Going with the flow [self-mod]

[Amelia Lynsdaughter]

Junctior 40, Era 14 PF

They were hanging from the skeletal branches of a tree whose leaves had by now formed a yellow carpet on the dying grass. Each cage was coated in salt and reinforced with blood sigils that seemed to shift ever so slightly when one looked at them. They were open, and each contained a small offering of sacred food inside. Amelia had picked a corner of the wilderness where a light but constant breeze would be sure to spread the scent of Ambrosia. Sitting against the tree, there was little for the Adjurator to do but wait for spirits to bite. This was how the girl usually restocked, except when she had to look for a specific type of spirits. In that case, there was more detective work involved; today, however, this was really an excuse for spending some time outside the city walls.

A small spirit finally wandered near the tree. Amelia watched it idly, sitting still and hugging her knees, her rosyun resting in a bag that rested nearby. She had seen a couple such spirits before, and recognized it as quite valuable. Even more fortunately, it did not seem too smart, as it entered a cage without a second thought to feast upon the Ambrosia. The witch rose from her sitting position and closed the small door of the sealing cage. "Sorry, little one," she murmured as was her usual. The spirit realized its mistake, but it was too late now, and all it could do was bounce against the bars a few times before resigning itself to its new condition.

Amelia undid the knot that tied the cage to the branch and placed the container on the carpet of leaves. Plenty of fish today, it seemed. She allowed herself a small smile, but at that very moment something happened that caused her to turn around wide-eyed. People were materializing in front of her as if from thin air, or rather from some kind of luminous energy in the air. And so, two people now stood a few meters from our heroine, whose hand now rested on the hilt of her smallsword. It did not take long for Amelia to realize that she was dealing with Air'riela gypsies, a man and a woman. The man had an ageless look on his handsome features, long dark hair flowing on olive skin. He had an open eye tattooed on his forehead. The woman, by contrast, was very old - the typical cross-eyes hag missing most of her teeth. She held a walking cane that was most assuredly made of bone and with a skull as its pommel.

Despite being gypsies, there was something dark and sinister about these two. "Sastimos, little sister," said the old woman in her heavily accented Common. She grinned at Amelia as her other eye cast a look at her cages. "It's been a while since I last met a blood sigil specialist. I believe you have something of ours, however." She had a split tongue just like Amelia's. The man stood besides her in silence, looking respectful around the elderly woman. So this was why they had come... for the spirit.

"I see... a hay spirit. They help keep horses and cattle healthy. I can see why they are especially useful to you." The spirit lingered inside the cage by Amelia's feet. "I happen to believe in 'finders keepers', though." "Is that so?" the woman's mouth opened in a grotesque grin. "What a coincidence... we have our own version of that saying... Virni." At the mention of his name, the tall man closed his eyes for an instant and suddenly he was gone, dissolved into that strange glowing energy. Amelia's eyes went wide - the cage with the spirit was gone, too! The girl turned her head, only to see the man behind her, the cage in his hands.

"Finders keepers," the hag laughed loudly. "That is the law of the gypsies, little sister. Do not you think you can teach it to us of all people. That spirit now belongs to our kumpania and I, Drina Avarilome, am its caretaker."

[Amelia Lynsdaughter]

Amelia blinked at the name, the stern look of surprised annoyance melting into something closer to curiosity. "Avarilome?" There was an intrigued glitter in her eyes, even as the man stood still behind her like a statue. "I am quite familiar with that name. I was told it is a tarot card and that it represents devastation. I could not have imagined families are actually named after the cards." The old crone smirked. "No, no, you have it all wrong. Typical of gaje to just walk on their hands. It is not the family that is named after the card, but the other way around."

"Still," said Amelia, shifting her weight on her other foot, "it is a name with a dreadful reputation. The person who compared me to the card spoke a rather unsettling truth." The expression on the old woman's visage now had something puzzled to it, a note of uncertainty in the mask of wrinkles that covered her bones. "Compared to the card, you say? There are screaming souls reflected in your blue eyes, little sister, and blood dripping off your hands. My mesaka only picks this kind of detail, I am afraid, but it is all around you. You have seen much for your young age, haven't you?"

