Kanin Fyre: Chapter 16 - Game Plan

Siqi blinks away after I finish telling him my full story, promising to begin training in the morning. Ink spends the rest of the night exploring the woods, torn between irritation at the goblin being able to track us, and eagerness at the prospect of developing our void. When dawn approaches, we return to the tower and Displace our body back inside the room. 

Zyneth is already awake. 

“You’re up early,” I say as I perform the time consuming process of Displacing all my small bits through the void, removing my body from my Inventory, and reassembling everything into one cohesive unit. 

“It’s dark, but it’s not as early as you’d think,” Zyneth replies, tying back his hair. “Do you know when we’ll be departing? Master Siqi had something for you to practice, if I recall.” 

“Actually, we’re not leaving,” I say. “Siqi saw Ink and I last night. We had a chat.” 

I fill Zyneth in on the new arrangement while he finishes changing and buffing his horns.

“Well that’s a pleasant surprise,” he says when I finish. “Do you suppose there’s anything I can do to help?” 

“I have no idea,” I admit. “I don’t even know what he’s got planned.” 

“The first step is to see what you’re capable of,” Siqi says, abruptly seated at the table. It’s really annoying that his appearance doesn’t make any sort of noise, and if it does make some sort of puff of displaced air, he’s small enough that it’s not noticeable. “Then it will be to establish your goals.” 

“You saw what I was capable of last night,” I tell him. Siqi blips over to the oven, which he lights with a spark of magic. Then he reappears at the cupboard and begins pulling out plates for breakfast. Zyneth goes over to assist, and it occurs to me I should probably offer to help as well.

“Only bits,” Siqi says, setting the table. Once more, he lays out three plates. He has to understand by now it’s futile. 

“And I already told you my goal is to develop my void,” I say, putting the kettle on the stovetop. 

Siqi vanishes for a moment, nowhere in the room at all. Zyneth glances around. When the goblin reappears, he’s holding a basket of eggs. “That’s not a goal. Be specific!”

I hesitate, trying to figure out where to even start. “I want to learn more about that null marble Yedzaquib used.” The image of Anika’s charred body, corrupted by the remnant, flashes through my mind. “If there’s a way I can pull the human soul back out of it.”

“Tough, without being able to examine it myself,” Siqi remarks, as if this is a totally normal conversation to be having. Sitting on a stool by the stove, he nudges the kettle over and sets a skillet down next to it. “If you can retrieve this artifact, then maybe I could learn something of its nature.”

“That’s the other problem.” I remove one set of tableware from the table and put them back in the cupboard. “I’m not even sure how to get there. I think I have an idea of the type of imprisonment they’re being kept in, but how does someone even get to the heavens?”

Siqi shrugs, adding a dab of lard into the skillet with a hiss. “How did you get Between? Same thing.”

“Die?” I say skeptically.

Siqi waves a hand. “No! No, no. You reached your planet, didn’t you? The heavens should be no different.”

Zyneth frowns. “What are you saying? The heavens themselves are a different world.”

Siqi cracks a couple eggs into the skillet. “World. Dimension. All the same. It is a place, so you can travel there.” 

“You mean, that Planar Linkage spell I used to try to go home could also be used to access the heavens?” I ask, bewildered. 

Could we really do that? Do I already have the spell I need to sneak into the Heavens? Is it really that simple?

“Perhaps,” Siqi says. “I would need to study the spell myself. And you’d need to find something to help it target the heavens, if I understand how you used that Locate spell of yours. One egg, or two?”

“I… I can’t eat,” I faintly say, too distracted by the implications of what he’s saying. The Planar Linkage spell circle in Emrox was destroyed. But I learned the spell first, which means I have a mental layout of the design I can call up from Echo. As Siqi said, I would need something from the heavens to even get the spell to link there, and that’s an entire obstacle unto itself. Not to mention, it takes an insane amount of mana to fuel the spell.

But is he right? Could this be the way to free the Travelers I’ve been looking for?

