Elevation of Mana Chapter 15 Coming HOme

Coming back home was... refreshing. It even came with a few benefits. Since I'd been 'solely responsible' for the death of an animal, that particular animal's skin was mine to do with as I pleased. Elaya had claimed some a few things as payment for helping me, but little other than meat, and nothing I really cared about.

"Why did you want the teeth?" I asked, as we walked back.

"Surely you know the answer to that?"

"Beads?" I guessed.

"Yes, one of the lads in my hut likes to carve them, and isn't too bad at it. Though bone beads are almost worthless, barely better than wood most of the time. Well, unless they're really good."

"How is that all decided Elaya? Is there some reason one is better than the other?" I understood how money from my world worked, but not that here.

"You've seen them traded, and understand some of that no?" At my nod she continued. "Well, it comes down to the fact that girls like pretty things, and being able to have pretty things shows that you're able to get what you want. Food is similar, as both you and I eat more meat then most of the village. We like it, and can demand it for services, so we have it. Meat isn't something you can show off though."

"So it's about showing you're better?"

"Yes and no," she said. "It shows power, that you're one to be listened too, like my hair, not many get old enough for a silver lock like mine."

"I'm still unclear on how you know what's good or bad."

"Rarity is important, as is color, and how good it looks." She considered for a few moments. "With your light you could probably make a few beads to trade with the trader, either wood or stone." At this point she pointedly tapped my ear, not grasping it, but letting me know she could. "Get your father to watch you."

"I didn't know there was a trader." There was a lot, to be fair, that I didn't know.

"He doesn't come often, since our village doesn't make anything particularly special. Well, if your aunt shows some of her pots that might change."

For the rest of the walk I considered my options.  Crystals, like the little piece of quartz that had been found all those years ago, seemed to be some of the most valuable types.  I was no gemologist, or chemist, but I could probably make fake diamond if I really, really tried.  That would attract all kinds of attention, and all of the wrong kind right now, so I thought I'd hold off on that for the time being.  As for wood and stone, I'd have to try some, see what I could come up with, something good I hoped.

I'd like to say that I came back to a cheering family.  Sadly, everyone was still out gathering when we returned, so all I got was several more hours of sitting with Elaya as she made her rounds, cleaning up the camp, and insisting that I help her.  Chores were not my idea of a good time, but any chance to work on my magic helped I supposed, so I didn't complain too loudly.

When mother saw that we'd returned on her way back down one of the many paths out of the village she hurried, beating all the other women back to us.  As soon as she had somewhere to put down her daily haul I was scooped up and held tightly, like she'd never let go.

"Hi mom," I croaked.

"Are you hurt?  Are you hungry?  Did she do anything mean to you?"  She began to ask questions in rapid fire.

"I'm fine mom."  It was clear by the daggers she was staring at Elaya that she didn't trust the other woman with her child, regardless of how I'd been taken care of quite well.

I was carried off, my own opinion apparently unimportant on that point, and doted on until father came back.  Unlike mom, who'd been worried looking, dad looked to be in a great mood.

"Elian!  How was your time with Elaya?"

"It was fun," I answered.

"Do anything new?  Any hunting?"  I could see the slight smile on his face.  He knew well that I'd done at least a bit to kill that cat, and wanted me to tell the story.

So I obliged; I told him of how the beast had made its way to the cave when I came out looking for Elaya, and how I'd killed it after failing to drive it off.  Then I spent a lot of time telling about how she taught me to clean it, and how it wasn't sick or anything.  I did leave out the part where I saw my watchers though, as that might get me drug back into the woods for more 'safety training'."

Later I even showed him the skin.  He Looked over it happily, giving all the encouragement he could.  He showed me a few places where my knife had slipped, and told me about the angle that I needed to hold it.

"You did a good job, and you'll do better with practice.  One day you'll be as good as any of us."  He ruffled my hair a little bit, and I was glad I'd gotten a good dad.

I looked and saw mom had gone off a bit and decided to ask him another question.  "Dad, will you help me carve some beads?  I want to learn a bit about it."

In a bit of a panic he looked around, locating his wife with ease.  "You've done well to come to me with this son."  He locked eyes with me, a faux serious look on his face.  "I'll help you, but if your mother finds out you want to carve beads she'll have you doing it until you hate it.  She likes them, but too many isn't good for anyone in the village, so you can't do that."

