[ Eda doesn't really have an answer to that. She takes them down into the mouth of a cave, skimming along the rock toward the right fork.
There's a thick fog, and when they're through the thick fog, a room full of giant blue stones. It feels safer in here, safer than anywhere else in Deerington. ]
Well, here ya go. This the sorta stone you were expecting?
( when they arrive hecate isn't certain if she's relieved or saddened by the look of the cave and the stones in the room )
Not so many.
( there was only ever one founding stone at an academy but this place was different. if it was related to sodder... )
Too much magic would be needed to power this many founding stones but-- ( judging by their glow at least ) This is something else. Something still with power.
I dunno if they work the way you're thinkin'. Sure, they're where we get power, but I dunno if they're the source? This whole town is magic. These just hone it.
[ Eda walks to the middle of the stones and drops down cross-legged, her staff across her thighs. ]
[ Eda gives her a little smile. She gets it, at least mostly. The fear, of losing her power. It used to scare her more than anything. It still sort of does. ]
C'mon, pull up a rock, and let's get to meditating.
( there's far more that hecate could ask, that she wants to ask but the little nudge by eda... it prompts something in her that she's not certain she likes, something that halts her questions and presses her to focus.
she reaches for once of the stones, moving it closer before her. and as eda recommended, meditates before it )
[ Eda watches her for a moment, then shuts her eyes, falling into her own meditation.
It was hard, the first time. She was still sick with the deathflu and annoyed at Deerington in general. Then Luz reminded her that magic comes from the land, and the land here is Sodder's Heart. She's able to meditate on the power around them, as dark and empty as it is, it's still power.
They stay in silence for a long time, as long as it takes to regain their power. ]
( it takes longer for hecate than it does for eda, this being very different from hecate's normal practice, needing to feel the magic around her. and even when she's done she sits for a moment, feeling the stability that at first she hadn't realised she'd lost. but now everything feels much more as it should.
and she'll hate to lose it again when it's over, to feel that shift from confidence in her magic to forgetting that something could go wrong. something she's never known before )
How many times have you come here?
( her voice is quiet, a little softer, hecate slowly looking up at her )
( it might not be the safest way but it's hecate's preferred way, her smoothing down her dress briefly as she stands before looking to the other witch. and as her hand closes the spell casts, both of them (and broom/staff) transferenced back to the owl house.
and that alone felt so much better. though her transference has worked before, more-so on shorter distances or when she knows where she's going, something about it still hadn't felt as stable. and now she knows why. but even though this was much further in the town it was a simple cast, one that felt right )
It's unsettling to know our magic will fade again.
[ Traveling like that isn't something that Eda can do, so it's a little disconcerting to poof from one place to another. But she can feel the power of the magic that Hecate has, and it makes her feel better.
Until she feels worse. The effect of regaining her magic hits her and she stumbles into Hecate before pressing her staff into the ground to hold herself up ]
( she can at least manage a very stern look at eda even if she doesn't feel great, opting to transference a chair to behind her to sit in rather than attempt to walk over to one )
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( she frowns, wondering what eda is pulling from this )
Have you ever heard of a founding stone?
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[ Eda blinks. ]
A what now?
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( it doesn't really surprise her that eda doesn't know what one is )
It provides the magic to a witching school but if they break... everything turns to ice, everything that was magical.
( the slightly haunted look in her might tell eda that hecate's experienced this -- she had mentioned about her magic failing once before )
If these stones may have acted similarly... it could be an answer.
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[ Eda glances back at her, catching that look. But she's also not really the type to pry. ]
I dunno. Maybe. Some people call it Sodder's heart. I dunno if it's really her heart, but it sure feels like the source of her power.
If it breaks? I dunno if anyone's tried.
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( and that panics her ever so slightly, particularly if it is the source of sodder's power )
But if our magic already is faltering... it could be broken in part. Though restoring it comes at cost.
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[ That isn't good. Eda doesn't have a huge stake for staying in this world, but some of the kids she's taken to do.
She steers toward the mountain looming in the distance. ]
Guess that could explain why the town's glitching.
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( she'd rather not sacrifice her magic for somewhere that she doesn't care about )
Something to solve.
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There's a thick fog, and when they're through the thick fog, a room full of giant blue stones. It feels safer in here, safer than anywhere else in Deerington. ]
Well, here ya go. This the sorta stone you were expecting?
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Not so many.
( there was only ever one founding stone at an academy but this place was different. if it was related to sodder... )
Too much magic would be needed to power this many founding stones but-- ( judging by their glow at least ) This is something else. Something still with power.
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[ Eda walks to the middle of the stones and drops down cross-legged, her staff across her thighs. ]
Well, either way, they give us our magic back.
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she isn't certain of it, knows it isn't the same and that makes her cautious )
Do they truly give it back?
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[ Eda gives her a little smile. She gets it, at least mostly. The fear, of losing her power. It used to scare her more than anything. It still sort of does. ]
C'mon, pull up a rock, and let's get to meditating.
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( though hecate sits down she doesn't yet touch a stone, preferring to keep her magic how it is than lose anything of it )
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[ Eda laughs a little ]
They're not gonna bite.
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she reaches for once of the stones, moving it closer before her. and as eda recommended, meditates before it )
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It was hard, the first time. She was still sick with the deathflu and annoyed at Deerington in general. Then Luz reminded her that magic comes from the land, and the land here is Sodder's Heart. She's able to meditate on the power around them, as dark and empty as it is, it's still power.
They stay in silence for a long time, as long as it takes to regain their power. ]
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and she'll hate to lose it again when it's over, to feel that shift from confidence in her magic to forgetting that something could go wrong. something she's never known before )
How many times have you come here?
( her voice is quiet, a little softer, hecate slowly looking up at her )
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It's nice, meditating, feeling the power flow back through her veins. ]
Uh, this'll be the third time. Hadta show Luz how to do it, too. Kid's got a knack for it.
[ She stretches out her arms with a pop ]
You got your magic back?
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( she knows so, hecate knows exactly what her magic feels like, having been in denial before that anything was wrong with it )
And I can take us back, save the flight.
( if eda wanted )
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Yeah. Alright. Better'n flying around in the snow.
[ Even if that isn't really the safest way to test their magic being back. ]
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and that alone felt so much better. though her transference has worked before, more-so on shorter distances or when she knows where she's going, something about it still hadn't felt as stable. and now she knows why. but even though this was much further in the town it was a simple cast, one that felt right )
It's unsettling to know our magic will fade again.
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Until she feels worse. The effect of regaining her magic hits her and she stumbles into Hecate before pressing her staff into the ground to hold herself up ]
Ugh. I forgot about this part.
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Forgot wh--
( she feels the weakness quickly and though hecate stays up she does not feel steady on her feet at all )
Eda?
( with an accusatory tone asking what the hell is happening )
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[ She collapses in the chair with a groan. ]
Shoulda prepared. Kids can't cook worth nothin'.
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A consequence I'll know for the future.
( eda )
And perhaps they should learn.
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