And part of me is reflexively opposed to using the Planar Linkage spell again. I’d asked Zyneth if he was worried this was another Emrox, and he’d said no. But the parallels that are surfacing now worry me. I look at Zyneth, and he’s also frowning in thought.

I shake my head. “I don’t know if the spell circle would work the same way or need to be altered. And I’m not sure if I’d be able to find enough magic to fuel it in the first place. I can show you what I know about it to see if you could make heads or tails. But honestly? I’m out of my depth here. I activated this spell before without understanding much about it, and it was almost catastrophic. I know a little more now, but that’s only shown me how much about void magic I still don’t understand.” 

“Yes! Good,” Siqi says, happily cracking another three eggs into the skillet, even though I’m pretty sure he can’t eat more than one himself. I hope Zyneth is hungry. “Acknowledging ignorance is the first step toward knowledge. I will spend time examining this spell circle of yours. And you must spend your time developing a deeper understanding of your relationship with the element.”

“Relationship?” I ask. He doesn’t seem to be referring to Ink, but to void magic itself. “What do you mean?”

“Void is fickle,” Siqi says. “It’s broad. Abstract. The way I use it isn’t the same as the way you do. You have your Displace. I have my shortcut. Similar ideas, different executions. If you want to broaden your magic’s applications, learn more spells, then the first step is to understand the basics. Develop your relationship with the element. Come to know facets of void magic as well as you know your own soul.” 

I’m all about getting back to the basics, but this approach sounds a bit more wishy-washy than I was expecting. “Can’t you just teach me the spells you know? I’ve been able to learn others just by reading about them.” 

Siqi raises an eyebrow. “From spell circles, yes? Zyneth, get some tea from the pantry, will you?”

“Yeah, from spell circles,” I agree. “Does that make a difference?”

“Ah.” Zyneth heads over to the pantry, as requested. “I see where this is going.” 

“What are you talking about?” I ask. 

“Not all magic requires a spell circle,” Zyneth explains. He grabs a tin of tea leaves and brings it to the table. “I can summon fire and lightning without one. You can control your glass and void without spell circles, too.”

That’s true. I guess I just never really thought about why that was. “Some magic needs circles and some doesn’t, right?” 

“No, no, no.” Siqi emphatically shakes his head. “Some people need spell circles and some don’t.”

“I’ve used both,” I say, only growing more confused. 

“Spell circles are a recipe.” Siqi begins flipping the eggs over. “Good for beginners, but an experienced chef doesn’t need one, see?”

“You’re saying eventually I won’t need to use spell circles any more?” That would be extremely useful for my Core Bond spell. 

Siqi shrugs. “Maybe, maybe not.”

I helplessly look to Zyneth for a less cryptic explanation. 

“It’s a rough metaphor,” he says. “But effectively, there are simple, surface-level spells that can be performed without circles because they don’t require an intimate understanding of the magic: like physically manipulating elements. Most everyone can do that as long as they have an affinity for the element. But to perform more complex magic, you need a deeper understanding of the element. Or, lacking that, you can use a spell circle.” 

Now it’s starting to make sense. “Spell circles are shortcuts to performing more complex magic that you have an affinity for, but not necessarily a deep understanding of,” I surmise. “So if you studied enough, you wouldn’t need to use circles anymore.” 

“No,” Siqi says, at the same time Zyneth says, “Not exactly.” 

Siqi blips over to the table with the skillet of eggs, and Zyneth grabs the kettle off the stove to join him. I sit down as well. “You’ve lost me again.” 

“It’s true that studying can help,” Zyneth says as Siqi divvies up the eggs. I give up protesting as Siqi produces a third plate out of nowhere and slides two eggs onto it for me. “But it’s not a guarantee. While we’ve been able to capture the essence of many spells within the structure of spell circles, there are plenty more that have never been mapped. You could almost think of them as two separate skills: if spell circle construction is a language, performing arcana is a story. Plenty of people learn to repeat a story without knowing how to craft their own—and there are many who are innate storytellers, but never learned the alphabet in which to record it.”

