Linzy tilted her head, her long ears bobbing up and down. “Ya mean you're going to... reduce the quality of yer potions?” She asked, while scratching Papo behind the ears.

  Niala winced. “I have to! My dad said that if I kept making potions as I've been, eventually some royal auditors would come poke around, and he said that would be a very expensive problem to solve.”

  The goblin nodded slowly. “Ok, I get it. Yer potions did seem a bit, huh, more potent than what I knew about. I just have ta figure out a way to explain the drop in quality to ta customers...” She said pensively.

  Niala smiled, ears snapping upright. “Oh! We already figured something out! I'll switch to brewing mostly common and high-grade potions, but I'll also brew a limited number of what we decided to call adventurer-grade. High-grade potions that are faster-acting, to help save the adventurer's lives!”

  She looked to her sides before leaning in and speaking in a hushed tone. “Technically, that makes them royal-grade, but don't tell anyone.”

  She pulled back and observed Linzy's reaction. Niala's ears flopped down as she saw the goblin staring at her with a blank expression. “I'm sorry, Linzy. I know it's going to be a hassle to explain the change in quality to the customers, and-”

  A large, shark-toothed smile drew across the goblin's face. “No! It's perfect! I've been looking fer a way to have more product lines!”

  Niala blinked, ears drooping. “Aren't people going to complain that the quality's going down?”

  “Naw, Boss! The quality ain't going down, it's staying the same, as far as they're concerned, anyway! Just, now we'll have three grades! We'll make a killin' on the high-grades!”

  “But-”

  Linzy put a hand on Niala's arm and shook her head. “Don't worry, boss. Just leave the little pigeons to me, and ya make yer potions.”

  Niala cocked her head. “Pigeons?”

  “I meant valued customers.” The goblin said.

  “Why would you call them pi-”

  “Valued customers.”

  Niala blinked.

  Linzy smiled.

  Papo spoke up. “I am projecting an increase in revenue of 24% following the suggested changes to Panacea Potion's offerings. However, I advise against calling the pigeons, pigeons, to their faces.”

  Linzy nodded. “Thanks, Papo. That sounds about right with me feelings.”

  Niala glared at both of them. “Don't call the customers pigeons!”

  Papo nodded. “Indeed. I calculate that only a small subset would enjoy it.”

  Linzy blinked. “Really? Who do ya figure would enjoy it?”

  “Processing... I have collated a list of names. Would you want to hear it?”

  The goblin's toothy smile returned in full force. “Yes!”

  “No!” Niala exclaimed.

  “Why not? Don't you like pigeons, boss?”

  “I like actual pigeons, but these are people!” Niala argued.

  “Oooh, come now, it's just a small endearing term!”

  “Papo just said they wouldn't like being called that!”

  “Some of them would!” Linzy countered.

  Niala stared at Linzy, then at Papo. The rat nodded.

  She looked back at Linzy, who was offering her most radiant, least predatory smile. Which was still pretty predatory...

  Niala's ears flopped down as her shoulders slumped. “At least be nice when you call them pigeons?”

  “Don't worry, boss. I think the ones who will like being called pigeons will want to be called pigeon as nastily as possible.”

  Niala glanced at Papo.

  The rat nodded.

  She let her face fall to the table.

  What is my shop turning into?

  A semblance of routine returned to their lives. They resumed their training sessions with Leandro, albeit only three days a week. With the snow melted, they returned to the moon chapel, where they could once more work on their powers, alongside a copious amount of anaerobic and strength training.

  It was Leandro, after all. According to him, powers were temporary, but muscles were forever.

  They tried to argue, but he just had them run harder until they couldn't manage enough breath to speak. In a way, he won the argument.

  David spent a couple of days working on local courier postings, bringing Karline along to continue her on-and-off apprenticeship. He was surprised when she told him what she'd been up to during his absence; thanks to the larger cargo cloth and her carriair, she had been able to complete some of the more demanding ferrying postings, which had netted her a tidy sum and offers of repeated work from some merchant houses.

  His little apprentice was moving up in the world. He remembered his first repeat posting. It felt as if he'd unlocked the secret to the world. And then he'd been undercut by another courier, and he was back to contract work. Win the key, lose the key.

  Still, he was also impressed by her change in attitude. No matter how small or mundane the posting, she didn't charge ahead, a dashing courier out on a quest to fulfill the world's need for retrieving and carrying things.

  Now, she took time to think the job through, do preparatory work, make plans, and prepare contingencies. They quickly burned through half a dozen postings. Even if they were minor, local ones, it was still an impressive rate. He was almost certain she could have managed four or five by herself as well.

  But, he still had tricks to teach her, tips to provide, and wisdom to convey. Especially wisdom, now that he had been introduced to Cornelius' book.

  And if Karline happened to use one of his quotes in front of Niala, well, he was certain his girlfriend would be pleased to know her father's words were gaining traction out in the world.

  In preparation for the publishing of his book, obviously.

  It was a week after their return that Marshalla invited Niala and David to her newly established laboratory in town to make an initial assessment of their abilities.