"More than I wanted, less than I need," Amelia replied tersely. Like Anora, this woman had the power to see things. Gypsies were strange fellows indeed. The girl knew that while these strangers could be a lot of trouble, they still offered an opportunity. "The craftsmanship of that cage sigil is remarkable... custom made. I did not learn how to make decent spirit cages until I was old enough to be a grandmother. You are an interesting chavi indeed. Tell me, little sister, what are you called?"

"Amelia," said the girl, who was by now starting to wonder what the old woman really wanted. If stealing the spirit had been her only intent, she could have left right away with her strange chauffeur. "And tell me, Amelia, have you ever been given a proper tarot reading from the Air'riela? I believe you would find it quite enlightening. I am curious to see if Avarilome truly is your card. That would make us so very similar, my dear." The half-elf looked at the hag, thankful that no matter how similar they may be, they certainly did not look alike.

Her eyes narrowed ever so slightly as she considered the offer. "You do not trust us," the crone chuckled in a rather vulgar way, "and rightly so. After all, we are gypsies and you are gaje. To you, we are parasites who survive through theft and deception. We are the children of Avarilome, and we take what we want, when we want. If we leave desolation in our wake, that is of little consequence to us - the grass will have grown back by the time we return to the same place."

"But I like your eyes, little sister," Drina continued in a creepy drawl, smiling a toothless smile. "For a moment there, I could just see the murderous glint in them. You suppressed it quickly enough, but right there and then, I am sure a part of you wanted us dead. Your eyes flit constantly between cold purity and feral instinct. You intrigue me, gaje. I promise I will do you no harm if you come with us."

"I will make sure nothing happens to you," came the voice behind her. The man had spoken for the first time. It was surprisingly warm, ripe as grapes. Amelia's eyes went back to the old hag. "Fine, let us see what the cards have to say, then." At the very least, this would be compensation for the lost spirit. Drina laughed heartily. "Yes, that is an interesting choice, chavi! Virni, phase us to the camp." The tall man nodded respectfully and spoke to Amelia. "This is going to be a new experience for you, but there is no reason to be afraid."

"I have been teleported with Arcana before, I suppose this is not going to be any different," Amelia replied serenely, but Virni shook his head lightly. "Wrong. This is line drifting, the gift of Ambarando. Seeing is believing." Virni cracked a smile and suddenly Amelia felt she was transforming. Her very essence felt like it was becoming fluid and ethereal. Brightly colored blue and green energy flowed around the three of them like an immense river on the surface of Telath... and they were becoming a part of it. The experience of becoming one with the flow was rather scary at first, but before Amelia could truly form an opinion, they were already moving down the river, faster than any man or fish. Within a few moments, they emerged at their destination, having traveled several miles. Amelia had to catch her breath when she materialized, whereas Virni and Drina were completely unaffected.

The half-elf wanted to ask how this was possible, what kind of energy was this that flowed as far as the eye could see, but apparently this was not the time for questions. The three of them were surrounded by Avarilome gypsies... and had Amelia not been an Adjurator who had put her life on the line countless times, the mere sight might have frightened her. These were not friendly gypsies like the ones Anora was acquainted with. Clad in clothes whose bright colors seemed sickly for some reason, they grinned cruelly at the witch, their lustful eyes silently counting the number of ways they wanted to take her. 'We take what we want, when we want'... had Drina not said that, too?

[Amelia Lynsdaughter]

Standing there, surrounded by a curious crowd of gypsies who were probably making loud comments on her anatomy but unable to understand a single word, was not the best of experiences for Amelia. Drina barked at the men, yelling some unknown curses and waving her bone cane. She spat on the ground and the men took it as their cue that they had better move along. The men dispersed quickly enough, each returning to whatever task they were tending to before this interruption.

"You should never wander around the kumpania without one of us," Virni pointed out. "I do not think any of them would kill you, but short of that, anything would be fair game." Amelia nodded slightly, still aware of the hostile environment. The gypsy was comprised of several dozen vardos beautifully painted in the same bright but sickly tints as the clothes of their occupants. Strange animals were depicted on their walls, most notably snakes that seemed to coil around the wagons. A symbol of rebirth and transformation, as well as sin and lust.

