Dangling Dagger

That week crawled by, each day dragging on as the expedition's official date remained uncertain.

 Aside from attending their lessons, Linry and Riniock dedicated their time to training together in the arena, sparring against the golem. As fire and wind maegis, their synergy was remarkable, evident in their ability to dismantle the construct with impressive efficiency every other attempt. Their complementary skills made them a formidable team.

 When Riniock wasn't attending classes or when training sessions proved inconvenient, the pair often returned to the underground harbour. They were intent on making the most of the celseed, keen to unlock its full potential.

 On the first of such visit, it was Linry who proposed they try something new. This time, instead of experimentation for its own sake, they aimed to craft something tangible from the materials they had collected.

 'What will we do about the hallucinogenic fibres?' Riniock asked, his tone carrying a trace of concern. 'I'd rather not mistake you for my sister again…'

 'Erodia, was it?' Linry inquired casually.

 'Eradina,' he corrected.

 'What's up with her?' Linry pried but kept her tone light, careful not to push too hard.

 'Nothing much. She's a student here – one of the older ones. But I haven't seen her in a while, so she might be on a trip of her own,' he replied nonchalantly.

 Linry tilted her head in thought. 'Do I resemble her?'

 'Not even remotely,' Riniock said with a faint chuckle. 'That was just the spores talking last time.'

 'Well…in any case,' Linry said, steering the conversation back on track. 'There won't be any hallucinations this time. I came prepared.'

 She clasped her hands together, and with a subtle movement, began casting a spell. A faint magickal circle appeared in each of her palms, creating a translucent bubble around both their heads.

 The bubbles shimmered briefly before becoming imperceptible, leaving no visible trace of their presence.

 'These will act as barriers to neutralise the hallucinogenic properties of the spores,' Linry explained confidently.

Riniock inhaled deeply, the air within the barrier crisp and cool.

 'Where did you learn a spell like this?' he asked, his curiosity piqued.

 'After our last…incident, I researched a way to avoid a repeat performance,' she replied with a small smirk. 'I found the solution in one of the tomes from your college's library.'

 Riniock couldn't hide his genuine admiration.

 Whilst part of him wanted to study the spell Linry had cast, his mind was set on finishing their current task.

 'What's your plan for the spores?' Linry asked, her focus unwavering as she maintained the protective bubble spell.

 'I was thinking of creating something like a bomb,' Riniock began, his tone thoughtful. 'Something similar to a smoke bomb, but the burst would release the phantasmal properties of the spores instead.'

 'That could be effective,' Linry admitted. 'But…have you ever made a bomb before?'

 'I...I haven't,' Riniock confessed, his voice trailing off.

 With a deliberate motion, Linry cancelled her spell, lowering her hands. 'Then we need to be cautious. Extracting volatile materials is risky enough, but crafting explosives without experience is far more dangerous. Let's not rush into something we aren't prepared for.'

 Riniock felt a twinge of disappointment but knew Linry was right to halt the process before it spiralled out of control.

 'It's probably for the best,' he admitted. 'Maybe I can ask the alchemy professor for some guidance later.'

 'That's a much safer idea,' Linry agreed.

 'What should we do now?' Riniock asked as he slumped onto a nearby crate, his motivation waning.

 Silence settled between them as they sat in the dimly lit harbour, each pondering how to make use of their time. The arena was packed, their lessons for the day were over, and no other pressing distractions presented themselves.

 Breaking the lull, Linry began tidying the space, her movements deliberate as she added a few simple decorations to the barren surroundings. Her actions inspired Riniock, reminding him of her earlier promise to teach him conjuration.

 Watching her closely, he mimicked her gestures.

 'Conjuration, at least the form we're practicing, is quite straightforward,' Linry explained, retrieving a small object from her satchel. 'This is an arcraft – an item designed to hold the essence of other objects. To conjure specific tools or appliances, you'll need their arcraft on hand.'

 Riniock retrieved his own arcrafts, nodding as he followed her lead.

 Linry held her arcraft in her palm, focusing intently as she began the conjuration process. A hazy, indistinct silhouette of the object she intended to summon materialised, its edges faint and blurred.

 'When you're successful,' Linry continued, 'the outline of the item will appear. Once visible, you can manipulate it – move it, rotate it, even adjust its position above the ground before ever placing it.'

 'I see,' Riniock said, concentrating as he attempted the process himself.

 By the time Linry had successfully conjured a dozen useful appliances, Riniock had managed to produce just one. Still, his face lit up with a mix of frustration and pride as he studied his solitary success.

 The underground space had transformed into something far more inviting – presentable, cozy, and almost homelike.

 Once their work was done, they sank into their newly conjured padded chairs, only to revisit the lingering question of how to pass the time.

 'By the way,' Linry began, breaking the silence, 'whatever happened to that dagger you took from that dead man at the bazaar?'

 Riniock's eyes lit up. 'Right!'

 With newfound enthusiasm, he drew the dagger from its sheath and placed it on the freshly conjured table between them.

 'Honestly, I still haven't figured out what it does,' he admitted, leaning back in his chair.

 'Have you tried channelling some of your odh into it?' Linry suggested.

 Riniock froze, his face flushing with embarrassment. 'I…didn't think of that.'

 Linry raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. 'You specifically said this dagger felt special. Well then, go on. Let's see what happens.'

 Without hesitation, Riniock grabbed the dagger and channelled his odh into the metal.

 The moment the energy made contact with the blade, the dagger flew from his hand and hovered in the air beside his face, as if alive.

 Riniock's mind raced, formulating theories as he experimented with the peculiar weapon. It wasn't until he gestured with his arm that the dagger finally responded, moving in sync with his motions.

 Realising its potential, he extended a finger towards the hovering blade, guiding it with deliberate precision. With the link established, the dagger followed the movements of his left hand, mimicking his directions like a marionette on invisible strings.

 It felt as though he was wielding telekinesis, though he had never studied the art.

 'This is incredible,' Riniock muttered, watching the dagger dance through the air as he flicked his wrist, testing its range and responsiveness. Left, right, up, down – the weapon moved fluidly, almost as though it anticipated his intent.

 'So, it's an autonomous suspended dagger, controlled through injection of odh,' he mused aloud, his awe growing.

 'Fascinating!' Linry exclaimed, equally captivated by the display. 'Your intuition and your vision were spot-on. That dagger was definitely not a mundane trinket.'