All Pair Bonds provide three benefits, a growing awareness of where the other is at all times, growing awareness of their state of being, are they healthy, injured, awake, and finally the ability to establish telepathic bands from greater and greater distances as the bond grows in strength.

  Partnership bonds, or love bonds, also provide a constant awareness of the importance they have for one another, of their emotions and feelings even when not openly expressed.

  War Pairs gain two benefits while in combat or other sufficiently intense situations, they start to coordinate and act as one, needing little to no communication when working together. They also start to include the other in their own proprioception, assisting or avoiding each other by the narrowest of margins because they are extensions of a single bond.

  ~ * ~

  Seb stared at Phelann's hand and hesitated. She said it would be fine but after yesterday he-

  Seb. You're being rude.

  Blinking he looked back up at the Seer then placed his hand in hers. "Sorry."

  He felt something as their hands touched but it was slight enough to make him smile. "Valene's warning works."

  "Of course it does, now give me a moment," she answered then narrowed her eyes. in concentration.

  Seb felt something press against his Husk, a sense of energy flowing around and through it without ever actually coming into contact. He focused on the sensation and for a moment he thought he saw something only for his thoughts to scramble and leave him trying to remember what he had been doing.

  "Strange. I can almost guarantee I know what the first gift is, the second I can make a good guess at but the third is not something I have seen before," Phelann said as she let go of his hand. She caught his eye for a moment and smiled when he managed to focus on her.

  "Careful. You might be able to see through Husks but gazing at someone's Gifts and potential takes training, especially your own." She shifted her gaze to Anya before either of them responded. "He tried to see what I was doing and nearly got lost in his own Energies."

  Seb! Anya nearly yelled in his thoughts, her tone full of concern.

  I'm fine, I'm fine. Just got lost for a moment, he answered sheepishly. I saw something, but lost it right away.

  "His Gifts? Other than for causing trouble?" Anya asked.

  "The first is a form of tracking or tagging Gift. Diving groups will even bring in non-combatants if they have the Gift, it lets them share awareness of targets through any band connection, be it individual or grouped."

  "Grouped?" Seb interrupted.

  "Seb," Anya sighed. "Same as what we have but there is a variation they taught to Guard Captains that let them bring in a whole squad, simplifying things in the moment."

  Seb nodded. "Go on, please."

  "I can't say much more, you'll have to figure out the rest. For the second it seems to be a knowledge or memory gift. I saw you surrounded by a collection of records, each one an Energy Pattern, organized and categorized."

  "I can recall Energy Signatures once I've seen them, Husk or otherwise. She showed me what it looked like when she wrapped Energy around her fists for combat and I'm pretty sure I remember what she did well enough to recreate it."

  "That was over a week ago and I did it full speed just to show you the result," Anya chimed in, shock evident in her voice.

  "If you do remember Patterns so well that very well might be your Gift, to memorize and remember patterns when you see them," Phelann said before they could go off on a tangent.

  "So tagging and memorization. Those sound useful. What about the third?"

  "As I said, I do not know what to make of the gift, it does not match up to anything I'm aware of. That is not to say it is unique, simply that it is beyond my knowledge."

  "I saw a bubble with you in the center, Energy techniques appearing out of nowhere within the bubble, as though you were in every location at once. And also a similar bubble but larger, spreading out through a Construct, the Energy Patterns of the walls and elements all clearly visible up to the edge of the bubble but not outside."

  Seb sat there for a moment, comparing Phelann's words to his experiences. What she was describing sounded familiar, as though he should know what it might describe. Finally he spoke, starting out hesitant then gaining confidence as he continued.

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  "I can see your Husk's Pattern as you sit across the table. I see the patterns along the walls of the hallway. I can tell where the Vault access and Terminal are behind me. I-" he paused and closed his eyes, as his brow furrowed and his hands gripped the table.

  Seb? Anya sent.

  Wait, I- he answered as he opened his eyes and relaxed.

  "Yesterday when the Seed Orb was exposed I could see it with my eyes closed. Today I can focus and even eyes shut see the same Energy Patterns I just mentioned. I don't see you, I don't see the walls, just Energy in space in those shapes."

  "Impossible," Phelann answered. "You must be imagining it."

  "I thought I was yesterday. but today I'm not sure." He paused and considered before continuing, this time his tone full of excitement as he tried to explain what he had just realized. It made sense, the description fit what he did, even though it was apparently impossible.

  "When I look through a Husk, I don't need to touch the Awakened. When I showed Anya how to break Rios' Husk I was several feet away. I act at a distance, I see at a distance."

  Phelann looked at Anya. "Is that true? Did he do those things without contact?"

