foundation of every school of magic, but our first school studied and your first lesson will be in guiding the wind. Aethermancy was the first school of magic discovered. It also is one of the easiest magicks to manipulate, as the resource it needs is always abundant. Were you born in Oken, kit?"
Knoll nodded. "The Desert Star is all I've known, sir. Why do you ask?"
"Because," said Kuzon, "Oken, and especially Kalibane, has had a long history of exceptional Aethermancers. A bitter irony indeed..." The dragon paused, and although Knoll's gaze begged to inquire more about the dragon's ending comment, Kuzon didn't go into detail.
Kuzon took the chalk in a claw and drew a hexagram. At the very top of the hexagram, he drew a straight line inside a circle. "Aethermancy is expressed by a straight line. This is because the fastest distance between any two points in space is a straight line. Remember this, and aethermancy shall be easy to learn."
"So is this where you teach me to blast things with wind?" The fox's voice was eager.
"Always with the new ones," sighed Kuzon, a little exasperated but mostly amused. "No. Before you learn to control the wind, you must learn to stand on your own two feet. Stand up, boy, with your knees and feet at shoulder width."
Knoll obeyed, exiting his chair and keeping his stance ready, a habit gleaned from years on the streets of the Desert Star. Kuzon examined Knoll's stance. The dragon stood back, examining the fox's altered pose. "You stand like someone who's spent every moment of his life practicing wind magic. You must be at the ready at all times, light on your feet. To control the wind, you must move like it too. Know this: every muscle must be relaxed, but at the same time ready to move at a moment. Even under severe stress or the threat of danger, you cannot be tense or cagey when executing wind magic."
Knoll blushed a little, unused to praise. "So... how do I... what's the word? Start the magic? You know, get the juices flowing? Whenever something weird happened to me before, it was an accident."
Kuzon nodded. "Many mages have their tics. Some snap their fingers, others crick their neck, some roll their shoulder, and another could flick their tail. Finding your tic could help you learn to catalyze the flow of magic, but at the same time, you should unlearn your tic almost as fast as you learn it, because it's a very blatant tell to observant people that you're about to start casting spells."
Knoll looked at Kuzon a little blankly. "What was that word? Cata... cata-something."
"Cat-a-lyze," enunciated Kuzon. "It means to initiate, to change, or start a process. The so-called spark you mentioned earlier." Kuzon looked back to the slate wall, and started drawing a neat but simple diagram, showing two vaguely anthropomorphic figures standing far apart. "I find the most effective method of learning magic is to dive in headfirst and never stop trying."
"Have you had many students before me," asked Knoll, listening intently to the lecture.
"Errr... I had one apprentice before you," said Kuzon. He actually looked a little sheepish at his somewhat lackluster experience in teaching. "It was before I came to Oken. She was.... She was unique." The last word was spoken in an exasperated huff. The dragon paused to continue drawing with his chalk before turning back to Knoll.
The fox looked a little uncertain, clearly losing confidence at this news. "Why aren't there other students here? I can't be the only beginner here, sir?"
Kuzon winced a little at this. "I must admit, Kalibane is not the best place to be a novice. The Clerics limit how many new students the Ivory Spire takes, and most mages who are resident here are visitors seeking access to our ancient archives. They stay only as long they need to complete their research. It's why you shall primarily be learning from me privately."
Knoll nodded, leaning back a little in the chair as he contemplated the diagram. "What are those figures? It kind of looks like... like a dance, almost."
Kuzon chuckled again, his chest rumbling as he pointed with his finger. "Perhaps I should teach you to dance. Light steps and flowing, rhythmic movements are an excellent way to invoke the four winds. Each school of magic requires you to move your body, and I have found that proper form and awareness of body are a much better way to evoke spells than personal tics. Now, do you remember what shape aethermancy is expressed by?"
Knoll nodded, eager to show he was paying attention. "A line."
"Indeed. To cast aethermancy, you must draw a line in your mind's eye." Kuzon drew a harsh line from one figure to the other on the board with a flick of his wrist. "That is the first step. The second is to move your whole body. You must be quick, and your movements must be almost exaggerated, especially in your limbs. To control the wind, you must make wind. Do you understand?"
