Day Three

Finally, it looks like I might be making progress on actual magic training. McBride told me he got a letter from Priestess Anetta, who wants to see me. Finally, maybe I'll find out what I was sent here for. I'm not sure about their healing magic being tied to religious worship. That worries me. I'm not religious myself, and even though all the religious people I knew back home were nice, I'm worried about zealotry. I don't expect any "bathing in blood" rituals, but sometimes the ones bathed in holy light and goodness can be worse than those who perceive what they really are.

Priestess Anetta was on the second floor of the abbey, past all the bookshelves. (There are a ton of books in this place. If that vineyard fire spreads over here, this place is going to go up like a trash fire). She gave me a prayer book of spells, and one was already in it. It was under the heading "Shadow Words" and called "pain". I thought, another black magic spell? Another spell to harm people? Somebody was bad at naming magic here. Who does what in this world? Do the mages have healing spells? The alchemists get swords? I'm sure it works for them, it just boggles my mind.

After she gave me the spell, she told me to practice it on the straw dummies outside. I tried, but who knows if it did any good -- scarecrows don't feel pain. A woman with two daggers was practicing at the same time. I tried saying hi to her, but she brushed me off. You'd think new recruits would be looking for socialization, but I've been having the damnedest time making any new acquaintances.

After that, McBride was busy. I guess they were doing fine on containment. So I explored a little of the abbey and the surrounding area. I found out there are other trainers here as well, for other magic-users. Two of them were standing in the graveyard, and they seemed to tolerate me, but had nothing to say. Good to know some things never change.

--Caden Watkins