It did not escape Amelia's supernatural eyes that spirits were on patrol around the borders of the encampments, guarding the kumpania from intruders. Clearly there were skilled Adjurators like Drina in their ranks. These gypsies were certainly a force to be reckoned with. "Follow me, young Amelia." The old woman led the half-elf to a particular vardo that was painted almost exclusively with eyes. Human eyes and animal eyes both, of many different species. "Get on the vardo." It was not a suggestion, but Amelia complied and stepped into the wagon. The inside smelled of strong incense and was somewhat smoky. A woman sat inside, in front of a small round table. She wore several black veils that obscured pretty much all of her form except her uncanny raven eyes.

"Serale, I am here..." Amelia began, but the woman silenced her with her hand. "I know," she said, her voice sweet as honey yet there was the impression of something monstrous lurking beneath the veils, "I was looking forward to meeting you, Amjl of the Twilight. I wish to help you understand who you are." Amelia sat in front of the gypsy, wondering if she had read her mind or this was another one of those strange gypsy visions. Regardless of which, the woman produced a deck of beautifully painted cards and began to shuffle it with slow, hieratic motions.

Was this a prophecy? Her destiny bound and chained? The inevitable? Or just a warning of things to come, and what directions they might lead her to? Amelia had seen plenty of strange things in her short life, so she decided to just let the seer do her thing and see what happened. A name was a name, but a full prediction was a different thing altogether. The gypsy woman drew one card after another, and surprisingly not just the five Amelia expected of the most common spread. Instead, she placed no fewer than twelve cards on the wooden table, forming a V-like figure.

"Annaladore," the gypsy spoke softly, presenting a card that portrayed a beautiful maiden. "You were born innocent, and with the potential to be a shining paragon of virtue, if those around you had seen that inner beauty of yours." She then uncovered a contrasting card - a scythe-holding hooded man. "Nwalme, the Reaper. You marred that beauty through murder, and in doing so set the wheels of destiny in motion." The third card showed a different concept - it depicted a chained man. "Lupunza," she announced. "You became a slave to the will of others, having to fit the mold in which you were cast."

Amelia swallowed uneasily, her lips suddenly dry. The woman uncovered more and more cards.

[Amelia Lynsdaughter]

The fourth card was one that Drina welcomed with a grin when she saw it. Exactly the one she was waiting for. "Avarilome," the gypsy called it neutrally. It was shown as a crumbling tower being hit by lightning. Two crowned figures were falling from the tower and into the abyss. "Devastation, or violent destruction of one's certainties in life. That represents who you are right now. Walking without a light in the dark you risk crushing things you do not even see... or pretend not to." The old hag Drina laughed at the seer's words. "Yes, yes, just as I thought!"

Amelia watched the card in silence, staring at the falling figures. They were a king and a queen, dressed in royal silks. The terrified look on their faces betrayed the sudden nature of their ruin. Old forces replaced by new ones in a most traumatic way. The gypsy did not stop here, however. The next card showed a woman that bore a resemblance to Amelia, surrounded by swirling ghosts. Unlike the first four cards, this one was upside down."Choviar, the witch, reversed. You have turned to using the craft of the dead for your own personal gain above everything else. You are a sharp blade that cuts both ways, sometimes making even yourself bleed."

Another card. "This summarizes your present." A wheel? Just like the one before it, this one was reversed. "Travisa, the unbroken circle, reversed. You have so many loose ends right now, but above everything you are incomplete, both as a spirit woman and as a person. You still have a long way to go." The seer pointed at the next two cards. The first depicted a crossroads and was, again, reversed. "Vala, choice, reversed. In the past, you had no choice whatsoever. It was do or die for you. The present, however..." The eight card showed a man leering at a beautiful woman. "Valarauko, lust." Another card that Drina found amusing.

"Behind your exterior, you desire many things, or perhaps 'crave' would be a better word. You have caught a glimpse of power, and now you want more, in order to make up for what you never had." The seer's voice was perfectly neutral as Amelia stared at her with unmoving eyes. "Your future." The next card had a dragon protecting a hoard of gold. "Atalante, temptation. The temptation to go further will haunt you every step of the way. How far you go depends on you, and keep this card in mind." She drew her attention to the next card, which had a star on it. "Satarma, the star. Even when it seems that you have no choice, you should remember that there is always a choice, one that can change your future."

It seemed that the reading was nearing its completion. Only two cards remained. "Zor, strength." A muscular horse was pulling a vardo out of the mud. "You still have not realized the true extent of your strength, Amjl of the Twilight. You are not even close to it. And finally..."

