I give a faint smile, realizing I might've gotten carried away describing my abilities.
"Well, let's just say it's more of an empathic connection with nature. Nothing too wild, just picking up on subtle signals some animals give off."
"Elemental magic can do that?" Mira asks.
"I didn't know that either, Magister," Piper adds, as surprised and excited as Mira. "How do you pull it off?"
I shrug. "Why not?"
The mistake's already made—might as well lean into it, right?
A small squirrel pops up and joins our walk, scampering happily by my side. My teammates' eyes flicker between shock and admiration. Even Griffin can't hide his surprise.
Piper bends down to pet the squirrel. "That's incredible, Magister. Your bond with nature is really something. I can only sense magical disruptions in the environment." She glances at Mira. "Mira, it's almost like a psychic magic spell, isn't it?"
Mira nods with a slight smile. "It is."
Mira eyes the squirrel curiously.
Griffin stays quiet, but his expression betrays a certain puzzlement.
I just smile in response. Lesson learned: say less to reveal less.
We keep walking with an outward calm, the squirrel frolicking around us. Piper keeps asking questions, still eager to learn more about my magic and its possibilities. She even asked me to be her mentor, which I politely declined, claiming I'm no good at teaching since I learned everything on my own. But instead of cooling her enthusiasm, she got even more impressed, calling me a genius and whatnot.
The rest of the group listens closely, though Griffin keeps his serious face, focused on the mission.
Finally, unable to handle Piper's relentless questions, I suggest she focus on the upcoming mission. After all, we're nearing Javal village, and it's time to prep for the confrontation with the criminal, right?
Piper, though a bit disappointed to end the chat, gets the mission's importance. I enjoyed passing the long walk with conversation, but when it's all about you, it turns into more of a chore.
Javal village comes into view on the horizon, the trees giving way to its first houses.
As we approach the village's edge, quaint houses rise before us, and I spot figures moving in the distance. That's when Griffin turns to me, his face serious.
"So, Magister, what's the plan?"
I blink, a bit thrown off. Weird—I thought Aunt Libel had already covered everything in the briefing. But apparently, she skipped some details, and now I'm feeling a little lost.
I scratch my head, trying to gather my thoughts. "Well, you know, Warden Piper checks nature for magical disturbances, Warden Mira reads minds for clues, and you, Warden Griffin, be ready to step in if there's an attack. That's it, right?"
The team exchanges confused looks, clearly not sold on my answer. Griffin frowns. "Yes, Magister, we know that already. But how do you want us to enter the village?"
I stand there, baffled. Enter the village? Aunt Libel didn't give us any instructions on that. Why's Griffin asking me this now?
Then Mira chimes in, her steady gaze fixed on me. "Should we go in directly, or conduct our investigation discreetly? Obviously, we can't let the villagers come into contact with magic."
Her question's on point, and I feel a bit dumb for not thinking of it sooner. After all, we don't want to spark panic or suspicion among Javal's residents. Why didn't Aunt Libel mention this? What do I do now?
I nod slowly. "Good question. I think we should scope things out from a distance first before deciding. We don't want to raise suspicions, right?"
The team nods, seemingly relieved by this cautious approach. A slacker's greatest weapon is patience—waiting means time to nap.
So we head to a discreet vantage point.
The sun sets gently behind the hills, bathing Javal village in a soothing light.
Perched on a small ridge, hidden by trees, we have a perfect view of the village.
The tranquility around us could've lulled me into a nice nap if not for the mission weighing on my shoulders.
Piper leans forward, scanning the village intently.
Her expertise in magic lets her detect the slightest disturbances in the surrounding energy. I watch her, impressed by her focus while I'm perfectly content letting things unfold with minimal effort.
"See anything?" Griffin asks Piper, impatient.
Piper shakes her head. "Nope, nothing. This village is too calm, too normal. No trace of magic."
"Maybe she's not here, then," I suggest. As they say, no news is good news.
I'm about to stand and suggest we head back to the guild when…
"Or maybe she's hiding really well," Mira counters.
Mind your business.
I sigh, unsure what to do.
"We need to get closer, question the villagers. Maybe they've seen something suspicious," she adds.
"And how do we do that without raising suspicions?" Griffin asks, cautious.
Exactly, Griffin. Best thing is to head back to the guild… Wait a sec.
Aunt Libel's words flash back to me: *The sooner you complete this task, the sooner you can go back to your quiet life.*
Screw it.
"I'll go in alone, posing as a traveler. You guys stay here, linked telepathically with Mira. If I find anything, I'll let you know," I say, making up a plan on the spot.
"Is it really wise for you to go?" Piper asks, concerned.
Risky? Probably not. Tiring? Definitely. I'm already exhausted just thinking about it.
But I want to wrap this up fast.
"Don't worry. I can handle it. Besides, I'm your Magister. If anyone's gotta dive into the tiger's den, it's me, right?" I say, lying through my teeth.
Gotta look cool in any situation.
I sling on my backpack and turn to Mira. She immediately hands me a slip of paper with cryptic inscriptions.
"This is a talisman that'll let me track your movements and stay in touch," she says calmly.
I nod absently, not really caring about the talisman's implications. I just want this mission over so I can get back to my peaceful life.
She continues, "For thought transmission, I'll need to connect to your mind. It's…"
Her words hit me like a dagger.
Connect to my mind?
A wave of internal panic washes over me. That'd mean she'd access my memories, right? My innermost thoughts… No way!
Thank goodness she warned me first!
As she rambles on about her spell and whatever else, I rack my brain for a way out of this.
Thinking back, I'm the one who suggested this approach earlier. What was I thinking? I really need to stop blurting things out.
Being a slacker doesn't mean being lazy in the head. Sure, thinking can be exhausting sometimes, but when it's critical, it's a whole different game… As I think at lightning speed, a spell pops into my mind.
Yes, this'll work!
I cut Mira off abruptly. "Hold up. Your method's got too many flaws. Not only could the enemy pick it up, but it'd just be between us two, leaving Piper and Griffin out of the loop. I've got a better spell."
I'm talking without thinking (guess I haven't learned my lesson), hoping my bluff holds up.
My teammates watch me with a mix of surprise and curiosity.
Piper jumps in. "Another spell, Magister? You never stop surprising us!"
I flash a confident smile, though my thoughts are a bit chaotic inside.
Mira frowns, clearly skeptical. "I'm not sure how elemental magic could enable long-distance communication, Magister. Can you explain?"
I take a deep breath and dive into an improvised explanation, hoping it sounds convincing.
I realize I might've overshared about my magic again, but there's no helping it. Between this and having my thoughts read, the choice is obvious.
I close my hand, pausing dramatically before opening it to reveal a tiny polished stone.
"With this," I declare.