I chew on this while Zyneth and Siqi start in on their breakfast. “So Caesius and I were able to create spell circles for my glass because we knew the language for what we wanted. And I won’t be able to achieve the same without spell circles until I gain a deeper understanding of glass arcanum itself.” I tap a finger on the table as I consider this. “But if studying isn’t guaranteed to help, what is?”

Siqi shrugs, shoveling a mountain of eggs into his mouth. “Nothing.”

I again turn to Zyneth for elaboration. 

“Nothing is guaranteed,” he agrees. “If spell circles are a science, an innate understanding of arcana is an art. But there are things that can help. Studying, as I mentioned. Practicing with your element. Meditation. Attempting to connect with one’s affinities comes more naturally to some people than others, and very often you can come to cast some spells without circles, but not all. It really depends on what spells you seem to ‘resonate’ with.”

“Fair enough,” I say, mentally sorting the spells I need spell circles for, vs the spells I don’t need spell circles for, to see if I can find a pattern. “But this doesn’t explain why you can’t teach me a couple void spells you know that do have spell circles.” 

Siqi, who is still in the middle of eating, points to Zyneth. 

“I can guess,” he says, hesitantly. “Fields of magic that can be Attuned tend to have more mapped spell circles, because Attunement allows you to connect with your affinity on a deeper level. Elements that can’t be Attuned—or at least, not easily—such as lightning, illusion, and of course void, have fewer recorded spell circles. And since an affinity for void is already rare, and can’t be Attuned…”

“There aren’t a lot of void-specific spell circles,” I finish. “So where does that leave me? I’ve uncovered a couple spells through practice. I don’t think I’m really the meditating type, though.” 

Siqi looks up at me with an impressed expression. “Not a trivial feat. I imagine your Attunement assisted you with that. Or perhaps your curious passenger.” Actually, he’s probably right about that; every time I’ve learned a new void ability, Ink was more in control than me. I guess since it’s made of the stuff, it makes sense it would have a deeper connection to the element. 

And similarly, since I’m made of glass, it makes sense that I haven’t had too much trouble figuring out glass spells without a spell circle. I probably should have put together this association before now.

“If you’ve already discovered a few applications of your own, then that’s where we’ll start,” Siqi says. He points a fork at the untouched eggs sitting in front of me. “Are you going to eat those?”

“With what mouth?” I ask. 

Siqi continues to stare expectantly at me. 

“No,” I say flatly. “They’re all yours.”

The goblin tugs the plate over and enthusiastically digs in. 

#

That first day is mostly spent inside. I work with Siqi on trying to recreate the spell circle that was used at Emrox, and he pulls out a couple hand-written notebooks on null magic runs and circle designs. He can decipher a couple elements—mostly those that are general null magic runes rather than specific void magic runes—and hands me some scrolls on the material to study while he starts breaking down the Planar Linkage spell. It doesn’t take long for my mind to start buzzing with arcana theory far too complex for me to understand. I keep at it anyway, though, answering Siqi’s questions when he has them, and desperately attempting to absorb anything I can about null magic. I still don’t really know what my “relationship” with the void is supposed to feel like, though. 

This type of instruction is so different from Caesius’s style. She was all hands on, showing me what to do and expecting me to replicate after an example or two. I never cracked open a book the entire time I was helping in her workshop. Siqi, meanwhile, has barely told me anything, expecting me to find the answers on my own. I’m not sure how to feel about it quite yet. Maybe it’s too soon to tell.

By the time Ink is asking to go on our nightly patrol, Siqi has lit a candle, and is still scribbling notes and mumbling to himself when I leave.

The next morning, Siqi declares he obtained enough information from me to start working through the Planar Linkage spell circle on his own. In the meantime, he decides it’s time for me to dig into my own void training. 