Knoll nodded, eager to feel the thrill of invoking magic. "Yes, I do."
"A common way to command the wind is to spin your whole body. But there is a proper form to it all. Novices have a habit of whirling about like a spastic, more concerned about flourishes and looking impressive than maintaining their orientation. If you don't control yourself, all you'll do is make yourself dizzy." Kuzon stepped away from the blackboard, loosening his limbs and throwing off his hood. "The key to a proper rotations is to not move your head until the very last second. That way you don't lose eye contact with your target for as long as possible. Like so..." The dragon twirled his body. His horned head remained stationary above his revolving body until it looked like his neck was so twisted that he'd dislocated it. He then whipped his snout around so that he returned to its original position even before his whirling body. He stopped with a stamp of black boots, his arms low and splayed at his waist for balance.
Knoll nodded, and attempted to imitate. In twirl of too-big robes and limbs, Knoll span on the spot once. He put a little too much strength into the motion, staggering as he landed, ending about ninety degrees past his original position. The room whirled for a split second as Knoll regained his balance.
"A good try," nodded Kuzon. He returned to the slate board, chalking up a two circled ring target. He pointed to it. "It's easier to maintain focus if you have something to look at. Stare at the target for as long as you can. You must keep your head still as your body rotates. Once you feel tension in your neck, you must whip your head around as fast as you can so that you break your gaze for only a moment. Would you like to try it slow first?"
Knoll shook his head, eager to prove his ability. Focusing his jade eyes on the rings, he twisted his body with a kick of his legs. His robe flapped around him, and he twisted his head at the last moment, flicking it around at the last minute. He overcompensated his movements again, and when he stopped, a loud crick filled the small room as the fox torqued his neck with a painful twinge. He cursed, rubbing the crook between his neck and shoulders.
Kuzon watched silently, waiting for Knoll. "There's no shame in starting small, lad." The dragon's words were kind, but Knoll growled anyway. His hands were curled into fist with frustration. "Let me show you, step by step."
Knoll shook his head, turning his back to Kuzon. "It's just a spin. This should be easy." His tone was cross and clipped.
"Trying anything for the first time is rarely easy. Learning should never be a race." Kuzon paused, waiting for Knoll to respond before continuing. "All of our best sages started as you did, Knoll. There is no shame in stumbling, so long as you pick yourself up." Knoll only nodded, uncurling his fingers.
Kuzon gently placed a hand on Knoll's shoulder, opening his mouth to instruct. In a whirl of grey, the dragon felt a tug of his arm, surprisingly strong. Five fingers closed on his wrist as Knoll span halfway around, the fox's right hand on the inside of Kuzon's elbow, one foot on the dragon's knee. Despite being so small, the fox had exceptional leverage over Kuzon. His green eyes were wide with instinct, and his teeth bared in a savage snarl. As fast as he grabbed Kuzon, Knoll withdrew, taking two steps back and dropping to the floor, hugging his knees and hiding his face under his hood.
Kuzon just stood in wide-eyed shock. His face was surprisingly blank, and he displayed no anger at his pupil. "Knoll... what was
that?"
"I... I'm sorry," whispered Knoll. "It's just... getting touched from behind... in a way, it's weird here."
The dragon stepped back and joined Knoll on the stone floor, curling his tail under crossed legs. "Did you think I would harm you, Knoll?" Knoll shook his head, avoiding eye contact.
Knoll spoke into his knees. "When you live on the streets... you have to learn to keep your back to a wall. Getting dropped could mean you lose your last meal... your last coin... your last breath. If you relax, you risk everything. I'm not used to not being in danger all the time. You learn that feeling safe is dangerous." He didn't speak for nearly a minute, and Kuzon did not break the silence. "You must think I'm a savage."
"I'm sorry," said Kuzon, keeping his voice low and soft. "I should have been more sensitive. You are no savage to me, Knoll. Rough about the edges, certainly. A little desperate, especially if you were willing to steal so blatantly from a magician. But not a savage. The plight of your previous life was hardly unique on the streets of the Desert Star." The dragon waited for more than five minutes, letting Knoll sit and hide his face. "If you are willing, I would like to resume our lesson, whenever you are ready."
