The next morning found a hundred and fifty men at arms, ten knights, the Baron, and Everit forming up to march to the aid of Count Fernigan. In truth, only Baltimore was required, but Everit felt that such a response could be construed as an insult to the Count. 

Angelina watched them forlornly, tears spilling down her face. Shana stood next to her, with her younger sister's hand in hers. Mancer, as could be expected, was nowhere to be found, preferring instead the solitude of his spirits (such that it was). 

Samuel crouched down next to his daughters and gave them each a granulating hug. His effusive warmth felt calm and peaceful, reassuring Angelina of his indomitable will. 

“I'll be back,” he said solemnly, and they knew he would. He was the Baron Samuel Aziel Baltimore, the man of whom it was said that all who opposed him would be torn asunder. ‘Heaven’s Vengeance’ as some called him. 

The Baron turned and mounted his horse, sitting regally in the saddle as the early morning light filtered through the trees. His greatsword was slung across his back, its length extending past the battle horse's flank. 

Everit said his goodbyes to Angelina and Shana, discreetly slipping a note to the Baron's adopted daughter. Shana palmed it cautiously, hiding the scrap of paper within the folds of her dress. She knew for whom it was intended. 

Angelina waved to her father as he trotted away to lead his column of soldiers off to war. His dark blue roan joined Everit's dappled gray horse at the head of the small army, and the whole contingent marched down the road, leaving their beloved homeland behind. 

*** 

Mancer was sunning himself on a rock when Angelina entered the clearing, hoping for another magic lesson. It was nearly midday, but the air was chilly, the brisk wind heralding the arrival of a frigid autumn. 

“I'm here!” Angelina declared. She stood next to his rock, smiling brightly. 

Mancer ignored her, his soft snoring growing louder by the second. 

“I'm here!” she said again, more than a little irritated. 

Again, Mancer said nothing. 

Angelina thumped him on the head. “Wake up!” she shouted, and Mancer tumbled off the rock. 

“What was that for?!” he grumbled. 

“That's the least you deserve after what you pulled!” she whined, “if daddy found out, he'd have you flogged!” 

“Well, daddy doesn't need to know, now does he?” 

Angelina folded her arms and turned her nose up at him. “That depends on you,” she said haughtily. 

“Why's that?” Mancer asked half-heartedly. He crouched on his toes, drawing a circle in the dirt. 

“Because if you don't teach me real magic, I'm going to tell him!” 

“And what will that accomplish?” 

“Didn't you hear me?! Daddy will have you flogged!” 

Mancer chuckled. “Him? Flogging me?! Don't be ridiculous. I'd like to see him try.” 

“My daddy's stronger than you!” Angelina shouted defiantly. 

Mancer rolled his eyes. “Your daddy's dying,” he reminded her. 

“Shut up with that!” she yelled, frustrated, “or at least tell me why! I can't save him if you won't tell me how!” 

Mancer was silent for a moment. “If you really want to know, I'll tell you,” he said, “but I need you to promise not to do anything reckless.” 

Angelina scoffed. “That's rich, coming from you. There's nothing more reckless than leaving your student all alone in another plane of existence.” 

“I guess you don't want to save your dad,” he replied passively. If Rixi were listening, she would have commented on the hypocrisy of his demand, but she hadn't returned since their falling out yesterday morning, leaving Mancer more than a little worried. 

“I do!” she pleaded, “it's just, I'm still not really sure if… if I can trust you.” 

Mancer blinked. “Why wouldn't you be able to trust me?” he asked curiously. 

“Do I really have to explain it?” Angelina questioned, “because I will, if you're really that stupid.” 

“I'm not stupid!” Mancer shot back. “So, um… I guess you don't really need to explain.” He finished with the circle and tried to activate it, but he couldn't draw the requisite mana from his wellspring. “Tch. No good,” he said to himself. 

“Let me try!” Angelina exclaimed helpfully. She knelt in the dirt next to him, placing her fingers on the circle just as he had done. She thought of the concept of mana, bringing it to the forefront of her mind, imagining herself balancing it within her. All at once, tendrils of bright, sunny energy surrounded her, waving slowly to their own happy tempo. 