After breakfast, Siqi wisely declares we’ll relocate outside for training. Not that I think Ink or I would intentionally damage his home, but Ink also probably wouldn’t care much if our training had collateral. He watches as I go through the process of adding my body to my Inventory, Displacing Zyneth outside, and then doing so for myself, my clothes, my bag, and my translator. By the time I’m done, the spell has eaten through two thirds of my mana stores. 

Siqi joins us outside, sitting on a snow-dusted tree stump, a mug of steaming tea clasped between his hands. A knitted hat has folded his ears down, and he’s wrapped so tightly in a pink plaid blanket that it can’t be easy to move. Though, now that I think about it, I’m not sure I’ve seen the goblin walk anywhere since I first met him. I guess you don’t really need to when you can teleport instead.

“What did you do with the body?” he asks as I remove it from my Inventory. “It’s not like one of my shortcuts.” 

“I put it in my Inventory,” I explain. “It’s… a pocket dimension, I think.” 

Siqi looks intrigued. “Why don’t you add your other items to it, too?”

“It can only store one item at a time,” I say. “And it can’t store living things. Since Displace takes more magic to move larger objects, I store my body in my Inventory to save mana.” I gesture to the large sphere of glass that I’d left outside overnight. “Assuming there isn’t something else already in there. Sure would be nice to have more slots, though. I used to have fifty, before Ink shredded them.” 

Ink bristles. It did not! Well, the other version of itself had. But that was still not its fault! How would I like to be kicked into a dark, infinite nothing?

Oh, yeah, like the times you kicked me Between? I ask. 

Ink scoffs in indignation. That was different. It didn’t really understand what it was doing then. 

So it’s my fault I had to stuff you in my Inventory to stop you from trying to kill Noli and Zyneth?

Ink grumbles at this accusation. As it said, that wasn’t the same being it is now. 

And Attiru? I add. 

Ink sinks into an annoyed and faintly guilty puddle in my mind. It was just trying to survive. 

And Rezira?

Ink points out I wouldn’t have minded so much if it had killed Rezira. 

I look at it, aghast. Just because we butt heads doesn’t mean I want her dead!

Ink knows. It was telling an amusing lie. 

A joke? I realize. That’s not how jokes work. That wasn’t funny. You need to read the room. 

Ink doesn’t understand which room I am talking about. 

“Well, then, let’s start there,” Siqi suggests. 

Ink’s distraction sort of made me lose track of what we’re talking about. “Where?”

“This pocket dimension of yours,” Siqi says. “You want more, yes? Then make some.”

I stare at him. “I can do that?”

“You had them before, didn’t you?” Siqi says.

Well, sure, but that’s because I sort of just came with them when I was popped into this world. But he’s right that this is something that falls within the domain of void magic. 

“How do I do it, then?”  I ask.

Siqi spreads his hands. “That’s up to you.”

Okay, well that’s exceptionally unhelpful. “I don’t suppose you have any tips?”

Siqi rubs his chin. “You cannot create something from nothing. You can build it from components, if you know how it’s made. Something that can be broken down, can be built back up.” 

I’m about to complain about the cryptic guru speak, but something he said actually resonates with me. If I want to make more Inventory spaces, then it's obvious I need to know how the first one was made. 

Alright, Echo, I say. What can you tell me about my Inventory?

Echo recaps some stuff I already know. [The Inventory is a pocket dimension in the Between. It is a volume of null-space that has been segregated from the rest of the dimension. It was granted to the user when the user gained System access.]

It's not my spell, in the same way that I don’t have Echo due to any of my own magic. But the Inventory is a void spell, and I have one example of this spell at my fingertips. Now I just need to learn how to recreate it.

Alright, Ink, I say. Want to help me tear apart another Inventory space?

Ink can tell that’s not exactly what I mean, and is immediately suspicious. But it is curious to hear what I have in mind.

I find another stump nearby and take a seat on it too.

Zyneth raises an eyebrow. “What have you got in mind?”

I tuck my boots up onto the stump and settle my hands in my lap. “Well, you know me, the pinnacle of introspection.”

Zyneth snorts.

It’s time to do some motherfucking meditation.