  Anya started to flush before glaring at Seb. You had to bring that back up again, didn't you.

  "Yes," she answered. "He saw through my Husk while sitting across the table, we weren't touching in any way."

  "I would say impossible once more, but apparently I would be wrong." Phelann grumbled then shook her head. "If so that would mean your ability to see patterns is distinct from your doing so without contact."

  "Then what let me see Energy?" Seb asked.

  "You see Energy Patterns, you see through Husks. Both are benefits that are usually seen as part of a Seer's Path. However since you are not on that Path yet I believe that this might be Path Fragments."

  "Path? Fragments?" This time Anya was the one who interrupted. Seb fought back his urge to chuckle as Phelann answered.

  "Your Path defines how you grow as Awakened. Since you ask that question I am guessing that Holding Lys does not select Archetypes or Specializations?"

  At Anya's nod Phelann frowned as she muttered. "Not a punishment, not a punishment."

  "First Fragments. Fragments are aspects of a single Path that is one you will not follow. You cannot follow it since you have the Fragments in fact. As I said they are benefits from another Path, they hint at some truth about who you are and will help shape your personal path if you come to understand them."

  "That," Seb said with a smile, "would make sense if I knew what a Path was."

  "Your Path is what sort of Awakened you are. Are you a Seer, an Engineer, a Brawler, an Energyst. Do you follow a Combat or Non-Combat Path. For Non-Combat Paths the Archetype is one such as Seer or Engineer. For Combat Paths it describes your overall fighting style."

  "And an Energyst is?" Seb couldn't help but ask.

  "One who manipulates Energy and uses it in ranged combat by launching or channeling it at their foes," Phelann answered patiently.

  "Got it," he said before glancing at Anya who nodded in agreement.

  "Finally with Specializations you choose the particulars you wish to follow within your Archetype. An Engineer might focus on constructing new Constructs, or on maintaining Hubs. A Brawler might focus on punches and kicks, or on grappling, or even on simply being able to suffer through any number of assaults by the strength of their body."

  The last sounds like Rios, Seb sent.

  Just a little, and the others could have been various guards.

  "I never learned this, but those styles sound familiar." Anya said after a moment.

  "Yes. If you do not select your own Specialization and Advancement Options by level 5 they will shape themselves to how you have acted so far. Then at level 10 and every 10th thereafter you will have further choices for refinement and advancement option."

  Seb glanced over at Anya and said nothing, he knew she could feel his desire to ask more questions but was for once considering before doing so. Her eyes met his and she nodded.

  You know I don't know this time, ask away.

  All the questions I have? he teased.

  No Seb, just the relevant ones, she answered, her thoughts charged with amusement as his enthusiasm.

  "Advancement Options?"

  "Refinements to your choices. When you make your Archetype and Specialization selections you will need to choose which options you wish to have that fit those choices. They shape your Path ever so slightly with each choice. Repeated choices of the same option can lead to significant effects, while a variety can allow for great breadth of benefits."

  "Before you ask, I don't know how these options take effect. You make your selection, you feel something, and then after a good night's sleep you feel the changes. If there is an explanation, I don't have access to it," she added with a frustrated sigh.

  "For example," she continued, clearly moving past her own irritation. "I initially selected enhancements that help me make connections between pieces of information and increase my sensitivity when analyzing Energy Patterns. They are fairly typical early Seer choices when you wish to go down a research path."

  "Research?"

  Seb, don't pry.

  You said relevant, this is relevant to what she said, he sent back, smug and curious.

  He felt Anya's response, not in words, simply a mix of exasperation and amusement. At least she was focused on the situation at hand and not on her own doubts.

  "Yes. By preference I am a researcher. I rarely deal with non-Seers unless there is information I am forced to acquire. Valene however," she hesitated then shook her head. "It doesn't matter. He sent me because he trusts me and somehow knew you would need more than basic help. It does however mean I will be your point of contact going forward unless you find my assistance displeasing?"

  Seb could hear something in Phelann's tone. She didn't want to be here, she didn't want to be dealing with them, but she was also clearly worried that they would find issue with her work.

  Anya, she's-

  -looking for approval? Anya cut him off as she finished his thought.

  Ours? Valene's? he asked then answered his own question. It doesn't matter, she's helpful and can answer us.

  "Seer Phelann, Holding Syl is happy to have you as our point of contact within the Seer's Council as long as we remain in good standing. However if this creates conflict with existing duties we will understand if you need to appoint a replacement," Anya said after the briefest pause.

  "Oh," Phelann seemed surprised for a moment before she answered. "A replacement is not necessary. I believe that covers what Valene wished me to discuss. Did you still have any questions? Otherwise we can move to your training hall and I can help with your selections."

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