The Name of Names

~25: Fairths~

Her next lesson with Eragon was about magic.

"There are different ways to produce a spell. For example, if I wanted an orb of light right now, I could collect it from the rays of the sun, make it out of the energy around, or many other ways. I could also use the spell, fire if I wished, which may accomplish the same thing, in giving light." He explained.

Vanya nodded, understanding it, and eager to learn more.

"As an elf, I am sure you already know that energy can be taken from other places, such as animals, or plants." He started, pausing for her reply.

"Yes." She said slowly, wondering where he was leading with this.

"But, you also know the terrible cost of it."

She nodded again, remembering the feeling of dying again and again as the energy drained from the animal or plant.

"So, as spells can be made using different words of the ancient language, each one has a different amount of energy required. There are specific words that you can use to do something quickly and easily, with only a small amount of energy." He said, "Perhaps you will learn them later."

Her original thought was to object, and say that she could learn it now. And the words had almost left her tongue when she stopped. If he wasn't teaching them now, there was a reason.

"Yes, Ebrithil." She said instead, dropping the issue.

Eragon smiled faintly, "You have learned."

Vanya didn't respond, and he moved on, "Is there anything in particular you would like to learn?" he asked.

Vanya reached back in her memories and thoughts, thinking of the things she would like to learn. The memory of when she had first arrived, and had sparred with Eragon flashed up, unannounced. Swinging her sword angrily in a horizontal arc at him, without words, Eragon stopping it mid-air.

"How did you stop my sword mid-air when we first sparred?" She asked, watching his expression cloud over slightly.

"That is a lesson for another time. The method is dangerous, and you could kill yourself if you tried it without fully understanding it." Eragon said, waving a hand. "Is there anything else you would like to learn?"

Vanya was disappointed, but knew that he wouldn't budge on the matter, "How to make a fairth?" she asked instead.

"I can teach you that." He said, clearly glad she had moved on. He went to the great hall before returning quickly, carrying tablets of stone and setting them on the ground. Eragon explained the concept of the fairth; you would choose something around you, and hold it in your mind, trying to remember as many details of it as possible at the same time. The sharper your focus, the clearer the image will appear on the fairth. Eragon told her the magic words, and then fell silent, waiting for her to begin.

Vanya looked around, taking in everything around her. The trees, the grass, the tiny flowers that bloomed under her feet. The ocean, with its crashing waves, and beautiful blue water. The sun, sinking lower and sending reflections of light across the surface of the water.

Focusing, Vanya looked at the water, studying its texture, the light reflections on it, the rippling waves. She found herself getting lost in the ripples, and whispered the words required for the fairth. Jerking her gaze at the tablet, swirling colors were seeping into place. But, even after the ocean had come into view on it, the blues didn't seem to stop moving. Something about the waves on the tablet looked as if they were crashing along their usual way.

Vanya smiled as she looked at the picture, and then glanced up at Eragon, who gestured for her to show him. Turning the picture, Eragon studied it for a moment, nodding, "Well done. You chose something vast, even though usually beginners with this type of magic would choose something smaller."

Vanya turned the fairth around again to look at it, seeming for the first time noticing how the picture blurred off into the tablet, as her peripheral focus got more and more unfocused, until finally, the picture stopped. After studying the waves some more, Vanya did notice that they were slightly blurry, as if her eyelids had been half closed at the time she had done it. She commented this to Eragon, who responded, "You will get better with practice. It is harder when you try and map something so vast and big. As I previously said, beginners will usually choose something small, such as a flower, or pinecone. It helps keep your focus."

Vanya nodded, setting the fairth down on the grass. "Is there any way to remove the picture from the tablet?"

"Besides shattering it? No. At least none that I know of." Eragon said, gesturing at the other tablets, "You may try again, if you wish."

Vanya nodded eagerly, picking up a blank one and looking around herself again. This time, she tried to think of something smaller. Several things popped out at her at one. The tender grass stalks, the petite purple flowers under her feet, the sap oozing from a tree. All of these seemed worth saving, but she eventually chose the one that would last the shortest.

Focusing all her concentration on it, and holding the details in her mind, Vanya said the ancient language spell, and color once again bloomed on the tablet.

Bright greens and light browns consisted of it mainly, forming the sap oozing from the tree. Vanya's brows came together as she studied the fairth. Like in the previous one with the ocean, the sap seemed to be actually oozing out of the tree that was painted on the fairth.

The sap was in focus, and gradually everything else next to it was blurred out. Vanya turned the fairth around again, and showed it to Eragon, who seemed to notice the hint of movement on the stone as well.

"Ebrithil, does it look moving to you as well?" she asked, curious.

Eragon nodded slowly, "Although, I'm not sure how it is possible. Perhaps your mind has a unique way of working the spell that it simply captures the beauty from a span of moments, which would create a moving picture."

"May I try again?" she asked, now focusing on the small flowers. This time she studied the object, she did notice it was moving ever so slightly in the gentle breeze. As the spoke the words, and the picture came into place, the fairth captured that movement. Again, it wasn't obvious, but you could tell that it was not a regular portrait. Something seemed to be moving about it.

"This is a puzzle. I will think on it more later, however, for today, your lesson is over. The rest of the day you may have to yourself." He said, picking up two more tablets from the ground and handing them to her, "You may have these to practice on. Use them how you see fit."

"Thank you, ebrithil." She bowed her head, taking the tablets and turning, going to the house, where she deposited them for another time.