On Cosmic Tides

The entrance to the Royal Meristan University was built to impress. Weathered stone griffins sat above arched gates, guarding the entryway and judging any with the audacity to walk between them. As Laurel entered and stepped onto the stone path she felt the faint buzzing of an enchantment. Her spiritual senses slipped over the carvings as she leaned in to examine them more closely. The base of each was ringed by runes for protection against harm and deception, worn almost invisible by time. They had never been maintained, and anyone could stab someone while lying to them about it without feeling a thing. But it was a good sign. The founders of this place had respected and worked with cultivators, for all that their descendants had forgotten.

She strolled along brick paths, winding around carefully manicured lawns. The directions Adam had laid out for her were easy to follow in the open space. Passing by several stately buildings serving as classrooms or housing for the students, she came to an open-air amphitheater. It was just as old as the entryway, with another current of mana running through it. Students trickled in around her as she surveyed the scene from the top of the steps. An older man in a blue robe stood on the stage and greeted some of the students. Three others accompanied him. The first was a military officer in uniform, standing in a perfect parade rest. A crisp nod when Laurel approached was the only acknowledgement before she returned to observing the students as they filed in. The other two were dressed in the style Annette had pointed out to Laurel on a shopping trip, one more flamboyant than the other. It denoted elite status, but not nobility. When Laurel reached the stage they introduced themselves as Masters Brinn and Grimley. Brinn was in a staid gray and white suit with green cravat, representing a large mercantile company. Grimley was in a bold mix of orange and blue, and announced himself as a representative of a high-risk, high-reward investment company. Laurel made her own introductions and waited for the event to begin.

When the nearest bell tower chimed the hour, the robed man stepped forward. “Welcome students, and welcome honored guests. The department heads of the university have put together this presentation for those of you poised to finish your studies and enter into the wider world. Our guests each represent a different path you might walk…”

Laurel ignored most of the introduction and studied the youths in front of her instead. They were a far cry from the young people she had gotten used to seeing in the Flats. Cleanly pressed uniforms with the university crest were the standard, mostly in white, which Adam had informed her indicated the final year in the program. Everyone seemed healthy for the most part and they were gazing at the stage with a mix of curiosity and apprehension. Her attention was brought back to the speaker when they got to the introductions of the rest of the people on stage, but it was nothing they hadn’t already told her. She gave a smile and wave as the man stumbled over her introduction as a Sectmaster and then they were on to the demonstrations.

The military representative outlined officer training programs, and the need for creative individuals to advance defensive capabilities. The two gentlemen had similar proposals. Come work for us and make money. Grimley emphasized that his firm would invest in new products that had potential, perfect for these young innovators. In contrast Brinn outlined the centuries-long history of his company and the security they provided. Both were uniquely uninspiring to Laurel’s view, though, in fairness, she had not had to worry about money since she was just starting to cultivate. Back then she had scrimped and saved, and occasionally stolen, any resources she couldn’t source herself.

Laurel stepped forward last and looked out into the crowd. “I represent the Eternal Archive. We are an organization dedicated to the practice and study of cultivation, which you all would refer to as magic. We support research into combining cultivation techniques with mortal crafting, as well as more amorphous fields like healing and art. Our Loremaster presides over the most extensive library of ancient texts in the world, and we are looking to expand our translations as well as add contemporary works and knowledge. We are stewards of the magical infrastructure of the city, and partner with existing civil and military forces in defense against magical threats. We are looking for individuals willing and able to learn cultivation and uphold these ideals.” She stepped back. Annette had advised that ‘less is more’ in a sales pitch. She noted, with no small amount of satisfaction, that her presentation had garnered more discussion amongst the students than any of the others. Just because she had to be the dignified Sectmaster didn’t mean she wasn’t trying to win.

The robed academic regained the attention of the students while sneaking glances over at Laurel. “We will hold a short question and answer session now, and all of our representatives have left contact and application information for your later perusal.”

The first student was called upon with a question and looked directly at Laurel. “Magic is a myth told by grandparents to scare children into behaving. There is nothing to study,” he said.

Laughter rang out and the student sat down looking well-pleased with himself.

“Since this is an institution of learning, what evidence would you all need to see in order to believe my words?” Laurel said, ostensibly to the young man that had asked, but looking around to include the whole crowd. Lots of whispering could be heard, everyone looking for someone else to speak up.

“Set something on fire,” was called out from somewhere in the back.

Laurel snorted a laugh and waved her hand, igniting a fire in mid air, using mana for fuel rather than burning out the stage she stood on. The crowd murmured but the initial question-asker clearly was unconvinced.

“That could be some chemical reaction,” he called out. Laurel just raised her eyebrows, inviting him to declare what he would be convinced by.

“Can you fly?” someone else called out from the back.

A wide grin stretched across her face. She bent her knees and then launched herself into the air. At the height of her leap, when she would have started to fall, she instead propelled herself in a wide arc around the amphitheater. She made another loop for the pure joy of it before landing in the center of the students, next to her critic. Several of the students clapped, and Master Grimley on stage joined in, delighted.

“My ancestors would have called anyone who could not believe the evidence of their own eyes a fool.” She held her hand out flat with her palm up. The nearby students eagerly leaned in as she constructed a copy of the amphitheater out of golden light, including tiny ethereal students crowding around a central figure. The control needed was something she wouldn’t have been able to do even a year ago, but her cultivation had grown, despite the amount of bureaucracy and mundane matters she was now embroiled in. “I hope to hear from some of you soon.''

