4.  The revelation of Rynthalis.       

​

​  'So, you know about my father?' Imelwain felt a mix of frustration and joy.  He had wanted to know for so long, and the anticipation pulled him forward to the edge of his seat.  There was, however, a small spark of rage.  How long had Evadel known and avoided telling him?

  Ysen'theiril smiled, a thin and unconvincing smile that was enough to ice over the most eager people.  'Are you sure you want to know?'

  Evadel snarled.  'Stop playing with him, Ysen.  We already have him involved, and we had better stop wasting time.'

  Ysen looked at her and sighed.  'I suppose so.'  With one hand she flicked at her feathers.  'Do you know anything about the lesser fiends, boy?'

  'I've heard lots of stories!'  Imelwain felt a surge of confidence.  'So I can tell you all about them!'

  Evadel slammed the table with her hands.  'He knows about as much as a newborn babe on the topic.  His head is full of the nonsense of poets, and the facts still have yet to present themselves to him.'

  'Well, we shall only cover what need be covered.  The Smalgor type.'

  Ysen seemed far gentler now, but the earlier verbal assault still burned fresh in Imel's memory.  'That's the smoky fire one!'  He remarked, trying to recover some of that earlier confidence.

  'Correct.  I thought he didn't know anything!'  Ysen smirked at Evadel, who only gave a gruff and noncommittal huff in reply.  'Those properties make for a rather troublesome thing to deal with, and even lesser fiends are no laughing matter.  You need to pay attention to what is nearby when we confront it.  The smoke can gain new dangers based on the materials burning at the fiend's core.  We want to avoid things like paint, poisonous plants, coal, sulfur, graveyards, and any places with more than a little waste.'

  'Is the smoke normally safe?'  Imel asked, hopeful.

  'As safe as the smoke from a wood fire.  Not perfectly safe, as you can still choke on it, but safe enough to deal with the fiend.'  Evadel chimed in.  'Before that, Imel, you need to learn to use Rynthalis.'

  'Ryn... what?'

  'Rynthalis.'  Ysen'theiril noted, giving Evadel a hard stare.  Evadel beamed back, happy to have pulled a key part in the explanation from her vain friend.  'This is the power that you should have, hidden inside you based on the contamination of your father's blood.'

  'So, about my father...'

  'Imel!'  Evadel interjected.  'We have no time right now.  After we deal with this, I will tell you.'

  'To summon forth Rynthalis, you will need to know a few things.  First, you must know the nature of the ability.  Second, you must know a method for focusing the power.  Finally, you will need enough energy... and you have not been developing your own magical energy.'  Ysen pointed at the wall.  'We will start with the wall as a target.  Rynthalis is a rare magical effect, which alters lightning to mix in the properties of ice.  The origin is unimportant until we talk about your father, so don't ask.  To focus the power, you will need to concentrate on it... imagine lightning and ice mixed together, flowing together, and smash that image against the wall.'

  Imelwain tried to picture it, but the concept was rather foreign.  Ice that flowed like lightning?  Lightning that froze things?  Neither worked.  It took him a few minutes to imagine both of those, and then bring them together.  He let them touch, mingle, swirl, and intertwine.  Then he pushed, and hoped.  A spark fizzled against the wall, big enough to overwhelm the lamp for a moment.  Frost spread across the boards, and a small breeze stirred in the room.  He felt drained, and yet he didn't.  This was a whole new kind of tired.

  'Well, he seems to have more power than I would have credited.'  Ysen commented dryly.

  'That is enough to finish the job, at least.  We only have one shot at this... and if we fail the best we can do is contain the thing until everyone is far away.'  Evadel seemed a little less dower, but still unhappy.  'Harris owes me... you promised more time.'

  'Aye.'  Ysen'theiril replied softly.  'You can collect in the next life, if you want.  He missed a pile of dried droppings, and the thing didn't.'

  'Oh, I do have one question.'  Imelwain could no longer contain his curious nature.  'How did you get involved with this fiend?'

  'That too, is a tale for another time.  For now, we must try to increase your ability.'  Evadel replied.  'Now, we must start practicing.'