[Tiyribi Andares]

“So you return.”

The words weren’t so much of a welcome as they were a statement of fact. It held no note of congratulations, no sense of assurance that Archalen had survived the perils of his Unbinding. They were merely sounds, summing up the situation before moving on. That was how she did business, this Mistress Iranca. Why use words when one could simply manipulate the power of Psionic Energies?

With one smooth movement, the Vysstichi woman stood from where she had been reclining in her chair and walked softly over to where Archalen lay sprawled along the floor. Slinking down to rest her thin weight upon her knees, she crossed her arms in front of her and let her hands fall loosely before her chest, dangling just above the Esh’lahier’s chest. Her fluorescent eyes studied him up and down before returning to meet his own gaze. The red orbs held no emotion; it was impossible to tell whether she was pleased or displeased with what she saw. Iranca merely shrugged and moved on.

“What you saw probably confused you, and what you will see will confuse you more,” the Mystic explained, her voice simple and to the point. Her gaze didn’t waver from the Thane’s, holding fast and intent, ready to pick up on any slight sign of weakness from her would-be pupil. “Your mind is now prepared to see and connect with the flows of Ara and Vis that surround you. Before, being Bound, you could not see the depth of what really exists. Now you can.”

She extended a singular finger toward Archalen’s face, pausing before it reached the uncomfortable mark of distance. A turn toward her side and the finger traced in the air along the outline of the wall of the room. “To reach the power that has now been opened to you, you must learn to Meditate. This technique empties your mind of all your conscious thoughts and seeks to connect your deepest level of understanding with the perception of the Arcane. If you achieve such a state, you will find the power of Mysticism waiting to greet you. It will take much practice and much time. It is not a natural state of the mind, but over your studies it might become second nature to you.”

Sparing a questioning glance in the Esh’lahier’s direction, the Mage stood back upright, stretching to her full height. “Now, begin.” Her hands crossed her thin, flat chest in anticipation of her student’s first attempts. “Remove your attachments from the Material and begin to see deeper into what is truly there.”