  David had tried to explain that it was for Niala's case that the woman had been contacted.

  Marshalla countered that if David thought she was not going to study someone able to “summon” their mana, he might as well abandon society and go live with the apes, for that was the extent of his mental faculties.

  Niala had almost managed not to laugh.

  Mayor Caleb had lodged Marshalla in the dignitaries' house attached to the town hall, a somewhat small but well-built building reserved for visiting people of importance.

  David and Niala found themselves sitting in what the woman called her laboratory, but felt closer to a library, having an entire wall lined with bookshelves filled with various academic-looking tomes. The rest of the home had been similarly furnished with heavy wooden furniture, all ancient and expensive-looking, giving the exact feel that David would expect from a renowned scholar's house.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  When he jokingly asked if Marshalla had emptied her lodgings back in Abassara when she made the trip here, she answered that yes, she had. How else would she be able to work if she didn't have all of her tools and reference material?

  David had to concede the point.

  Niala's head had been on a swivel during his exchange, ogling the vast amount of reading material. He half expected her to start salivating.

  Marshalla, or Dr. Airenne as the diplomas hanging on the wall informed them, settled into her chair, clipboard in hand, and stared them down, her demeanour going from graceful host to hawkish academic in the span of a blink.

  “Let's start with fact-findings,” She announced with her clipped speech.

  “Niala, David, Leandro only told me the minimum he needed to get me interested. If I am to study your cases properly, I need to know everything.”

  They glanced at each other. David cleared his throat. “Before we do that, we need assurance you will not reveal anything to anyone who doesn't already know.”

  Marshalla tapped her pencil a few times. “Understandable. We can sign the standard Institute of Arcana Sciences privacy contract. It is respected and enforced by the Amberfall crown. Do note, however, that it also binds me to certain requirements. Anything that can threaten the realm must be disclosed, for example.”

  The doctor explained in further detail what the contract contained, and they eventually signed it. In truth, Leandro's vote of confidence in Marshalla's integrity had been the deciding factor, but having a contract never hurt.

  It was thus that they revealed most of their secrets to the woman: David's mana reserves, his inordinately clear and tangible inner world, the vast amount of imbuements carved into his flesh, and his more recent ability to summon his mana aspect.

  They moved on to Niala's weaving ability, everything they knew about her nascent incarnate powers, the soul tear that plagued her, and, finally, the soul link they shared, including the “door” they had within their inner worlds.

  Through it all, Marshalla has remained composed and professional, taking plentiful notes as she listened to their answers.

  She proceeded to take some measurements of their various energies, comparing them to baseline values, taking more notes, retrieving a few of her books and referencing them.

  Quite a few bells passed before the woman was satisfied that she had everything she would need to get started.

  She thanked them and saw them out.

  Only then did she allow her eyes to widen, her pulse to quicken, and her fingers to start twitching the pen she held.

  Leandro made his way to Marshalla's house. She had missed their evening training session, something they'd both agreed on participating in, now that they found themselves living in the same town, at least in the short term.

  Marshalla did not miss appointments without at least informing the involved parties first. She hadn't informed him. This meant something had happened. He was more curious than concerned, but he wouldn't have been a very good friend if he didn't at least go inquire.

  He confirmed with the guard posted up front that the Doctor hadn't left the building and went to knock.

  No answers.

  Frowning, he knocked harder and was rewarded with the same result. He went on to pound at the door with his fist, and only then did he get a rather incensed Marshalla to open up. Her expression mellowed somewhat when she saw who it was. Before Leandro could utter a word, she leaned out, looked left and right, and pulled the large man inside, slamming the door shut behind him and returning to her work desk, leaving him standing there like a forgotten potted plant.

  Frowning, he made his way to his friend's study and paused at the threshold. Her work desk was strewn with half-written papers, dozens of opened books, and various charts and tables opened and indexed.

  He hadn't seen her like this since back at the academy when they'd been cramming for their thesis.

  With a light step, he walked up to the desk, picking up one of the set-aside pieces of paper.

  He frowned once more at its content. Turning his head toward the woman, he spoke up. “Long-term research deployment application?”

  “Hmm?” The woman said absentmindedly.

  “Marsh, you have filled a form to request a research grant and leave of absence from the Institute. What is going on?”

  She snapped upright from her desk and turned to face him.

  “Leo. I have to. These two... I've never seen something like that. I have heard about similar cases, but it is always either from far away, or from long ago.”

  Her stare hardened. “Now, I have such a case under my very hands. I must use this opportunity. It could be the research which cements my place in the history books!”

  He quirked an eyebrow. “Marsh, you're already in the more recent history books.”

  She snorted. “As a side note, as a reference. No, Leo, if this research pans out, I will have a whole chapter to my name, to speak nothing of the manalogy and animology advances this could lead to! This could lead to something as great as... as the artificial mana crystallization process, the very science that has led to our modern world, powered by magitech engines!”

  Leandro recoiled at the ferocity of her claims. “The crystallization... Marsh, what are you talking about? We only asked for your help in figuring out a way for the girl to either manage or get rid of her gifts.”