The seer's eyes became intrigued slits as she commented on the last card, the conclusion of the reading. Amelia recognized something familiar about that card: a man walking on a blue-green river of energy much like the one she had been flung into but a few moments before. "Ambarando, the journey."

The gypsy's voice trailed off for a long moment. When she resumed her speech, she was, surprisingly enough, addressing Drina rather than Amelia. "Drina, tell Virni to give her the Ambranti today."

[Amelia Lynsdaughter]

"Ambranti?" Amelia repeated, more to herself than the seer. She recovered instantly, though, and bowed deeply to the seer. "Thank you for the reading. I will treasure your words carefully." The seer smiled - how did Amelia know that she was smiling? Beneath the veils, the eye could not tell as much, but she just knew it. "I will see you again." The girl was aware that the gypsy had spoken many truths about her, some of which she admitted to, and others she would often deny. And to think that this mysterious woman had not even shared her name with her.

The half-elf and the old Adjurator stepped off the seer's vardo, where Virni awaited them. Apparently the male had not thought it wise to accompany the women, but was keeping watch near the vardo, and he nodded at them as they moved outside. Drina was quite laconic and relayed the seer's instructions to the Drifter - that he was to give Amelia the Ambranti. Virni looked quite surprised, and his reply to Drina was in Aire, so the girl understood nothing of it. Drina grinned and tried to keep Amelia in the loop.

"He is a bit worried, you know," the hag smiled uncannily, "he thinks this is a skill even most of us fail to master, and you as a gaje are completely unaccustomed to it, so he fears that you might die." Amelia blinked slowly, wishing that the crone had not smiled as she said so. "I see... but I am afraid that you have me at a disadvantage here. What is this Ambranti you speak of?" Given the accuracy of the seer's report, she was willing to give this a try, even though the two of them thought it dangerous. Whatever this thing was.

"Oh, that is the initiation ritual for becoming an Ambarando Line Drifter, of course," the witch replied, as if that was universally common knowledge. Amelia added two and two, realizing that the seer had given such an order after seeing the card of Ambarando as the final one in her reading. "I only have one question."

"Is this like Arcana in any way or shape?" She was firm, setting a stray lock of light brunette hair into place as she spoke. Virni's answer was just as firm. "Not at all. Line Drifting is the legacy of the legendary gypsy, Ambarando, one of the thirteen founders of Air'riela culture just like Avarilome. There are rivers of energy that flow all over Telath. To be one with them, to harness them by losing yourself in them, is to be a drifter. We gain great power from this, but we are powerless outside the influence of the Lines."

"If it is not Arcana," Amelia smiled for the very first time since being phased into the camp, "then I can do it." The girl was forever destined to incompatibility with Arcana - she simply lacked the natural ability as well as the mindset - but if this was something different, then she felt confident in her abilities.

"Are you sure?" Virni's ageless features seemed slightly perturbed. Strange, for an Avarilome gypsy to worry about a gaje's well-being. "The Ambranti is a difficult ritual, and one that is sometimes deadly." Drina made a high-pitched sound. "Aaah, but Virni, she has survived Glossalia. She must be no stranger to dangerous rituals." "Indeed," the girl confirmed, the smile still playing faintly on her lips, "I would be grateful if you could perform this Ambranti upon me, Master Virni." Valarauko, was it not? Lust. Amelia was not one to shy away from the promise of a new skill.

The Drifter considered her words for a moment, and finally nodded. "Fine then. I will give it to you immediately." The man placed an olive-skinned hand on Amelia's slender shoulder and again she felt like she was literally dissolving in the sea of blue and green energies that was the Ambarando line.

[Amelia Lynsdaughter]

The sensation was unlike anything Amelia had ever experienced before today. Her body was gone, her mind was still there, but this was more than just traveling down the line, this was becoming the line, in a way. She was disembodied and yet knew that her body still existed as part of this endless supply of energy. While she had failed to notice it the first time, she realized now that Virni was guiding her, his presence was all around her. Without him, there was no way Amelia could have moved down the line at all. Even now, they were traveling, the landscape outside the glowing river rolling out at the speed of flash.

