Chapter 164 - Things Are Looking Up

Sonder stepped out with damp hair, the faint scent of lavender clinging to her from a hurried bath. Lamplight reflected off her still-drying hair. 

Across from her, Vell sat in a luscious seat in her room at the inn. 

The chair, clearly designed for dwarves, was too small for him, but he managed to find an awkward sort of comfort in it. 

A thick book lay open on the table before him, its yellowed pages filled with dense script and intricate drawings of gems and crystals. His fingers idly traced the lines of an illustration depicting luxorite clusters.

"You mentioned a barrier earlier," Vell said without looking up. "What exactly did you mean?" 

She sat down on another seat, which was exactly right for her size.

"It happened in the mine when the tunnel collapsed. I used my mana to push back the falling rocks—like you taught me a few days ago." She paused, meeting his sharp gaze as he finally looked up from his book. "But when the entrance started caving in, I managed to form a barrier to keep it open long enough for Lunt and me to escape. It wasn't planned. It just... happened. Like on instinct." 

"Instinct, you say?" Vell's eyes narrowed, studying her closer.

She nodded. "I didn't have a lot of time to think." 

Vell leaned back into his chair. "Creating a mana barrier in the middle of a collapse is no small feat. It requires focus, precision, and significant strength. The fact that you managed it on instinct..." His voice trailed off.

"Isn't that... good?" Sonder asked, her brow furrowed. 

"I guess so. Yes," he said, his focus snapping back to her. "It speaks to your potential, yes. How much mana did you use during the collapse?" 

"A lot," she said. "I'd already drained most of it sensing luxorite and the instability in the tunnel. By the time I raised the barrier..." She shook her head. "I was mostly out of mana." 

Vell closed the book with a soft thud, his expression unreadable. "And what would have happened if your mana reserves had run out before you escaped?" 

Sonder hesitated. The answer was obvious—she'd be dead. But seeing what she was, that wasn't entirely right.

"I see," Vell said when she didn't reply. "Magic is not a crutch, Sonder. It's a tool, a weapon, sometimes even a lifeline. But it is not infinite. You must understand your limits and respect them, or you will die," he laughed, "a second time. 

"I know that," she said, her voice defensive. "But what else could I have done?" 

Vell sighed, his tone softening. "I'm not scolding you, Sonder. In fact, I'm proud of you. Your instincts saved you and Lunt. That's no small thing, and you deserve credit for it. But instinct alone isn't enough. We need to refine your control to make sure you can act with purpose, not just desperation. Otherwise, next time, you might not be so fortunate." He rose, stretching slightly. Rest tonight," he said. "Tomorrow, we'll start new exercises to strengthen your mana reserves and sharpen your barriers." 

As she turned to leave, Vell's voice stopped her. "Oh, and one more thing." 

"What?" she asked, looking back.

"Stay out of mines from now on, will you?"