Deity Quests

"You need to focus, Remenance."

Rem tried her best to listen to her dam's words. But the lecture about magic and how it flows in the world had stretched on so long that the young filly was quickly growing bored. Adventurous at heart, she would much rather be learning the practical side of things, instead of listening to lectures.

"Ma, can't we, I dunno, go forage while we do this?" Rem whined, looking up at her dam with pleading eyes. Her hooves were shuffling on the cave floor, impatience basically vibrating from her body.

"Rem, darling. How will you ever be patient and kind to our patients if you cannot keep still?" her dam sighed.

Rem understood that all too well. Sure, being a healer like her mother sounded like..... Okay if the young filly was being honest, it felt kind of boring. Who wanted to deal with crying or thrashing equines, or blood and guts? She was much more enamored with fireside stories of adventures, fighting monsters, conquering evil. That was the kind of blood and guts she was after, not patching up after a battle and missing all the fun!

"But you always say it's good to be able to think in chaotic situations!" Rem said, snagging on something her dam had said days earlier, and many times before that. Being able to focus when there was a lot going on was often a boon for a healer, who may have to offer their magic to another in the middle of a battle. "So going out and moving while I learn would be a benefit. I can, uh, build the brain pathways so when I am in a busy situation it's easy to recall the situation!"

A deep sigh came from her dam. "And what about the pathways that form for when you need to recall things while standing still?"

Rem frowned, the picture of foal-hood petulance.
“Well if I can think under pressure I can more easily think when calm,” Rem pointed out, prompting another deep sigh from her dam.

“You have an answer for everything, don’t you,” her dam said with a shake of her head, and a soft smile.
“Fine, we can go for a walk while we continue the discussion.”

The forest felt alive, and Rem couldn’t be happier. Of course her dam continued the lecture on the flow of magic, but Rem was enjoying the fresh air and the sounds of life around her.
Her dam would pause and point out a bit of magic, or areas in which it felt stronger, going over ley lines and how they were able to tap into them,
Rem thought it was all well and good, if she was able to touch the ley lines yet. But she was young, and her magic allowed her to sense them, but not yet tap into that well of magic. Perhaps, Rem wondered, if she were able to actually use the magic she might care a bit more about the lessons. If nothing else, she might actually want to learn.
But what was the point of all the theory if there was nothing to practice the theories on?

They came to the edge of a small pool, the water crystal clear. “Stay here, Remanence,” her dam said, gesturing to the pool. “Meditate, and try to get a feel for the magic.”

“What will you be doing?” Rem asked, noticing her dam looking into the trees around them.

“I will be back shortly, I think I know of a spot near here that has a good magic flow… I just need to find it again,” she said, wandering into the trees.

So Rem waited, and waited. She tried meditating, feeling the magic. But there were birds in the trees, bugs in the grass, and all kinds of noise that caught her interest. So instead the young Witchblood explored. She poked around the pool, stealing a quick drink from the cool waters, before sniffing around the grasses.
She was so focused on the frog she had found that the loud noise from behind startled her. All instincts went into overdrive as she spun around…. And a small flame appeared before her!
Rem paused in awe, staring at the small ball of flame. Her dam appeared from the trees moments later, the threat only the noise of her return, but the flame…

“What happened, Remanence?” her dam asked, looking around the clearing for a threat before her gaze settled on the flame that Rem was studying in awe, a grin on her face.

“I heard a loud noise… but this happened!” Rem said, her voice an excited whisper, as if talking too loud would release the magic she had summoned.

Her dam watched her silently for a few moments. Rem began to feel a bit shy and disappointed in herself. Hadn’t her dam wanted her magic to appear as healing? Fire was not that. Fire was destructive. Well, it healed, kind of, but wasn’t the raw healing power that had been expected of her. Every lesson had been about healing, about growing and helping others. Was it Rem’s own foolhardy wish for adventure that brought her here?
The flame began to flicker as Rem calmed, or rather, the adrenaline left her. She wasn’t quite calm, per say. She was confused, and worried. Her muscles shook a bit, and as she looked away from the flame, it disappeared. The excitement she had from finally being able to reach out to the magic had left, leaving only the wonder and the worry.

“I suppose that would be your fathers doing,” her dam sighed.

“My sire?” Rem asked, finally looking at her mother, who had a pensive look to her face as she stared over the pond. Rem had never known her sire, a stallion her dam had only contented to be with for a night, Rem being the gift of their union many moons later.

“Yes. I had hoped more of my nature would come through,” her dam said, and within Rem’s soul she felt crushing disappointment in herself. Rem wanted to make her mother proud.
“Alas, it seems his particular flavor of magic bred stronger.”

“Who was he?”

“A wild stallion, one who hunted for the thrill of it. He came to me for an injury, and left me with you,” her dam said, with a fond smile. “I was not content to follow him into dangerous places, and he was not content to stay here among healers. So we parted ways. I feared you would follow after him.”

“I am sorry to disappoint you,” Rem said, looking down.

“Oh no, my girl, you are no disappointment. I am not disappointed your magic first came to you as flames. I simply fear for you, as all mothers do. We want our children to grow up strong, yes, but also live safe lives. Ever since I felt you kicking in my womb I knew you had your fathers spirit. I had only hoped that my own spirit would be strong as well, and give you with the magic of healing first. A healer's life can be dangerous, yes, but not as dangerous as fighting monsters.”

Rem considered the words, the way her mother had often urged her to focus, be still, be calm. The way their lessons had always focused on the pull of magic, and how to heal with it. Never with the interesting things Rem had wanted to learn.

“What does this mean, Ma?”

“I shall have to find more teachers for you,” her dam said, “But I will not give up on teaching you healing magic. It is a part of you, as the fire is. We will find a way for you to learn both.”

Rem nodded, feeling less embarrassed and hurt. Her mother accepted it, and it brought Rem back to an even foothold, firmly grounded to reality. She wanted to learn healing, sure, but the thought of battle, of hunting and slaying monsters…. Well she would need to know how to heal herself too. Rem took a deep breath and looked back to her dam, standing up straighter.

“Okay Ma. What next?”