Teach Me Aura

We weren't quite ready to leave so I watched the animals play survival. Birds chirped and small rodents searched the snow for any signs of fallen nuts. Occasionally, a hawk swooped down and snatched one of the rodents. I watched one carry one of the poor creatures to its nest before cutting it apart with its beak. With my eyes, I could count the feathers on the bird, my processing power made time to crawl almost to pause the hawk midair, and my processes dropped other things into the background when I focused.

On a small unseen note app, I listed the number of feathers this hawk and altered the average. It was something I did to pass the time. Bird watching was exciting, there were so many different factors that came into identifying and counting a bird's feathers.

Some dripped with blood shaded aura and watched us while other smelled like wolves. Still, one wasn't even alive, its rot was easy enough to scent out. They all hunted while keeping an I on us.

Those had their own special category. I marked them each for their difference in aura. I could tell that those birds laced with blood aura were different. We were being watched. I could kill them all with any number of spells, but I wanted to match every spy with their respective aura. If they ever spied on me, I wanted to be able to identify them.

Janice sat beside me in the wagon seat while I bird watched. "They are majestic creatures. I wish I had one. That white and black hawk eagle is my favorite." I nodded my head.

I looked the specimen over. The aura surrounding it felt distinctly feminine. That was odd. I checked my data stream and found that some variables within the aura were only found in women. Aura was more of a mental thing which made me feel odd. There were no chemicals in aura or hormones at all. Still qi became aura by mingling with human thought. A female mind could make feminine aura. That was my thought on the matter at that time.

"I think she's my favorite too." I turned to Janus. The boy's eyes scrunched up.

"Lord mage I beg your pardon, but you are mistaken. That one is male." Janus said.

I raised an eyebrow. "Your eyes must be failing you it happens sometimes in your teenage years. That is clearly female." I said. The bird itself was most likely male but the one controlling it was female.

"That is a small one that means its male. If a female shows up, I'll show you." The carriages in front of us began to move. Janus snapped the reins.

"Why did you decide to drive this one instead of Lewis's carriage?" I asked.

"I knew you were inept at bird watching and wanted to share my expertise lord mage." Janus said with a smile. "Sol knows Trixie and Kate will be angry with me for leaving them in Father Margo's capable hands."

I looked back in time to see Gwen rolled over snoring since they laid in the wagon. Sure, the wagon had some supplies but there was enough room for Gwen and Doppel. Like Star the day made exhausted them. Star would have to stay awake tomorrow or risk being found out as a monster. Priest Margo would be gleeful to notice. If one supposed human was found to be a monster what about myself. Though Star might just be worn out from their activities the night before. She didn't have quite as much stamina as I had.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Could you teach me Aura?" Janus asked

I measured his capabilities in my head. Janus was about as threatening as one of the squirrels shrieking after a hawk catches it. His stats were low, and I doubted his ability to survive awakening his aura. The boy was well armed but was he well trained. Could I train him enough to close the gap? He didn't need to be that strong to awaken his aura, just strong enough.

"Will we arrive at Gendry Town before we have to stop for the night?" I asked. Janus shook his head.

"It could take two weeks to reach Gendry." I cursed under my breath, we moved at a snail's pace.

After thinking about it, I needed something to take up my time. I didn't need much sleep, maybe an hour every couple day at most. What would Janus trade for tutelage?

He did well with horses, and I would probably need some plow horses if technology was lacking in Gendry town. I doubted they would give up any of their own, but Janus seemed to have an eye for horses. Even if I ended up using magic for plowing, I could always try my hand at breeding them.

"If you help me find some horses when we get to town, I'll teach you what I can." I said. His eyes brightened, so I raised my hand. "I'm not teaching you aura right away. It could kill you if you aren't strong enough to handle it. So, we're going to spar before we head out at first light and before you go to bed when we stop." His eyes widened and he turned his head to the sword resting in the wagon.

"What are we going to spar with, I only have my daggers, and side arm?" I shrugged we were surrounded by a forest.

"I need to make a new bow anyway. We could make some practice swords as well." I said.

His face scrunched up. "I didn't know mages needed to know so many martial skills. You wield a sword like a knight and call the entire retinue weak. That made me think, how strong are you as a mage?" Janus asked.

"I have a few tier 3 spells under my belt." The boy nodded.

"What does that mean?" Janus asked.

I measured the camps aura and found that Sid Margo had the most aura in the Inquisitor's retinue at 1,700. It was a lot, but nothing compared to my own. Then again it wasn't his personal aura that made him a threat. The human territory was surrounded by a grand enchantment. From what I could sense the amulet he wore had a connection to that enchantment. Unknown enchantments were dangerous for obvious reasons.

By measuring the priest's parameters, I could get a better understanding of his aura. What I found was astonishing. His aura pool was around a Plebe level. He wasn't at a strong Plebe level. Sid was only an eighth of my aura parameters when I was a Plebe.

"All of his aura couldn't fuel a tier 2 spell. But spells probably aren't his strengths." I said.

"Yes, Father Margo's power is in his faith." Janus said. I let the matter drop.

Hours later Gwen rose and threw herself against my back. "Are we there yet?" Gwen asked. Janus looked uncomfortable. I knew he wasn't as fine with monsters as it'd seemed. The way his hands began to shake was disconcerting.

"You are very close with your monsters Lord mage." I nodded my head and let Gwen's hair tentacles wiggle across my chest while she slumped against me. "Aren't you afraid she'll try to slay you and escape?"

"Oh darn, he suspects my evil plan." Gwen said. Janus's eyes widened and Gwen stared at him menacingly. I reached back and yanked her to sit in my lap. Gwen squeaked while I placed her there.

"Janus allow me to introduce Gwen. She is my friend." Gwen waved a purple hand his way.

"I want furs." Gwen said.

"You can't have mine." Janus said. I could feel Gwen's eyeroll.

"When we make camp, I want you to hunt down an Abominable Bear for me. From the minds of the many I've gleaned their fur to be the best." Gwen declared.

"I thought a frost fox would be better." A sleepy Doppel added. I let a sigh escape my lips.

"Do you want me to track one to its den and kill it with my giant sword?" I asked.

Janus chuckled. "I get what you mean now, their friendly and make demands like spoilt noble women. You just survived being chased by one bear surely you wouldn't want to fight a true Abominable Bear."

"Oh please, Jacob was tired and out of aura. If he was at full strength, then that bear wouldn't have stood a chance." Gwen said.

"We were also caught in the aura of that titan." I muttered under my breath. Even now, I could feel that monster's aura lingering in my bones. It was melting too slowly.

"Besides, I don't want him to kill the bear with his sword." Gwen said.

Janus nodded his head. "Abominable Bears are dangerous even to experienced knights. They are said to be equal to those knighted a full year." Janus said.

"No, I meant he should throttle them to preserve as much fur as possible." Gwen said.

Janus looked at me with pity. "I guess I'll have to find someone else to teach me aura." Janus muttered.