This time with intent
"It's been a month and I think you have learned a lot. A lot more than I ever expected, but now the decision is yours. Ruben, Doa?" Their isolated seating place around the evening fire is more crowded this evening than normal. The whole tribe knows that Ruben and Doa are likely leaving soon and want to know their answer.
There is not much drama for the people to indulge in usually which means even the people who couldn't care less are waiting on the two foreigners to decide.
Doa and Ruben have already decided and prefer to give the people what they want. That is to not give them any hint of their intentions and let the gossip fuel itself.
Ruben looks to Doa before taking another bite of food. Doa swallows loudly then says, "Well…" and stops to take another bite of food, almost choking in the process when he hears the grumbling around him, "we intend to…" and another bite, more groans from the crowd, "stay," Doa finally finishes, and sets his plate aside. "That is if it is ok with everyone." He adds diplomatically.
"Excellent news!" Saqwe exclaims getting to her knees and looking around, her gaze lingering a moment longer on those who are sitting a bit too close to her. "I am more than happy to have Ruben stay," she notes, taking her first jab at Doa for the evening, which has the crowd laughing at his expense.
Doa does not mind, if anything he has been concerned about her politeness in recent days.
Ruben leans in awkwardly from his mat, "Thank you Saqwe," he murmurs then retreats.
Yanig is very pleased with the news. However, to feel relaxed there is one more thing to settle.
"With that done, please everyone can we go back to being scattered people! If I wanted Big Boris close enough to scratch my back when I move on my own mat I would be living in the capital!" He loudly hints to everyone that the drama is now over. Everyone reacts as though they have been compared to foul beasts and quickly spread out to find their spots around the bonfire as usual.
Early the morning before the caravan gets moving, Ruben is outside his tent practising lessons from the previous day. While Ruben prefers early practice. Doa alternatively spends the time after evening gatherings to work on his new found talents.
Their respective talents are still limited to the element they innately manifested. Yanig mentioned the previous evening, offhandedly, they will learn so much more now that they are staying. Typically he gives no further information and rushes off to retire for the evening.
Ruben however knows what he meant, another reason why he tried practising without Doa around.
As the slightest golden sliver touches the desert, Ruben slaps the outside of Doa's tent to wake him. With his late evening training schedule the guy needs all the help he can get.
"Whaaaaat! Why you always rushing the sun man!" Doa blames Ruben from inside the tent. Secretly he is relieved Ruben woke him, he is pretty sure the tribe will leave him behind if he does not get up.
Ruben ignores the complaining and gets his things in order, a moment later he is helping Saqwe with her tent and belongings. "Did you sleep well?" He enquires politely, and Saqwe just grunts momentarily reminding him of Doa. Fortunately Rubens rose coloured glasses mask any “doantics” as something quirky and cute.
While Ruben is busy strapping down one of the lizards, he glances over, finding Doa's tent is still erect and considers walking over to him an earful. He pulls the last notch hard and slaps the lizard's side in apology when the lizard groans a bit. He looks ahead to his target, but the tent and Doa are not there anymore.
"What you doing?" Doa surprises him from behind and Ruben spins around still eager to explain to Doa the importance of starting the day properly. They are now full members, and it is not the time to slack off. "I know, I know." Doa answers the thoughts evidently in Ruben's expression and moves past Ruben dragging a half-disassembled tent with all his belongings thrown on behind him.
"Really?" Ruben scoffs, with a raised brow, "You will just be in people's way with all that. Leave it here and I will pack, go do YOUR WORK!" He firmly tells Doa and puts his foot on the tail end of the tent. Doa is jerked back from his attempted escape and sulkily just lets it go.
While filling the daily water bottles groggily, Doa still ruminates over being scolded without getting to explain the time he saved with his new tent-litter plan.
Standing behind Doa ready to throw his luggage at him, Jonah finds the scene too pitiful and just slaps Doa upside his head and shoves his things next to him.
"Ouch!" What was that for?
"Just a reminder." Jonah smirks and walks off.
With the chaotic morning behind him Doa moves to the front of the caravan where Yanig is. He notes that Ruben is by the children and Saqwe, even though it is not the class Ruben is a part of. That reminds him of what he actually wants to ask Yanig, they all seem to have been keeping something from him. Even Ruben.
"Are you going to teach us spells now?" He asks flatly.
Yanig considers playing ignorant for a moment, but gives up on teasing Doa. Yanig himself is actually excited that he will now get to teach them more hands-on aspects of magic. "I didn't think you would notice, with you always being on the outskirts of everything. You somehow have the knack to be in the middle of a crowd and still be apart from it."
"I notice…What I need to, anyway it is hard to not notice Ruben mumbling nonsensical things in the mornings when he practises." Doa agrees to let the fact that they have not told him go unquestioned, "So I want to learn that also." He states, not concerned with the why of anything. He already knows he will find out eventually.