The girl wanted to ask him where he was taking her, but she was unable to talk while in this form. The thought of her consciousness mixed with the forces of the Ambarando line was still foreign to her, and a rather unsettling one to boot. When she had been possessed, Amelia had gotten accustomed to being less of herself, but more? Such transcedence left her with the impression that her very identity might dissolve without warning. Still, life had shaped her into a brave girl - or rather, one whose fears were not openly displayed. She steeled herself, remembering Glossalia. Now that had been a deadly ritual, and apparently one with a low survival ratio. She could definitely do this.

Suddenly, something changed, and in a way stopped. This was no longer a river of energy, but a lake. A swirling lake, a vortex, a whirlpool, a maelstrom. The current seemed much stronger than before. Amelia knew she must not panic for any reason, but the current kept getting stronger, and Amelia's consciousness was basically tethered to Virni's. Should he leave, she would most likely perish. Stronger and stronger. Amelia could not defend herself from the assault. This thing was going to swallow her whole!

Yet, when she was starting to doubt her own ability, it occurred to her that maybe she was going about it the wrong way. So far she had been defensive, trying to shut herself from the Line, trying to find a separation where she ended and the Line began... a boundary between two nations. It was typical of her, to try and keep some distance as she always did. Amelia often distanced herself from others and the pain that they could give her. She was not one to just embrace the future and let herself go... yet she understood that this was the way to go with Line Drifting. A delicate balance where control was gained by losing control.

Slowly, she yielded to it, letting the swirling power of the river enter her very being, abandoning herself to whatever was to come. She felt invaded, but quite surprisingly the sensation was far from unpleasant. There was a rush of power, and Amelia was no longer fighting the current. How long she stayed there, taking it all in, unable to express her thoughts, she could not tell. But eventually, Virni's life force began to stir once more and she felt that she was being brought back. Soon afterwards, she had regained her physical nature and was standing in the Avarilome encampment once more.

"Not bad. You worried me for a second, though, when it seemed you did not want to let yourself go," Virni commented. "All in all, not bad for a beginner without any phasing experience." "That part of the river... it felt different, much stronger than the rest," Amelia said softly, her breath still short and her head spinning a bit from the experience.

"I took you to a Nexus point, of Kalbaka in Aire. You can think of them as the intersection of several Ambarando Lines. There are two kinds of Lines in the world - Major and Minor, or Ambardis and Ambis, as we call them. We travel along Major lines such as the one that crosses Zinn'Sunn, and use Minor lines for other purposes." Virni's explanation was calm and helpful, and Drina was nowhere to be seen now.

"Where Lines intersect, power tends to pool with the greatest density. Major Lines form Nexus points or Kalbaka, whereas Minor Lines form nodes of Baki. This ritual, Ambranti can only take place inside a Kalbaka... and thankfully you have it in you, it seems. So... have you noticed it yet?" Amelia frowned, wondering what the Drifter meant. Then she saw it.

[Amelia Lynsdaughter]

The girl blinked several times, as if not believing her eyes. The energy of the line had not disappeared as soon as she had phased out of it, like the first time. It was there, plain like the light of day. The stream of blue and green crossed the Avarilome camp and stretched out as far as the eye could see. The half-elf could see that the line was also rather thick, extending perhaps half a mile in either direction, seeing as they were near the midpoint of the figurative riverbed. Even more surprisingly, Amelia could literally feel its power reaching out to the sky and sinking deep beneath the surface of Telath.

"That is quite the fascinating sight," the maiden spoke, the wonders of discovery painted on her face. "It would seem that my eyes have just gained another layer of perception." "That is only partly correct," Virni pointed out calmly, standing by Amelia's side as he showed her the details of her new ability. "This perception is much deeper than just your eyes, but your mind represents it through your sight. In fact, even a blind drifter can see the Lines. In your current state, sensing the Ambis will be much more difficult than the Ambardis like this. You are still very much tethered to the material nature of your body, but that is still enough to start experimenting with the Ambarando Lines."

Amelia nodded vaguely, her eyes still mesmerized by the vision of the Ambardis. As she progressed into the world, her eyes seemed to unlock new powers unheard of until that moment. First, the vision of the spirit world; then, the remote vision granted by Liosha; and now, the unseen blood vessels of the world. Amelia could only wonder what else her eyes were meant to gaze upon, what other mysteries would be unveiled for her to see.

