Bindi’s Arcane Education

Part I

Llandona had drawn a circle of some importance in the ground with her sword. Astrallena had used it to focus power. It was something that Bindi hadn’t learned before. Since then she had requested Llandona teach her about the circles.

“Pages 3 and 4 need work.” she had said. What she meant by that, she wasn’t sure. But Bindi had been consoled by the thought that Llandona had said she possessed natural talent for drawing said circles. But they did need work.

Sitting on the floor in Velika’s Collegium Arcane Sanctum, she was surrounded by piles of books. The library had run out of things to teach her. She decided the inquire from the Sorcerer, Mystic and High Priest trainers what they knew of the subject. The books were about as big as she was, and the pages took two arms to turn, but it was fascinating. She had already gone through two notebooks of notes, and 4 pencils, digesting everything she could find. It almost became an obsession. Everything she found, she wanted to know more. She wanted to know how everything worked. Why it did what it did. How to tap into the power the circles helped amplify the effects of spells.

Arcane, from what she understood, was an entire school of magic unto itself. She wasn’t aware that schools of magic could cross over. But so far, she had found they could. After adding runes in certain configurations, that the High Priests called “Glyphs” to her spells, she had noticed an addition in her healing which was always much needed.

“Let’s see now, these circles have these runes in common. But there’s this extra row of circles, hmm. That means that it’s more effective. I see! So the bigger the circle, the more the runes, the more effective the circle! Well that makes this much easier to figure out.” Bindi smiled to herself as she continued to write.

“You seem pleased with yourself, did I miss something?” a small voice piped up. Bindi looked down at her shoe and spotted Tsukiko.

“Hi Tsuki-chan. Yes, I think I’ve made a breakthrough with my arcane homework so to speak. I’ve finally figured out how to lay multiple circles. This will definitely help my understanding of bigger circles. I wonder if multiple layers, is the same as bigger circles, just expanded.” Bindi mused out loud.

 ”Perhaps you should inquire within your guild. I’m sure someone has to know something to help you.” Tsukiko offered, her eyes swaying. Bindi nodded at the advice, although it only stood to reason that would be what she would do. Tsukiko had this annoying habit of stating the obvious, which usually drove Bindi up a wall of spires, but it couldn’t be helped. “What are you planning to do with all this information when you’ve done compiling it?” Tsukiko asked, bringing Bindi out of her thoughts.

“I haven’t thought that far ahead. At the least it’s reference material for myself to continue to learn, at the most it could be used for teaching those who wish to learn the subject. Imagine my writing in the great libraries of the world. Perhaps that would classify me as a researcher? It could be an interesting path, I don’t believe I’ve ever done so before. Have I?” Bindi looked to the snail.

There were only fractions of Bindi’s memories of her previous incarnations that she remembered. Certain spells, certain people, but never a whole life time, which spanned more than 70 years. She often depended on Tsukiko to tell her what she needed to remember. Fortunately for her, the snail being part of a larger whole, had been there for Bindi’s first incarnation, and every incarnation since. So was the will of Katatsumuri, the Snail Sage with whom Bindi had a blood oath. And since her spirit was one that joined the flow of life around the world, regardless of what you called it, and never dissolved into the Dream, she continued to revisit this world again and again.

“I don’t believe so. You’ve learned many things but they’ve always been for your own benefit. You weren’t always a priest in your lives. You’ve been many things. But considering others education was never one of your concerns, no.” Tsukiko answered.

Bindi bit her bottom lip feeling a pang of regret and remorse for that answer. Perhaps this life truly was the one that could change her entire course.

“Tsuki-chan, do you think I’ll ever stop incarnating? Will I ever die and just stay gone like the others?” Bindi’s voice quivered with asking. She wasn’t sure if she was scared at the thought of not being here, or at the thought of never being able to leave here.

“I don’t know Bindi-san. Katatsumuri - san would be the only person who would know that.” Bindi looked thoughtful at that thought, “But…” Tsukiko started again, “..you’ve got plenty of time left in this life, and if anything, every life of yours should be made to count. So I wouldn’t worry about it so much for now.”

Bindi smiled as tears welled up in her eyes, she picked up the snail and held her shell to her cheek in thanks. For all her aggravating know it all temperamental qualities, Tsukiko only wanted the best for Bindi, just like Katatsumuri did. And for now, that was all that mattered.

Bindi reached into one of her packs on the floor, after removing an apple, she cut it open, and put Tsukiko on a half for her to eat, while she went back to her books. Tsukiko let out a noise of glee and ate her fill, while Bindi ate the other half to keep her strength up. She had so much more to learn.

Awakening….

“Get ready Tsuki, her spirit will awaken again soon. You must be there.” the mystical sounding voice rang through the darkness. Tsuki nodded, and searched for the thin wisps that would lead her back to her mistress. They were golden tendrils that ebbed and flowed in the white source light that circled the world. Some called it natural magic, some called it goddess essence, some called it the life stream. Whatever it was, the soul of one elin, forged by Elinu, was traveling through it’s expanse and would grace the world of Arborea again.

“Oh… what are these feelings, these emotions… I feel as if I’ve been here before. Where am I? Who am I?”

“Do not worry M’lady. You have returned to the world, and our journey starts again.”

The small snow haired elin opened her eyes of silver sapphire, and they focused on an abragine snail, the size of a fist, sitting on a stump as if waiting for her.

“Who are you?” the elin asked kneeling down to look at the snail face to face.

“I am Tsuki, from the Order of Katatsumuri, and you are bound by blood oath as one of her order. Your skin still bears the mark.” at that the elin looked down at herself, her legs, inside her shirt, and when looking at her hands, saw a small scar, almost a callus on her thumb, where the skin had been ripped and reformed many times.

“Who am I?” she wondered aloud as she focused on her thumb.

“You are Bindi Tatsu. Sister Bindi to most. And now the world needs you.” somehow, the snail had made it’s way onto her shoulder. Bindi didn’t flinch, feeling as though the snail had always been there.

“Yes, Sister Bindi. That is me. To save this world from evil, the Argons, that is my mission. I remember that much. Where do we go from here Tsuki?”

“We must find Elleon.. a new island has formed. We must be there when he makes his journey to it.”

“Then let us make haste.”

With that, Bindi bounded out of the forest, the honey suckle bed she had been reborn in, feeling very comfortable in her skin, in a place of familiar surroundings. How many times had she started? How many times had she been here? Only Katatsumuri knew for sure. The ancient snail shifted under the muck of the Twangi Mire, and if such a thing exists, smiled to herself. Her order was once again complete. Bindi was the last, and would now continue on to lead her fellow elins. Would she know them? Only time would tell now.

So new game is being added to my gaming circle…

Tera; Rising.

Elin’s and Amani are my races of choice. Although I do plan on making a human eventually.

So, if you play on the american servers or the european servers, let me know. :)