She went back to join the group on the stage. There were a few questions for the other presenters, but there was no good way to follow a demonstration of the kind of power Laurel represented, and the class quickly broke up.

As the University professor approached her, Laurel braced to explain and potentially apologize for disrupting the proceedings. These people had sway in the Scholar’s Guild, and the sect was still only a probationary member institution. Laurel was under strict instructions from her friends to swallow her pride and be nice to these people.

“My dear. This library of ancient texts, will this be made available to academics outside your institution? Our history and linguistics departments would surely wish to set up some sort of arrangement. Perhaps a system of temporary exchanges?”

The subject threw Laurel off but she managed to reorient. “That will be the purview of our Loremaster. He is quite protective of the collection, so I imagine that for the time being he will not want to loan anything out. He might be convinced to let your members study them at our sect hall under his watch, however. You may send correspondence to the same address I gave for the applications, or you can send someone down to take a tour and talk with Adam directly.” The man agreed eagerly and wandered off, muttering about convening a meeting of department chairs.

She left the university the same way she entered, though she fancied the enchantments seemed a little friendlier on the way out. Her next stop was the military preparatory academy. It was in the same district, just down the road, and catered to wealthy students intending to enter the officer training track as soon as they were old enough to enlist. Since she was not due there until the afternoon, Laurel meandered up and down a few streets, appreciating the aesthetic of the district. The building facades were stately and graceful, implying both authority and elegance for the institutions within. A few high end shops were mixed in with schools and city government offices. There were several ingenious carts being pushed around that sold sandwiches and other hand-held lunch foods, that used small steam engines to both propel the cart and keep the food warm. Laurel gladly purchased a lamb wrap from one, and ate it as she made her way to the next stop.

Theresa met her at the entrance and they walked in with each other. There was far less ceremony than the university, as the children were shuffled into an auditorium. Laurel gave the same explanation of what cultivation was, and how the sect worked. Having learned from the skeptics at the university, she peppered in small demonstrations of magic like pulling a book from her spatial storage and then returning it, and keeping a small flame alight with no fuel. The teenagers were much easier to impress than the older students. Theresa then discussed a new program being piloted by the army, where several students would be placed on a cultivation track rather than the more traditional officer roles, upon graduation and official enlistment.

The questions from the students were mostly about the new program, unsurprisingly, and they left after an hour.

“I hope you aren’t upset with the program” Theresa said as they walked out. “I know you are looking to recruit, but the military is taking charge of the mana infrastructure, as you call it, and we want to build up a cultivator corps as soon as possible.”

“Not at all.” Laurel said. “The basic cultivation methodologies have always been common knowledge. Sects have specialized knowledge and techniques that they use to attract students. Including cultivators in a country’s military is a practice as old as the militaries themselves. If anything, having the army endorsing the usefulness will make the rest of my recruiting easier. Not to mention it gives my students someone to spar against. Steel sharpens steel right?”

“Does it?” But Theresa was mollified and invited Laurel to stop by for tea before heading back to the sect compound.

That evening as they enjoyed yet another delicious meal, this time in their newly furnished dining hall, Laurel put her predicament to the group. “I think the recruitment tour went well today. We’ll probably see a few from the university, and maybe some from the military academy. Though honestly I think anyone from the latter who is interested will get their training from the army. The problem is I don’t know how to recruit from the Flats or middle-class districts. The kids who’ve been watching the cultivation lessons might be interested, but they tend to scatter if I get too close. Thoughts? Leander, Rebecca, any insights?”

Rebecca was still shy talking in front of the group, but appeared flattered to be asked her opinion. “I don’t think you can recruit from the Flats,” she said. Seeing Laurel’s frown she quickly corrected herself, “I mean, I don’t think you can recruit from the flats. You walk like a rich person.” Laurel tilted her head to the side in question and gestured for Rebecca to continue. The girl was at a loss however and looked to Leander for help.

“You walk not afraid anything,” the expressionless monotone from the boy's crystal was slightly unnerving, but if he wanted to use it Laurel wasn’t going to react. “Not rich but powerful. Kids Flats no trust.”

“Exactly,” Rebecca jumped back in. “No one from the flats will buy what you’re selling, and they all know someone who followed someone they shouldn’t and paid for it.” All the adults were frowning now, but they conceded the point.

“Leander and me will spread the word instead,” Rebecca offered. “We can find some people that would be willing to join, and wouldn’t steal or nothing.”

Laurel leaned back and thought about it. There was discomfort in the idea of having her newest members do the work of recruiting instead of her, her gut reaction was to keep them safe in the sect hall. She forcibly shook that off, they needed opportunities to grow and there was wisdom in the proposal. She glanced at Adam who looked like he was running similar calculations.

“It's a good idea,” she said. Rebecca practically glowed under the praise. “Let’s all sleep on it tonight and discuss it more at breakfast. I’m not thrilled with having you two find the new recruits, but it's not without precedence. And the founders were very clear, we don’t want to fall into being a sect for the rich and powerful, so we need to get a mix of students.” The rest of dinner passed with less heavy topics until it was time to retire.