Unconsciously, she dipped into her wellspring, pouring her energy into the magic circle. Vibrant, exotic flowers bloomed in a dazzling array of color, each one growing wildly at an impossible rate. 

Angelina watched in wonderment and awe as a woman appeared, brighter and more beautiful than any she'd ever seen. She was about to speak, but Mancer broke the circle with a wordless shout. 

The flowers remained, calm and peaceful in the early autumn air. 

“Who was that?” Angelina asked. 

Mancer didn't reply. He was busy obliterating any remaining traces of the magic circle. 

“I’ve never seen an elf before!” Angelina said excitedly, “she… she was beautiful.” 

Mancer turned away to keep her from seeing his tears. He remembered keenly what Seiche had told him, but he didn't want to accept it. Otherwise, what was the point of all this? What reason was there to live through hell once again if not for his Jyna? 

But Jyna wasn't his. Not unless she fell for him again. 

Angelina touched his arm, trying to turn him around, but Mancer pulled away, trying in vain to conceal his emotions. 

“Who was she?” Angelina asked again, “won't you tell me?” 

“Nobody,” Mancer lied, “I… I made her up.” 

“Aren't you a little young for that?” Angelina giggled. 

“N-No!” Mancer stammered, “I'm not a baby! And besides, she's just an elf girl.” 

“An elf girl… you made up,” Angelina explained, “if you don't see anything wrong with that, maybe try talking to real people for a change?” 

“But I don't like people,” he mumbled. 

Angelina just shook her head, content to let the matter drop. “So, how do I save my dad?” she asked. 

“First, I've gotta explain a couple things to you,” Mancer said, “you know about mana, right? The life force of all living things?” 

“Of course I do!” Angelina replied defensively, “who doesn't?” 

Mancer crouched on the ground, drawing diagrams in the dirt as he spoke. “Everybody is born with a certain amount of mana,” he said, “their innate, or life mana. This type of mana is expended slowly throughout your lifetime and can't be replenished by natural means. Normally, the expenditure of life mana is augmented by mana that exists naturally all around us, called ambient mana. This type of mana enters our bodies in low concentrations every time we breathe, passing through the mana pathways to settle near the heart. Shaping this mana is what allows us to build mana circles.” 

“I know all this,” Angelina complained, “what does it have to do with my dad?” 

“Your father has a condition called mana exigency.” Mancer paused as if that should mean something to the eight year old girl. 

“And… what does that mean?” Angelina prompted. 

The mage gave her a look. “It means that your father's body completely rejects ambient mana,” he explained, “without ambient mana, innate mana is spent at a much faster rate.” 

“Say it in a way that a serf could understand,” she said scathingly. 

“Before the end of the year, your father will run out of life mana and die.” 

Angelina was shocked. She'd always thought that her father was invincible. Hearing the truth shook her to the very core. 

“How… how can I save him?” she asked shakily. 

Mancer stood up and dusted the dirt off his clothes. “There's only one way,” he said reluctantly, “but it's going to be difficult. Are you sure you're up for it?” 

Angelina stared back at him, determination emanating from every fiber of her being. 

“I'll do anything to save daddy,” she said quietly. 

Mancer was silent for a moment. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. 

“You have to make a contract with a mana spirit,” he said carefully. He waited patiently, letting the weight of his revelation sink in. 

Angelina blinked. “That's not so difficult,” she said enigmatically. 

Mancer watched her dubiously. “How can you say that?!” he protested, “you've never even summoned a spirit! And besides, mana spirits are fickle, selfish beings. They don't appear unless they feel like it. I haven't even contracted one!” 

“But… I met one just recently… Its name was Luka!” 

Mancer stared in disbelief. “Luka? The chaos spirit? You… you met it?!” 

“Yeah, I did. What's wrong with that?” Angelina was quite confused. 

“And I suppose it gave you that mana circle, too, didn't it?” 

Angelina recalled the star that had burst over her heart. “Um, yeah. I think so.” 

“Well, shit,” Mancer cursed. 

“What's wrong?” 

Mancer just shook his head, beginning to wonder if he had made a grave mistake in leaving her behind. 

“It's nothing,” he said cryptically, “just that things have become quite a bit more difficult.” 

Neither of them yet knew just how true that was.