I put on the kind of serious face that could only be pulled off believably by a child and nodded gravely.  "I understand."

"Good, then find some stones or something you like, and bring them when she's not looking one day.  Do you know what you want?  Or do you want me to show you good ones?"  That I considered, I could learn more from him, but for my first try I wanted something simple.

"I just want practice, not anything fancy, so I'll pick some."  He smiled at my decision, patting me on the head.

The next few days I got to go back to playing with the boys.  There was a little bit of a change in their attitude, that was clear.  Someone must have spoken to them, because they were no longer surprised by some of the things I could do seemingly without effort.  I was also having to be way more careful about my magic, because I knew I was being watched.

"Elian,"  Ninden asked four days later.

"Yeah?"

"Did... some of the fires you made, and fish you caught.  Were you using your light?"

I chuckled in response.

He laughed.  "You scamp.  So, gonna show us what all you can do then?"

None of them had asked to see my magic as of yet, at least not in so many words.  The boys all looked up from the various spots they occupied today.  We were looking for clams in the stream, a hard, but fun job, and one that would leave you with cuts if you weren't careful.

I looked around, making sure nobody was paying too much attention.  "Yeah, but gotta be quick about it."

Everyone popped up to give a quick lookout, then settled in.  Olond and Ninden were the closest to me, but there were others.  Alun and Ulun were cousins, but could have been brothers, and were eager to see what I could do.  The last of the boys was Rindal, who seemed at best uninterested in me.

I started with small and easy to conceal things.  My spear throwing spell sent a small stick into the water at speed and got a good laugh.  Then I moved a bit of water, not too much, but enough to show how I could manipulate it.  One more quick look around and I started on the fun stuff.  The first was a light, small but prettily colored.

I barely got a few sparks out for a fire before there was a quick movement from behind and someone seized me by my ear.  I'd made a horrid mistake, in my haste to show off I'd failed to see an enemy until they were upon me.  The boys had been so engrossed in their interest that they'd failed too.

"Hello Elian," the light feminine voice said from behind me.  It was sickly sweet, a sure sign of impending doom.

"Auntie Atie," I choked.

"I'm certain I didn't see you playing with your light did I?"  She asked.

"Er..." I was unclear here, lying might get me in more trouble, but telling the truth certainly wouldn't be helpful either.

"Interesting."  She'd come to her own conclusions clearly.  "And it certainly wasn't fire, was it?"

'RUN' I mouthed to the other boys, who were all going a bit pale at this point.  She must have noticed the movement, because the twisting started then.

"Ow, ow, I'm sorry!"  Now it seemed, was the time to admit, and perhaps mitigate my punishment.

"Hmm, since you want to play with magic, you'll need to be watched no?  Why don't you come and sit with me today, the girls are nearby and I'm sure they'll be happy to play with you."  Her voice never rose from that sweetness.

"Mercy!"  I begged, playing with the girls was one of the worst punishments I could think of off the top of my head.

"Hmm?  Well, I could take you to your mother so you could explain to her what you were doing."

"No, no, I can just play with the girls..."  I may not be able to think of something worse, but I had no doubt she could.

"Good, come along then."

They boys watched on, as if I was being led to my death.  Atie didn't even look down, just pulling me lightly along by the ear.  In this method was I marched up the stream to another area were she had settled in with some friends, and the girls.  Mother was thankfully nowhere to be seen, perhaps off to help someone else.

"Bit of advice Elian.  If you want to do something secretly, don't look around like you're the most guilty little boy that ever was."  Atie released me as we closed in, but I was clearly expected to follow.

"I'll remember..."

"Good."  We went over to where the girls were playing, making cord of some kind of plant as they chatted.  I couldn't keep up with all of it, but clearly there was some kind of house thing, each pretending she was a certain person.

"Girls," Atie said as we approached.  "Elian here wants to practice, but needs supervision to do so.  Would you be good enough to let him in on your game?"

"Of course!"  Ayla said looking excited.

Ayla was the leader of this little cadre, and the only one of them I knew by name.  She was... excitable and young, and very, very eager to play with 'babies' which she still considered me.  If I had to guess, she wasn't much older, if any amount at all, than Ninden, but it was hard to tell.  Other than myself all the kids seemed to be about ten, it was weird.  The other three girls looked equally eager.

I settled in, this was sure to be a long, long afternoon.