Knoll breathed in, puffing out his chest before letting the air whistle through his teeth. The kind words felt like a balm against his cheeks, hot with a blush of shame. "I am ready to continue, Kuzon." He was not chastised for the use of the dragon's name.
Kuzon stood up, speaking low but firmly. "Stand and turn around, Knoll. Look at the target, and I shall show you how to properly turn yourself. I will guide your shoulders through the motion, if you shall permit it." Knoll nodded and stood as well, turning to look at the chalked target. Kuzon put two fingers on each shoulder. "Do not move your head. Stare at the target as I move your shoulders. Keep one arm elevated to the shoulder, with the fist raised before your chest. the other should be angled so that it's fully extended, with your hand level to your waist.."
Knoll obeyed, letting Kuzon guide him into the proper position. "Like this sir?" The fox had returned to the formal speech in an effort to move past his embarrassment.
"Your arms are perfect. This shall keep you better balanced. Are you more comfortable on your left or right foot, boy?" Knoll indicated his left foot. "Than your left foot shall not move. It shall be a stout pillar, keeping you from drifting in the currents of the winds. When you spin at full speed, your right foot shall push you round in a single motion. Now, I shall guide you through the movements once, and then I shall let you try yourself."
Knoll nodded his assent. Kuzon's clawed fingers pressed against the fox's shoulders, pushing his body around. Knoll obediently squared his eyes on the circle, keeping his head still. When he felt the torque in his narrow neck muscles, he asked Kuzon to stop. "Is this when I should move my head, sir? It's starting to feel tense in my neck."
"No," said Kuzon, rotating Knoll the other way by a few degrees. "If it starts to strain or hurt, you're too late. You should never feel uncomfortable when you perform your spells. Try turning your head, here." The dragon tapped Knoll's shoulder and neck, indicating a slightly less acute angle of head and body. "It is here that your head should snap like a whip, coming around faster than the spin of your body so that you lock eyes with your target and your chest comes to meet you. Show me now, lad, but slowly."
Kuzon stepped backwards, keeping his arms slack. He watched Knoll rotate with a rustle of fabric. His movements followed the instructions he was given, and his form was excellent at the reduced speed. "Do you understand how you're supposed to move now? Do you know where your limbs should be?"
Knoll turned around, nodding with a "yessir."
"Your head movement was excellent. If you repeat what you just did at full speed, you should never disorient yourself as you move. Show me at the slower rate before you try at full speed. Try to just add a little bit more speed with each rotation."
Knoll did as he was instructed, Stopping with a brisk stomp of his foot on the stone tiles. Each time he picked up speed, he did not lose balance, and he never felt the tug of strained muscles when he whipped his head around. After his eleventh revolution, he halted, having just turned himself around three times in a row at his fastest speed. He was actually panting with the effort. His robe fell open at the whirl of his body, revealing more of the green tunic under the fold of the garment. "Did, huff... did I do better, sir?"
"More than better," said Kuzon, pleased with the progress. "You learn quickly, boy. You mustn't forget this technique if you wish to be an aethermancer. A proper spin is an excellent way to both call upon and amplify a wind spell.
Knoll sat down in the chair, hand under his chin. "How does spinning start the magic? You didn't really say, sir."
"Magic can be fickle," said Kuzon with a smile. "Whether you know it or not, you have asked one of the greatest unanswered questions of magical philosophy. Every school of magic has motions associated with it. Aethermancers dance and spin, pyromancers move with brisk, sudden movements, and psychomancers are at their most potent when they don't move at all. My hypothesis, my guess-" Kuzon provided a synonym at Knoll's quizzical look, "Is that the movements of the body inform the magic within you what type of ability you wish to evoke."
"You talk about magic as if it were alive, like it has a mind of its own," said Knoll.
"Some claim exactly as such," said Kuzon, nodding his head as he spoke. "If you asked for my personal opinion... I couldn't give you a definite answer. All I know is that every time I cast a spell, I feel an urge within my chest to break free of my bodily bonds, to let the euphoric rush of magic fill my consciousness and allow it to run unhindered. Perhaps the magic is alive, coaxing me to further enjoy my ability to master the elements of our world, or perhaps it is simply my pride at the sorcerous prowess that I have cultivated over the years."