"Master Virni... why do you think your seer wanted me to receive this ritual?" She asked, a softer tone of curiosity replacing her colder façade. The Drifter shrugged lightly. "I have long since stopped trying to second guess women, much less those with such an immense mesaka as Esmeralda. Women have always been the better creations by far. If I had to choose, however... the reason is likely to be quite sinister."

It surprised Amelia to hear him speak of his own seer in such a fashion. "I was not born an Avarilome, if that is what you are wondering right now," he explained, as if reading her mind. "I became one through marriage, in order to settle a long-standing feud between two kumpanias. At any rate," he suddenly moved away from the topic, "if your reading revealed something dark - but Drina would call it interesting - then they might want you to spread it."

The messenger of Jalat, now flying on raven's wings... eh? Was this really the reason why she had been initiated to a gypsy art? So that she could spread Avarilome's devastation? Or so that she could mature and find her way in the world? Amelia could not tell. "Enough with these uncomfortable thoughts," said Virni, "now you need to learn how to concentrate to recall the Ambarando powers that I awakened with the Ambranti. Breath deeply, relax, become one with the Line, let it be your eyes and ears. You might not believe it, but you can sense things and places that lie elsewhere on the line. That is how I first saw you near the tree, and now you need to do the same. Tell me what you see, young Drifter."

[Amelia Lynsdaughter]

Amelia was starting to actually like Virni. He was polite, careful and never overstepped her boundaries. It was fortunate that he was the one teaching her instead of one of the darker Avarilome males. She nodded at his words, closed her eyes and attempted to relax, clearing her mind from useless thoughts. The Ambarando energies brushed across her face like a gentle breeze as she synchronized her breath with the rhythm of the Ambardis. No longer an alien presence, the Line was starting to disclose its gifts to the young woman, who in turn accepted it deeper and deeper into her being.

She could not say how long it took her, but at some point she could definitely feel her perception expand, leaving the limited boundaries of her mortal body to wander down the line. She was aware of the gypsy camp, though the knowledge was unlike anything an eye could offer. This was omnidirectional but seemed to lack detail; she could sense the big picture but she could not, for example, describe the intricacies of the artistry in the vardo paintings. "I see the camp," she murmured. "East of here, there is the Forest of Dreams... I can see the Three Sisters, the great geysers. I can see the woods, they quickly get thicker and I cannot really see what is inside the forest." Her expression became slightly strained.

"I cannot seem to go further," she said, "it is as if something was pulling me back by my hair." Unknown to her, Virni nodded. "That is normal. The thing that keeps you chained is... you. Do not worry, though, your range will improve dramatically in time. This much is quite promising in its own right, but do tell me - what do you see to the West?"

Amelia was silent for the next few moments. "I see... Zinn'Sunn. Yes, the Shisa gates are very clear to me. There are people at the gates, though I cannot distinguish their features. I can see them move like so many ants, however. Past the walls, there are many buildings, but only a few of them really stand out. There are several accumulations of power along the line... at least two. I take it they are Minor nodes... baki? There is the Sunset pagoda and a few more. There are several parks and water bodies, but that is about as far as I can see, Master Virni. I was hoping to see my own house, but I cannot tell it apart from the others." "No worries, Amelia. You are doing remarkably well for your first brightening. As I said, both speed and accuracy are bound to get much better in time."

The girl opened her eyes to the world. "This line... where does it actually lead?" "This particular section links the far end of Lauryl, near Mystique, to the Centripaxian Heartlands. It goes much farther than that, however, and you can go all the way to Aelyria Prime by choosing the right lines to phase into." The gypsy smiled a little. "Enough for today. Let me phase you near the gates of Zinn'Sunn. Our lessons will resume tomorrow in the early morning. I will pick you up at the same place." After the initial surprise of another scheduled meeting with Virni, Amelia smiled at the man. "Thank you. I will look forward to it."

[Amelia Lynsdaughter]

The next morning, Amelia was standing by the same tree. No cages adorned its branches this time around, but the girl leaned against its old bark, clearly awaiting the man who had so suddenly stepped into her life. She wondered if Virni's suspicions were indeed correct; if Esmeralda Avarilome truly wanted her to learn the ways of Ambarando so that her potential as a harbinger of painful change could be better fulfilled. Certainly, the thought of being able to move along the Lines at will was very appealing. With this skill, Amelia would be able, in time, to visit many more places than would otherwise be possible. More than that, the experience of being one with the Line was almost intoxicating. And Amelia was easily addicted... all too easily.

