Chapter 326: Thera' Perspective

Chapter 326: Thera' Perspective

“So, what’s this spell you keep feeling the need to distract Ben from while you’re casting it on him?” Sonya asked offhandedly as they walked to the clinic.

“I’m not trying to distract him, I just don’t know how to bring it up. It’s kind of just a general health spell, it’s fine,” Thera admitted, still embarrassed to be caught by her aunt in the act so soon into doing it.

Sonya just stared at her, eyebrow half-cocked as she waited for more until Thera gave in.

“It’s a spell to increase a person’s lifespan. I kind of spoke about it to him already, it’s fine. I want to be casting it on you and uncle too if you’ll let me.”

Sonya hadn’t known what she’d been expecting, but it wasn’t that. She hadn’t even known such a thing was really possible outside of rumours, the spell being a secret of the soul mages to keep them from being inundated with requests to serve the rich or powerful in the same way.

More than that though, it was clearly an extension of her niece's insecurities dealing with loss.

“I don’t mind you using it on me if you want, and you’ll need to talk to Falk about it, but if you’re doing something like that make sure you do more than just ‘kind of’ talk to Ben about it, alright?”

She knew her aunt was right, and she didn’t actually expect him to turn her down, but in her head there was the small ‘what if’ nibbling away at her thoughts. If he found out and was unhappy she could always ask for forgiveness, it felt so much harder to ask for permission.

No, aunty’s right, I’ll talk to him when I’m home later.

It was just another bit of stress. She kept telling herself not to think about the future, but finding out something like that was even possible made that goal all the harder. Instead of just ignoring the limited amount of time she had with the people she loved, she could actively work to extend it, though it only made the fact that their time was temporary stand out in her mind all of the more.

Pushing the thought to the side for the time being, she walked through the clinic with her aunt once they arrived, making her way to the office of the clinic head Drari who was already there, collapsed on his desk with his paperwork.

“Oh, Sonya thank goodness you’re here. And with a guest? Please tell me this is a potential new hire and not more work.”

“More like the return of a part-timer. Thera doesn’t need her cloak anymore, though she still can’t touch people, we were hoping you could pass that along?”

Hearing that, the man’s face was a wash of relief. “Oh it’s so good to have you back Thera, what are the odds I can get you to do a few more shifts than usual? So many of this town's adventurers and even common folk have been pushing themselves to try and gain any skills and levels they could ever since the invasion points came down. We’re all that’s keeping all of these idiots from getting themselves killed.”

He sounded like he was on the edge of a breakdown by the end of it and she couldn’t stop herself from feeling some guilt from being gone so long, even if she was considered more of a part-time helper than anything, with her work as an adventurer being her focus. Drari had always been good to her so she wanted to do what she could, and she did have one bit of immediate good news to offer.

“Sure, today I was hoping to end around my regular time since I just got back but I don’t mind doing a bit more until whenever I leave town again after. Also, I should probably let you know I awakened my life magic.”

“What?”

He looked to Sonya, expecting it to be some sort of cruel joke at his expense, but her aunt just nodded happily as they both watched the man before them almost give out in relief, months of tension leaving him at the thought that he and his employees might actually get a break.

“I can’t get over how pretty you are,” Drari’s daughter Aso told Thera as they made their way through the town. The harpy heritage of her mother’s side gave the girl an attraction for sparkling things, and Thera’s hair and eyes fit the bill perfectly. “Not to mention how much you got done today. I thought dad was actually going to cry.”

“But we’re here to get her some equipment,” Thera explained. “She’s interested in being an adventurer so I thought I’d do a quest or two with her today until she finds a party she can work with and there’s nobody better in town to ask about equipment.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere Thera, what sort of skills does she have and we’ll figure out what she needs.”

Ben took her to the side, showing Aso a collection of armours and weapons suitable for a beginner as Thera whispered to her uncle.

“So when he said divine bone broth, he didn’t mean what I think he did, right?”

“He definitely meant that. Sounds like you both had quite the adventure.”

“It was ninety percent stress.”

They continued to talk as Aso was set up, catching up on all they’d missed in each other's lives in that time before the two came back, Aso wearing a light leather armour with some areas reinforced with thin sheets of metal, a small staff in hand, and a large knife on her hip, looking positively giddy as she spun around.

“What do you think?”

“It looks good, but I’m a little surprised Ben didn’t pick something, I don’t know, more extreme.”

“Hey, I picked out what I thought would match her attributes and skills,” He said in his defense. “Too much metal armour would weigh her down when she’s not used to it, the leather with a bit of extra support is enchanted to have all sorts of extra defense on it that should be able to take far more than you’d expect. Actually, I should really set you up with some since you don’t need to be cloaked anymore Thera, but we can worry about that in the future. Otherwise, the staff is perfect for both light and fire spells and the knife is a good enough quality that in an emergency she can run her fire magic through that for her attacks. What do you think Falk?”

“Looks good boy, I’d say you have her well set up.”

“So how much do I owe you then?” She asked, looking at everything she was wearing. Even if she wasn’t crazy about her work helping her father at the clinic, it paid well, but she got the sense that the quality of everything she had on her wouldn’t be on the low end.

Falk though waved that worry off. “Nothing you’re wearing is exceptionally better than anything else we sell and since you’re a friend of Thera’s I’ll cut you a good deal.”

“Hey, since I’m dating her does that mean I can squeeze any benefits from you too?” He asked his teacher, batting his eyes at him.

“Boy, when you’re in the shop you’re my apprentice before you’re dating my niece so focus on your work. Don’t want anything going wrong with your soup.”

“Fine, fine.”

Once paid, the two of them left for the guild.

“They’re nice,” Aso told her happily. “Why don’t you ever bring them by the clinic?”

“Because uncle works full time and my main goal is making sure Ben needs to spend as little time there as possible.”