"One thing I've noticed," said Knoll, "Is that you speak quite highly of yourself when it comes to magic."
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were being insolent," said Kuzon, slightly sternly. "You'd do well to guard your tongue near those who are less forgiving than I am. I-"
"I'm sorry, sir," said Knoll, unaware he was interrupting as he apologized.
"I was not admonishing you, boy," said the dragon, tone a bit less severe. "I was merely warning you that others here are both ignorant of your origins and somewhat particular about how they should be addressed. The social pitfalls of this place must seem quite alien to one such as you."
"Yessir."
"With an attitude like that, you'll catch on fine," smiled Kuzon. "As for my pride, I must admit you are not incorrect. Maybe it's because I was steeped in magic since the age of four. Maybe it is because I am the youngest Loremaster ever recorded in the history of the great Ivory Spire, and indeed, in all of modern magical history. Or, perhaps it is because magic is all I know, and if I were not good at it, there would be little else that I could do with a similar level of skill. Call it a fault, but I do not deny how much my spellwork means to me."
"What is a Loremaster, sir?"
"It is a position common in places of magical learning, but to be the Loremaster of the Ivory Spire is an exceptional honor. You are privileged to be learning in a facility with one of the most ancient and extensive magical libraries in the entire breadth of Ulindar. And to be the Loremaster, one must earn the position by publishing numerous treatises and essays on the subject of magic. They must be reviewed and renowned by peers, and prove to be factual and relevant to modern magical theory."
Knoll was biting his thumb, curious but not yet able to grasp the concept fully at the moment. "I am twenty five years of age, and I have fourteen distinguished works to my name, some of which are found within our own annals here. Some sages don't publish fourteen essays on the mechanics of magic over their entire career, and others release works that prove to age poorly as their theories fail to stand up to scrutiny."
"So... did you do all that work because you wanted to earn your position here," asked Knoll.
"Well, no," replied Kuzon. "my position here was a product of some research that sort of... snowballed. The more I researched and wrote, the more I realized I had only scratched the surface of the topic at hand and had more work to do. It's a rather complex and esoteric subject, and I don't wish to overwhelm you right now."
Knoll paused for a moment, standing up against and rolling his shoulders. "I do wish to continue, sir. What comes after the spin?"
Kuzon smiled, crossing his arms. "Quite eager, you are. That's good. However, I would rather like to eat my afternoon meal. If you would prefer, I could bring us food and we can continue our lesson from there."
"Where are you getting all this food," asked Knoll, the concept of abundance so alien to him. "Who are you paying for all the fresh food? Or is someone just giving it out?!"
"Later tonight, I could show you the commissary, if you wish," chuckled Kuzon with a light rumble. "Though I'd fear you'd faint in utter awe."
Knoll pouted at the teasing before asking, "Do you know if they serve meats here?"
Kuzon just nodded, heading for the door. "I'll be back in a minute or so. If it would please you, practicing your stance and spin would be beneficial. Try it on your other foot, so that you're as comfortable on your right and you are on your left."
The door shut, and after a count of five, Knoll moved to lock the door, but paused. The fox shook himself and turned his back to the door, face burning with renewed shame at the memory of his instinctual reaction, like he was a feral animal. Instead he turned his face to the ring target on the blackboard, planting his right foot as a pillar. He started slow, like before, feeling his neck muscles tighten against his turning body, feeling the moment before it began to hurt before bringing his face around and back to the board. His right side seemed much less flexible than his left, for some reason, but within two minutes he could spin as fast and with as much precision as if he had planted his left foot instead. It didn't stop him from feeling a little silly, spinning about in an empty room.
Kuzon slipped through the door with nary a sound, observing his pupil in his footwork before placing the food on the desk. The clink of the plate on the desk made Knoll step back by a fraction, the attention on his lessons shattered by the smell of food. Like in the morning, fresh fruits and vegetables were abundant, but the smell of warm chicken wafted towards the fox, steam rising off the plates. He inhaled, almost tasting it with only his nose.