But instead of the man, all she got was his voice echoing in her mind. "Sastimos, Amelia," it filled her, a warm baritone that sounded like he was inside her. "Forgive the intrusion, but this ability is best demonstrated through one's own example. Do not worry, this is not mind reading or Mysticism. I am simply transmitting a message using the Ambardis as a medium. The Line can carry thought just as easily as it carries people."

The young witch recovered from the surprise and looked around, spirit hat pressed on her head. Being that this appointment had been scheduled in advance, she had chosen a more elegant appearance. "Since I am not reading your mind, I have no idea what you are thinking right now. I can see you, though, and I am sure this message actually made it to you. If you wish to respond, you have to send a message of your own. Simply tap into the Ambardis like you did yesterday, find my presence, focus on the thought you wish to send, and pass it into my mind."

Amelia found this particular form of message passing much more acceptable than Mysticism. Her experience with mind reading in Nexus Prime, with Catherine and the House of Whispers, had left emotional scars on her and the feeling of being violated in the sanctuary of her mind, and Mysticism was easily one of her most hated spheres, together with Necromancy. Once again, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, concentrating on the line that flowed around her like a protective river, a stable and reassuring motherly presence.

Extending her awareness like the previous brightening, Amelia searched the Line thoroughly until she spotted Virni's presence. He seemed to stand out somehow, and the girl suspected this skill only worked on fellow Drifters as opposed to regular people. She phrased the thought and attempted to slip it inside the Drifter's mind. "You are late, Master Virni." She did not have to wait long for the gypsy's slightly amused reply. "My apologies for that. I had some other business to attend to. We will get back to speed right away. In fact..."

Faster than his own thought, Virni appeared behind Amelia. The girl actually saw him arrive down the Line, but while her eye could catch a glimpse of his phasing form, her mind could not keep up with such speed. "... here I am."

[Amelia Lynsdaughter]

"It has been a long time since someone played such a grand entrance on me," Amelia commented quietly. In fact, it reminded her of Ricardo for some reason, and the thought made her heart stir for some reason. "I see," said the gypsy, "and from the look of it, it seems like that said person is dead." The girl's eyes turned to the Drifter in a sideways glance. "How do you... never mind that. Mesaka, is that the correct word? Gypsy intuition. Your kind has plenty of gifts, if you ask me." "Mesaka is as much a gift as it is a curse - sometimes it shows even what you do not wish to see. Anyway, we might as well get started on the next leg of your training. We move camp tomorrow, so it would be better if we could finish this today."

"You are leaving already?" But then again, that was the way of the gypsies. Amelia could respect that, and even though she did not care much for the Avarilome gypsies, she did feel a connection with her Drifting teacher. She had a tendency to like her male teachers, she noticed. It was a side of her own psychology that Amelia did not fully understand, and she wondered about it herself.

"Yes, but we will always be back. No matter how long the road, the world is still round. Unless we journey to the stars, there is always a comeback, and even then... well, you are like Drina so you should know." He shrugged and continued. "I want you to learn how to do this, Amelia." He smiled and suddenly grew taller by an inch. No, wait, it was not exactly that. He just looked taller because he was literally floating one inch from the ground. As absurd as it looked, he was not touching the surface of Telath.

"Like this," he continued, and his levitation became more apparent. He slowly drifted upwards under Amelia's wide-eyed gaze. He was now standing still near the treetop, looking at her from above. The girl noticed that he was not technically flying, as his feet were resting on a cushion of Ambarando energy that was invisible to normal people. "Why don't you give it a try, Amelia? The Ambarando Line can hold your weight if you learn how to harness it."

"Y-you can actually do this?" Amelia's reaction was somewhat unexpected. Here was this icy-looking girl who had suddenly melted upon seeing him drift. "Yes, this the skill that has gained us this name... Line Drifting," he smiled. At long last, Amelia had found a skill with which she could feel that emotion again... flight. Not on a gryphon's back, not with Skay's borrowed power, but with her own strength.

