Legend of Ransera

122 Searing 85th

The lunchtime rush had already taken over the academy's dining hall when Ivar entered. His usual spot in the far corner was taken, so he chose an open seat closer to the entrance. As he picked at his food, his eyes scanned the room, idly people-watching. He recognized many of his classmates, but his eyes settled on one particular student named Huan.

Huan wasn't overly noticeable at first glance. He was average height, with black hair kept in a neat, short cut, and glasses that framed his sharp eyes. He dressed simply, mostly in neutral tones, and blended easily into the crowd. He always seemed to know the latest happenings before anyone else.

Ivar's curiosity about Huan's activities started a few days ago when Kyo, a classmate of his, had made a passing comment. Today, Kyo was sitting next to him, helping himself to his third serving of noodles. Ivar decided to prod him for more information.

"Hey Kyo, you remember that comment you made about Huan the other day?"

Kyo paused, with a spoon halfway to his mouth, and gave Ivar a puzzled look.

"Huan? Oh, you mean our resident gossipmonger? Yeah, what about him?"

"He's always been a bit of a mystery to me. He's so unassuming but he knows every rumor. What’s up with that?"

Kyo chuckled.

"Huan's good at what he does because he's unassuming. No one suspects the quiet, nerdy guy to be the one who knows all their secrets."

"So, he just... talks to people? Is that it?"

"I suppose so. He's got a knack for getting people to open up to him. He also keeps his ear to the ground, always picking up on the latest whispers. He could be using magic to find things out. Who knows?"

Ivar nodded, absorbing the information. This was his first step towards understanding Huan. He was dealing with someone who was unassuming yet deeply connected… or just someone who knew how to use magic to their advantage which wouldn’t be surprising at a magical institution.

Ivar decided to step up his game and interact with Huan.

"We should invite Huan over. Get to know him a bit."

Ivar’s eyes still were focused on Huan's table.

Kyo snorted, nearly choking on his food.

"Really? Why?"

He was clearly amused by Ivar’s interest in the man.

Ivar shrugged nonchalantly.

"Can't hurt to make a new friend, right?"

He turned his head to hold Kyo's skeptical gaze with a smile. Finally, Kyo shrugged, acquiescing with a wave of his hand.

"Sure, why not."

A few moments later, Huan was at their table, having accepted Kyo's invitation. He greeted them with a small nod, adjusting his glasses nervously. His voice was soft and barely audible over the clamor of the dining hall.

"Hello, Kyo, Ivar."

As they conversed, Ivar noticed Huan's comfort level growing. His answers started becoming longer, more thoughtful. The interaction gave Ivar valuable insights into Huan's psyche. Huan was meticulous, observant, and, surprisingly, quite passionate when it came to the subjects he was interested in.

In the midst of their conversation, Huan revealed an interesting detail about his own methods.

"I find that people feel comfortable discussing personal matters when they feel heard."

Ivar nodded, filing away that valuable piece of advice. As their lunch drew to a close, Ivar felt he'd made a significant stride in understanding Huan. He now knew the reason behind Huan's successful information gathering was rooted in his ability to make people feel comfortable around him, to listen and empathize with them. And that was a skill Ivar realized he could probably use himself if he tried.

After to the comfort of his dorm room, Ivar dropped his bag onto his bed. There was something to be gleaned about the man, some unseen facet that Ivar was determined to uncover. Sitting at his desk, he decided that astral projection was the tool he needed to employ for the task at hand.

He never really considered that the ability could be used to spy on people. He’d always seen it as a nice way to deliver messages. He closed his eyes, centering himself amidst the quiet murmurings of the campus outside. Letting his breathing slow, Ivar began the process, thinking about Huan and envisioning his presence, drawing upon the afternoon's observations.

Gradually, a sensation of detachment flooded him, an odd weightlessness as his astral form slipped the bonds of his physical being. Ivar's astral self navigated the familiar paths of the campus, then through the walls of the dormitory and over to the dining area where Huan had just departed. He followed Huan to a study area.

In this spectral form, Ivar watched the man unnoticed as he unpacked his back. Soon the table was cluttered with books and several envelopes. He took out a map of a place Ivar didn’t recognize. It was all very strange. Huan methodically checked the map, jotted down a note on a piece of paper, then slipped it into an envelope. Ivar thought he could get a good look at the letters, and he could. The problem was that Huan was not writing in Common so it was impossible for Ivar to figure anything out.

Ivar sighed. That was a mistake. For some reason he hadn’t made his voice inaudible so Huan jerked his head around to see who’d made the sound so close to him. Ivar held his breath. His astral form was invisible so he wasn’t worried about being seen but Huan figured something strange was going on. He quickly packed up and left.

Ivar was tempted to keep following him but his astral form was not unlimited, and as Ivar felt his energy begin to ebb, he knew it was time to retreat. The sensory transition back to his body was always strange, feeling the physical constraints of the material world envelop him again when he went back to his physical form.

Once back, he reflected on the collection of information he had gathered. Huan was doing something with a map and letters… It wasn’t much to go off of.

Ivar paced his dorm room, lost in thoughts. He accepted that he wasn’t going to make any more progress regarding Huan today but he could always brainstorm other ways to spy on him. His ability to create a window with traversion came to mind. It was the most straight forward and easy way to spy on any given location.

It was a simple enough concept, forming a portal through which one could perceive a different location. But what if he could alter it so that it always showed a specific person? He thought that he might be able to achieve such an effect with scrivening, not immediately realizing that such a feat would likely require semblance as well.

Sitting at his desk, Ivar unfurled a piece of parchment, quill poised above it. His knowledge of scrivening was more competent yet this new concept was a different beast altogether. It wasn't simply about execution, it was about innovation.

The window technique was reliant on coordinates, a specific static location. Tracking a moving person would require the window to be dynamic, to adapt to change in real-time. His brows furrowed in concentration, Ivar tried to visualize it, the way the pictographs would need to be altered to encompass such a change.

He made a few tentative strokes on the parchment, the outline of a complex series of pictographs taking form. Yet, even as he drew, Ivar knew he was missing something, a crucial piece of the puzzle. He could create the window. But how could he bind it to a person? He needed a constant, something unique to an individual.

He toiled away for hours before giving up. No matter how good he’d gotten at magic, he still couldn’t go outside the bounds of what his magic was capable of. He tidied his desk, setting the symbol-filled parchment aside for future contemplation.

Ivar's head hurt for once out of thinking too hard instead of overusing magic. Still, he grabbed a small mirror which shimmered for a moment and then showed the exact desk Huan had been at earlier. Huan was unexpectedly there again. Not at the same table, but a couple of desks over. He was focused on his maps and envelopes.

Ivar attempted to focus the window, to pull the view closer, but the effort was too much. He could barely maintain the link, let alone manipulate it further. It was frustrating to have Huan so close yet remain out of reach, his activities obscured by the limits of Ivar's magic.

He broke the connection, watching as the image vanished. At least he could count on being able to find the guy. It was deciphering what he was doing that would be the hardest part. Ivar plopped down onto his bed and wondered why he even cared. He supposed a part of him just wanted to know what Huan was up to even if it didn’t benefit himself in any way. Ivar did feel a little jealous, though that wasn’t something he was willing to admit.