Even after the past year and a half – was it truly almost two years? – on Caido, Jigano had still never accepted the bad-feeling towards the Abandoned. Perhaps he had spent too long on his own world, where magic was normal to the point of mundanity, but even after learning some of the history behind the Voice and the barrier, even after Safrin’s punishment and the blossoming of a new power within him, her accidental blessing that she would likely view as a curse, he still wanted to see his friends who were mages blossom and grow in their power. Maea’s experience with magic being shunned and hidden was one he could understand intellectually but not viscerally.
He listened to her, nodding as she mentioned Loren, for he had sought out the summoner, too. Nodded again at the reminder of their class with Deimos – something he should hold as well, one aimed less at violence and more towards theory and control, perhaps – but there was something else weighing her tongue down and he waited patiently as she worked her way towards it.
When it came it wasn’t what he had expected – not that he’d known what to expect, only… somehow, this seemed far different than anything else. He nodded slowly in understanding of the feelings she described, but some confusion still remained. ”There are many places to go,” he agreed, head tilted at her curiously. ”The Greatwood, Torchline, Halo… and other places as well, if the Ascended have their way.” Jigano nibbled his lip for a moment, seeking a common thread… then gave up on guessing and asked her directly. ”What does Zariah have that Loren, Deimos, and myself don’t?” he asked at last, voice quiet to hide the hurt she caused. ”Loren is in Halo. I’d be willing to go to Torchline to teach. We have a Fae colleague among the Loreseekers now who might be willing to train you as best they can in their magic in the Greatwood. With all those options, all these places and other people, why do you cling so tightly to the one person who picked a fight with this Guild as a whole?”
He listened to her, nodding as she mentioned Loren, for he had sought out the summoner, too. Nodded again at the reminder of their class with Deimos – something he should hold as well, one aimed less at violence and more towards theory and control, perhaps – but there was something else weighing her tongue down and he waited patiently as she worked her way towards it.
When it came it wasn’t what he had expected – not that he’d known what to expect, only… somehow, this seemed far different than anything else. He nodded slowly in understanding of the feelings she described, but some confusion still remained. ”There are many places to go,” he agreed, head tilted at her curiously. ”The Greatwood, Torchline, Halo… and other places as well, if the Ascended have their way.” Jigano nibbled his lip for a moment, seeking a common thread… then gave up on guessing and asked her directly. ”What does Zariah have that Loren, Deimos, and myself don’t?” he asked at last, voice quiet to hide the hurt she caused. ”Loren is in Halo. I’d be willing to go to Torchline to teach. We have a Fae colleague among the Loreseekers now who might be willing to train you as best they can in their magic in the Greatwood. With all those options, all these places and other people, why do you cling so tightly to the one person who picked a fight with this Guild as a whole?”