She began to concentrate on the Ambarando Line, trying to imitate Virni's actions. She focused on the energy around her, seeking to lose herself to it just enough to gain some amount of control over it. She drove it under her feet as best she could, strain and effort painted on her face. "Relax, relax. Concentration is not meant to be painful." She was going to fly, by the gods! No-one could deny her the sky! And this time, she would ask for no-one's help - she would be her own wings.

Amelia felt herself becoming lighter, as if a part of her weight was being carried by someone else. One of her feet detached itself from the ground, and slowly the other followed. By a hair's breadth, Amelia was Drifting. She did not stop, however, pouring more and more concentration into the act as she gradually lifted herself off the ground. She noticed that it got harder and harder as one went up, as if leaving one's natural place in the world implied some kind of tax to be paid. By the time she was floating ten feet from the ground, it took all of her concentration to just keep herself from falling, let alone climbing further up.

"Good, good, you are keeping your balance just fine," her mentor said approvingly. "Now, slowly drift forwards. Instead of just pushing on your feet, imagine the Line pushing you from behind." Amelia nodded and complied to the order. Once she had figured the trick to the upwards motion, the forward action was little more than a simple exercise. She could only manage the equivalent of a slow walk, but it felt very important to the half-elf. She was actually flying! Her shadow was looking so frail and faint from here.

[Amelia Lynsdaughter]

"Good, now be careful and gently drift down until you touch the ground. Never underestimate this part, Amelia, as you may end up injured or worse if you misjudge your speed or lose your concentration. Descend slowly and uniformly." The newborn Drifter paid attention to Virni's words and soon afterwards her feet were once more firmly planted on the dead leaves that had once belonged to the tree.

The girl was still very thrilled with the idea of pseudo-flight - not quite flight, but certainly the next best thing. There were only a select few in the world who could know Line Drifting for what it was, being able to discern the river that supported the woman's weight as she moved. And this, this was no Arcana. She did not have to rely on someone else's abilities, on Skay's borrowed power. These were her own raven wings, and Amelia would be sure to use them to their fullest potential.

"This is amazing," she admitted, an excited glitter in her eyes. "This is nothing," her teacher corrected her. "You have barely scratched the surface of what the Ambarando Lines can do, but this is to be expected as you are very inexperienced. For now, I just want you to learn the last major ability of us Drifters... Phasing into a Line." Amelia nodded, understanding in her gaze. This was the actual teleportation - or perhaps 'accelerated channeling' would be a better term - that she had witnessed a few times before. It had always been as a guest, however - being guided by Virni's expert awareness. What the gypsy requested of her now was to use the Ambardis independently and without guidance.

"The camp is roughly one mile East of here," the Avarilome said, "and that is more or less your maximum range at the moment. Remember how you felt during the Ambranti... gain control by losing control. Become one with the line but do not lose your essence in the process. I will stay behind to assist you should you need it." In Amelia's mind, no such assistance would be necessary. Ravens were made to soar because such was their nature. Was this why the Drabarni of this kumpania had given orders for Amelia to receive this training?

Taking a deep breath, the young woman closed her eyes and began to focus once more, attuning herself to the ebb and flow of the Line. She could hear it resonate within her own soul, as if it was breathing with her. It caressed her face, invading the pores of her skin, her lungs, her blood vessels. Slowly, she allowed the Line to take more and more of her. She thought she could hear the buzz of the swirling flow grow louder in her ears. At this point she finally opened her eyes and continued the process on a purely instinctive level. She was initiating the phasing all by herself!

Virni watched her body dissolve into the blue and green waves of the Ambardis and nodded approvingly. This one started slow but once she got past the first stumbling blocks, she was actually a very fast learner. Amelia's body existed no more - she had become a fluctuation in the Line, though her control over this form was still poor and incomplete. With an effortless push of her inner will, she propelled herself down the line, and it was incredible. For a short moment, the scenery flashed past her like in a dream, faster than any man could run, faster than any horse, faster than any bird. The feeling of unbridled velocity was electrifying. She was... boundless. In theory, at least. It only lasted a moment, and then her mind began to lose its synchronization with the Line, slowing down but still being able to select a clear landing spot where she suddenly popped back into the world of physical bodies.

Unable to control her arrival, the momentum spun Amelia forward as she was seen tripping over her own leg and falling face first among the shocked gazes of Avarilome gypsies.