Having learnt how Doa tends to circle back to things he initially dismisses, Yanig agrees to just continue. "Saqwe's class will be done in a bit then she can give you the introduction. She is much better with explanation, Saqwe’s words not mine.” Yanig pauses for the laugh but gets none, then continues, “For now just focus on these words and see what happens, 'speck of light'." With that instruction he smiles as Doa immediately focuses on the palm of his hand, and utters the words.
"Speck of light. Sp-e-k ovv L-eye-hut" Doa practises the phrase in different ways, it has been ten minutes and his mind already finds each syllable the strangest things he has ever heard.
He does not notice Saqwe and Ruben walking beside him and Yanig, Saqwe for one finally breaks and laughs, making Doa give her the coldest glare she’d seen from him yet. "Sorry, I always find this part amusing."
"She laughed at me also," Ruben interrupts, trying to soften the blow for Doa.
Saqwe was going to let it go, "Yes, but at least you don’t sound like a fish."
Doa just gives them a blank stare then turns back to look at his hand and says the phrase normally. A pinprick of light appears floating above his palm, its warm glow is quickly swallowed by the rising sun.
"He got it right on the third attempt, I think he has just been testing the influence of annunciation on the phrase." Yanig smugly informs the others.
"I don't know what you are being proud about Yanig, most of my kids can do it also." Saqwe quickly burst his bubble.
Doa laughs at Yanig's despondent face as Saqwe reprimands him , "Don't worry, I think you are the better teacher Yanig." He attempts to lift the man's mood. "Weird, but better." He adds as an afterthought.
With all the jabs out of the way, Saqwe begins to explain to Doa what he just did and why it worked. Ruben nods along to her explanation until she gets to parts even he does not know.
Saqwe tells them that the tribe had agreed to hold back on teaching spells until they knew what the two were capable of. Ruben was let in on it when he joined her children's class, with instructions to keep it from Doa. It worked out well enough, given how differently their powers had come through. She continues with what she considers the most important part.
"You are a very double-minded person, Doa. You state things explicitly yet account for things unspoken. You dismiss things of no interest yet consume everything about it. I have seen how you interact with the people, you are distant but ever watching. Yet somehow you have the ability to be absolutely braindead." Saqwe pauses her monologue to catch her breath.
Doa takes the moment to clarify that he is in fact not braindead, just tired. "Ruben terrorised me awake this morning just as I was drifting off after a long evenings practise. So excuse me if I am a bit slow for your liking today." He rants at her, and smiles inwardly thinking that she would just dismiss it as him not understanding.
Saqwe sighs, "Never mind." She places her hand on Ruben's shoulder and continues "Ruben here is a bit more straightforward, he says what he thinks or he says very little." She looks at Doa walking to the right of her, and is surprised that he seems to still be paying attention by how he is looking at her mouth, 'odd one,' she thinks for a split second, "So with all that said, I need you two to think of the true meaning behind each spell you cast. This is your intent. With that said, this has been too much theory for one day already, and I am sure Yanig is eager to jump in…"
Doa and Ruben watch Saqwe walk off without finishing and shrug. Doa is first to turn to Yanig in anticipation, while Ruben is still watching Saqwe move elegantly across the sand. Her midnight hair swaying just below her shoulders, faint grey streaks highlighting the counter-motion of her hips.
"Sorry but there will be a bit more theory," Yanig eventually says and Doa hits Ruben in the ribs to get his attention. "You have now both learnt about your innate will, or let us call it intent to best suit the area of study. Doa, I told you to say the phrase 'Speck of Light' , think of why me saying it now does nothing, and why those exact words."
"Ruben, be quiet." Yanig quickly reprimands Saqwe's student, making shut his mouth before a word is uttered. "Doa, your thoughts?"
"This is all about meaning isn't it…" Doa stops talking and pushes his hand forward for Ruben and Yanig to see as they continue their journey. "Orb of luminance!" He exclaims and a bright orb appears in front of him, a moment passes and Doa pulls his hand back, cancelling the spell. "Hot!"
Ruben looks at Doa then at Yanig, and Yanig says what both Ruben and he are thinking. "You suck!" For Yanig, Doa has just spoiled the fun part of discovery by making it seem too simple. For Ruben, he has just done something that Ruben fails at more often than not.
Doa just laughs at their faux dismay, "Ok I admit, I have cheated a bit, I have heard Ruben training and may have eavesdropped on the classes."
"Still, I have not been able to change the meaning of the incantations that quickly." Ruben answers quietly.
Yanig recovers quicker and his eagerness doubles to see what Doa is capable of, instead of replying to Doa he just walks on his mind already formulating new challenges.
Doa watches as Yanig's pace increases, noting the stupid smirk the man has before he is well ahead of them.
"Don't worry Ruben, I know you will get it, it is like that song you like to sing from your homeland, what is it?" Doa placates Ruben, then drops back as Ruben continues walking, "Don't…stop…BELIEVIN'!" Doa calls from behind then dashes to the back of the caravan.