[Spiritualist I] New Connections

First Thaw was taking far too long.

She always watched the changes of the seasons; watched how the birds migrated back for the summer, watched how the first plants began to sprout under the melting snow. The herds would move to their summer grounds, the Heart Bettas would rush up the rivers…

By now, all these changes would typically be happening.

But this year, the air remained bitterly cold and biting winds blew through the island in an unyielding blizzard.

The skies had remained deep grey for weeks, the sun struggling to peek through the thick cover. Large flakes fell from the sky in a constant downpour, coating anyone who stepped outside with white specks. Just moving down outside cleared paths required trudging through a snowfall up to her knees.  The tents of the West Isle Village struggled to maintain their form under the coating of snow. Many had already collapsed, and she had been one of the many to help with repairing the structures. As she did, she had watched as fledgling magic users tried their newfound abilities to strengthen the tents or help the migrating bettas. Useful. It seemed many had begun to learn, whether for the sake of new knowledge, or to help with repair and weathering the storm.

After a long afternoon of repair, Avezi packed a small bag and made the short trip to the East Isle village with a single goal in mind: begin to grasp magic.

She’d seen some of the magic of Nyulop. Some could see the future, or cast spells that could take down great beasts, or create powerful cures. Perhaps if she got a grasp on it, she could investigate further what was causing this long freeze.

Avezi arrived in the evening to the library, a humble wooden building. Although most of their information was told through stories, some scrolls were kept for important texts or the sake of learning magic. She greeted the keeper and asked where she could read up on magic. The keeper led her to the scrolls for beginners, pointing to the different classes and suggesting she read over all of them. She’ll know which one she’s suited for, they told her.

Thanking the keeper, Avezi pulled the scrolls to a table in a quiet corner and opened one with careful paws. Alchemy… creating miasmas, transmuting metals… Potential to be a useful utility, but it didn’t pique her interest by much. Druid… seeing the future, connecting with fate. Fascinating, but she found herself wanting a different kind of knowledge. Crafter… building spells to help or harm, manipulating objects… Had the capacity to be helpful. She was tempted to read more, but decided to look at the last. Spiritualism. Connecting with the natural world and spirits around her…

There was… so much potential.

“Oh? Are you also trying to learn magic?”

Avezi was startled out of her thoughts by a voice. She looked up to see a light grey Leporid draped in a woven woolen shawl standing a few paces away from where she sat. 

“May I join you?”, the Nyulop asked. Avezi gave her a short nod, and she pulled out one of the four chairs at the table, sitting across from Avezi. She leaned over the table, looking at the scroll Avezi held in front of her.

“Spiritualism huh? That one is so interesting… Being able to connect to nature and the very spirits around us.” She smiled. “It’s so fascinating.”

Avezi hummed, watching the Leporid curiously. She must just be very talkative and wanting company.

“Yes… that is why I was interested”, Avezi answered. 

The Nyulop grinned and then started, as if she remembered something. “Oh-! I’m sorry, I haven’t even introduced myself”, she said, holding a paw across the table to Avezi.

“My name is Teles. What’s yours?”

Avezi blinked and awkwardly took her paw. “Avezi.”

Teles grinned and gave her paw one shake before sitting back. Her bright blue eyes settled on the table before she leaned back forward to grab one of the scrolls Avezi had discarded. 

“You’re interested in Druidic magic?”, Avezi asked as the Leporid unfurled the parchment.

Teles nodded. “Yeah! It’s so cool. Being able to predict the future?” Her voice quieted as she looked down at the writing across the scroll, a finger resting on the parchment underneath a sentence. “And maybe… maybe I can figure out the cause of this weather.” A distant look settled across her eyes as she retreated into her thoughts, frowning slightly.

She too must be worried about this weather.

Avezi looked down at her own scroll. “That is… part of my goal. Most years, the Thaw would have happened by now. And the Guardians appear so unsettled. The storm over the ocean and the winds… It’s abnormal for them to last this long.”

It had been weeks.

“Well…” Teles held up her scroll. “I guess we need to start practicing soon, huh? Maybe with both of us, we’ll find the source- or at least help to, right? I’m sure the Elders would appreciate any help they could get.” She smiled. She was so optimistic.

“Yeah.” Avezi looked down at the text on Spiritualism, clutching it a little tighter in her paw.

They’d find something.