Mythshaper

The world was really a small place, it seemed, at least for those who had lived long enough.

The Dreamweaver looked even older than Master Kaius. That was perhaps convincing enough for the hundred winters she had experienced, though the years of toil had not yet managed to bend her back. Her face was wrinkled, her head full of grey hair, neatly combed and let loose over her shoulders. She wore the signature magus robes, covering her whole form, with black and white embroidered designs. A white gem necklace rested around her neck, giving off a subtle aura of dusk essence.

Fractal Sight recognised it as an artefact, although its faux weave was simpler compared to my band, holding exactly sixty-four essence threads.

“That’s one gifted boy you have there, Ashlyn,” said Magus Prisca, her discerning gaze boring into me. “He’s what, four? And already looking to form his fourth aether root? If only my grandson and granddaughters were as diligent.”

While she was observing me, I implemented my Fractal Sight to inspect her inner weave. It wasn’t as glorious as a sun blooming over my vision, but it turned out I couldn’t even attempt to see through her inner weave clearly. I could make out the silvery essence running through her veins, as well as some of the essence threads, but it appeared that, like Father’s Gift, she had a way of camouflaging her inner weave from my prying eyes.

Her lips curled up when she noticed the burning green in my eyes.

“Interesting,” she said, pursing her lips. “An eye-based gift? Those are quite rare.”

Mother neither acknowledged nor confirmed her suspicions. As we strolled towards the inn we had booked for the night, she continued to probe me. Even Master Kaius was shooting imperceptible glances once in a while, though his weren’t making me as uncomfortable as the old woman’s.

“I can tell you have transference, transformation, and enchantment-type essence,” the woman continued. “Now I’m curious, what does your gift let you do?”

I turned to Mum, asking with my eyes whether it was right to give her the full answer. Considering she was about to practically act as a healer for me, there was probably a need to tell her everything, not that there was anything wrong with me. The dreams were… confusing, to say the least, but not life-threatening, as far as I could tell.

“He can see through essence-based constructs as well as anything living, interpreting their essence weave,” Mother answered for me.