Knoll took his plate with a hasty thanks, dropping his hood to eat. As he was about to pop an entire apple into his mouth, he paused and instead took a modest chunk from it. He thought he saw Kuzon lips twitch into a split second smile. The sweet fruit was as refreshing as a draft from a wineskin. But the allure of the meat, and cooked meat at that, held Knoll by the nose and muzzle. The chicken legs were golden brown, smelling sweet as well as savory. If Knoll could guess, it looked like the legs were glazed with honey, a rarity in the Desert Star. "How'd you get these?"
Kuzon just chuckled again as he bit into his own leg. "Don't trouble yourself, boy. Dig in."
Knoll obeyed with barely contained restraint, never one to question good fortune. The warmth, the tenderness, the way the meat fell of the bone into his mouth... the fox had eaten meat cooked like this a scant few times in his life. He could probably count the number of times he'd enjoyed a meal this rich on one hand. His right hand. The bone was picked clean, cracked, and then sucked of marrow. A little uncouth, but Knoll hated to see anything wasted. It took all of Knoll's self control to not take the plate and put it on the other side of the room, as if Kuzon were to steal the food from him at a moment's notice. Still, he tried to remain a semblance of manners.
Kuzon picked up the conversation, eating slower and casually adding some of the items on his plate to Knoll's when he thought the fox wasn't looking. The dragon was keenly cognizant of how visible the boys ribs were when he picked the fox off the streets. "Your form was quite on point during your spins. It was like I said: you move like a natural aethermancer."
Knoll swallowed a half of a whole carrot with a gulp. "Thank you sir."
"When you are finished, I will teach you a new motion. On top of that, I shall instruct you in your first aethermancy." He smiled as Knoll's eyes lit up. "But before that, I shall tell you something you should know about all aethermancies."
Knoll stopped eating, devoting his attention to Kuzon. "All wind spells?"
"All of them. I said before the motion of a spell is just as important as an incantation. And when it comes to aethermancy, the rule of thumb is to use two limbs in tandem." Knoll gave Kuzon a quizzical look. "When you spin, do you not keep one arm to your chest and one leg as a pillar so you stand firm?"
"I do," said Knoll. "And my other leg and arm are held out for balance."
"They are also held out so they generate a current of air, as if you were to be the source of the blast of wind." Kuzon smiled. "Aethermancies require two limbs to be still and two to be in motion. They need not be symmetrical-" The dragon paused, trying to simplify for the young fox. "You don't need to move the same types of limbs when you dance to the wind. You mustn't always move both your arms while keeping both legs still, you understand?" Knoll nodded. "It could be your left arm and right leg, for example. Do you understand, boy?"
"I do understand, sir," said the fox. It seemed simple enough.
"So you understand which limbs move when you spin. As for the technique I'm about to teach you, you shall move your right hand and right leg, while keeping your left side firm. Stand and do as I do, boy."
Knoll stood on his feet next to his mentor, mimicking his stance. The two males planted their feet at a right angle, their heels touching. Their left arms were raised, as if beckoning to someone. The right arm was slack to the elbow, with his forearm at an angle away from their hips. "I'm ready for what's next, sir."
"This spell has three parts, which must be executed both flawlessly and simultaneously... at the same time." Kuzon paused from his lecture, to elaborate for his pupil. He then leered at the blackboard before mutteringb an incantation. A piece of chalk levitated from the desk, faintly illuminated by a translucent blue aura. The chalk sketched a series of letters in the modern script. "This is an incantation, the magical words used to invoke magic. You shall learn the details of incantations later, but for now, simply repeat the syllables exactly as I do, so we can see how easily you can evoke your magic." The chalk bounced off the blackboard three times, one for each syllable. "It's spoken how it reads: 'mo-ser-ah.'"
Kuzon looked down at his pupil, expecting the enraptured attention he had been giving earlier in the lesson. Instead, he saw the fennec with his hood up again, pointedly looking away from the dragon. After a heavy minute of silence, the fox whispered. "Kuzon... I don't know how to read."