  “Yes, you did! And, being the practical brute that you are, you failed to recognize the potential!”

  Leandro levelled his stare, an edge worming its way into his tone. “Marsh, be aware, we are friends, but so are they, especially the boy. I will not condone them being used as science projects for your own gains.”

  His comment made her stop and properly look at him. She did not see the young buck from their academy days. In his place was an older man, with decades of life behind him, drawing a line in the sand and warning her not to cross it.

  A small shiver ran down her spine as she belatedly realized that the Leo she knew had killed people, as the man's eyes told her.

  Maybe she should have felt a sliver of fear. Instead, she relished the challenge.

  She offered him a smile. “Leo, peace. You made your stance very clear on the topic already. I will not offend you... Although I will ask you to remind me that I said so, now and then, if you could?”

  He squinted, and then sighed. “What has got you worked up so much, Marsh?”

  Her smile increased twofold. “I was waiting for you to ask! Here!” She grabbed the piece of paper she had been scribbling on and shoved it at him.

  He took it from her hand and perused it.

  “...Bertolin's soul erosion principle.” He looked up. “The soul-mana barrier?”

  She dipped her head. “Yes. I believe the boy doesn't have one.”

  “Does not-! How is that possible? Everyone has one!” He asked, eyes widening.

  “Aaah, and now you start to realize... I had him use mana, and I measured his soul resonance. According to Bertolin's, the frequency should have begun developing an asynchronous distortion, but it never showed up.”

  Leandro gripped his chin, searching his memory. “Wouldn't it be because of the boy's immense mana reserves? Kirkham's treaty on Bertolin did prove that the mana-soul barrier gained in resiliency the larger an individual's mana reserves were.”

  Marshalla stared at him with a glint in her eyes. “And I thought of that, which is why I used the Kirkham equation. I ran several resonance tests, for several lengths of time, with several amounts of mana each time. As you know, the frequency varies each time, akin to the pitch of a heartbeat frozen in time.”

  She rummaged on her desk, snapping up a piece of paper with long equations scribbled on it. “Here. I ran the numbers. There was absolutely no attenuation or variance. Even if his reserves were infinite, there would have been something. It's empty. I ran the numbers fourteen times, to twenty decimals. No. Variance.”

  Leandro stared at the proof under his eyes, yet he still doubted it. It simply wasn't possible.

  Every living, souled entity had a mana-soul barrier. Mana was a primordial force which could be tapped as raw potential to have an effect in the physical world. The soul, inversely, was the anchor of your existence. It was a constant, a solid, where mana was a chaotic fluid. Just like water against a rock, if too much current was used, it would erode the barrier away, infecting what was constant with a seed of chaos. The soul would lose its cohesion, and dissipate.

  The process was well-known and documented. It was one of the founding laws of manalogy.

  And David seemingly ignored it.

  He looked up at Marshalla, who was smirking. He narrowed his eyes. “Let us say I believe you, and the boy can use an unlimited amount of mana. What could we even do with this knowledge? He might as well be a statistical impossibility.”

  Her smile faltered, and her head slumped. “Ah, there is where I am reminded your inner scholar has long since been punched to sleep. Leo, my friend, that is the wrong question to ask!”

  “What is the right one?”

  Her smile returned. “The right one, Leo, is how the fact that it is possible can be used to disprove the existing laws, to refine the equations to take this into account. It is a frontier to be explored, and conquered.”

  At the twitch of his eyes, she knew she had gotten a good hook into him.

  Leandro rubbed his chin, mulling the idea over, before looking back up at Marshalla. “What of the girl?”

  She blinked. “What about her?”

  “She was the one I asked you to come help.”

  “Oh! Fret not, Leo, she is incredibly interesting as well. If it wasn't for the boy, I would be just as captivated by the girl.”

  “How so?”

  “Her weaving is quite interesting, but it is as you surmised; the fact that she has gained an incarnate's gifts without herself being incarnated. This hides another ability of hers, something that has allowed her to gain these powers. I do not yet know what it is, but I will find out, because I believe that in answering that question, I will discover something perhaps just as revolutionary as the boy's lack of a mana barrier.” She explained, with an academician's hunger that made Leandro stare.

  He slowly dipped his head. “And that is why you seek to... study them both further.”

  Her smile went from ear to ear. “Indeed, my friend. I believe that, in this little town at the end of the road, I might have finally found the reason why I was born in this world.”

  He tilted his head. “Is that not a bit... dramatic?”

  “There's nothing dramatic about one's purpose in life!”

  “That is the very definition of being dramatic.” He countered.

  “How would you know! You failed the dramaturgy curriculum three times!” She accused.

  “I still do not understand to this day why it was a required course to obtain your diploma.”

  She blinked. “Really?”

  “... Yes?”

  “Oh... well, it is a good thing you avoided the court and put your efforts toward the military, then.”

  “And what does that have to do with acting class?”

  She offered him a sad smile and put a hand on his shoulder. “That you have to ask is the very answer to your question.”

  He narrowed his eyes at her.

  She smiled back.