Since I spent my birthday locked in a hidden compound in the middle of nowhere, I had quite a bit of mail to sort through. Many aunts and uncles sent small cards with insignificant gifts, but at least they didn't forget about me. I got one from my Aunt Yandea, she was a successful warrior. Being one of the best defense-oriented mages in the country gave her letter special importance, not to mention it wasn't at all for my birthday and that it was very long.
Summarized, it said that she wanted me to go to the college in the capital of Gluaze, my country and that she would pay my tuition as long as I paid her back later.
"I don't know, it kind of sounds suspicious, what kind of motivation does she have to help me, other than the fact that she's my aunt."
"I think it's a kind gesture, plus she sounds like she thinks that you are going to go places." Devin wanted me to go to the same school as him.
"Yeah, too kind, everyone has their motives, and there is no way I fall for a stupid trick like what Vincent and Teo pulled again." I had found out about Teo's involvement with the core hunters from Laura. "Vincent helped me make Laura's birthday gift and everything."
"While I agree about that, you should at least consider her opportunity."
"I'll have to see her first, I barely know her."
"Good, I don't want you to get stuck in a rut and not save the world."
"I'll worry about saving the world when my body stops burning at every motion."
"Well, I've got to get going, Professor Lana won't believe that I've been in the bathroom for twenty minutes."
"Send Laura here when you get the chance."
"I will!"
As soon as he left I pulled a glove out from under my pillow, my body protested, but it wasn't as bad as it was last time Laura was there.
The glove was covered in runes and was made from shadowboar leather, a boar with black skin that was talented in spatial manipulation. The skin had a very unique property of being one of the few materials capable of emulating a sub affinity, I used every piece of my tiny bit of leather on this glove, and my dad had to pull many strings to get me even that.
The glove allowed the user to create a portal to a place they had been, but it took a lot of skill to keep it open and couldn't be done quickly. Plus, to make it, a spatial mage had to continuously infuse the item with their Eneru during the enchantment process.
'Not sure if this gift is any good, but at least the glove is stylish. It just needs one more thing to work, I was going to do it earlier, but I'll have to do it now.'
I pulled my toolbox from under my bed despite my screaming body and pulled my gem-fitting tools out, the glove needed a focus to work and the best focus I had access to was a quartz geode. I cut it already to fit it on the back of the hand, so I got to work.
After twenty minutes I was just finishing. The curtain was drawn back and Laura was standing there. She was making small talk to a nurse and hadn't noticed the glove. I threw caution to the wind and jammed the focus the rest of the way into the glove and hid it behind my head.
"Laura!"
"Hey, I heard you wanted me here."
"Yeah, I preserved this moment until I recovered enough to complete its fabrication, but here."
"Why are you nervous this time?"
I pulled her Spatial Glove from behind me and showed it to her.
It went all the way down the forearm, a necessity for dispersing the extra energy generated during operation. The four runes, Vand (Void), Jente (Stable), Moten (motion), and Pen (Precise), were positioned on the palm and were made of red Eneru Ink. All along the back of the forearm, there were crystals of rose quartz cut into small 'decorative' flowers.
"Try it on."
Laura delicately grabbed the glove as if it would break if she breathed on it. She opened her mouth but no words came out, she put on the glove.
"It's enchanted, try attuning to it." My nerves were completely gone as soon as she touched the glove.
A small glow came from the roses for a moment and she managed a word.
"Yeah."
"Ok, now spin your hand in a circle and say 'portal'"
"Portal."
She spun her hand shakily and a misshapen portal flashed in front of her and immediately collapsed.
"No" She paused "You didn't."
"I did."
"You're evil, this is what a princess would expect as a betrothal gift, not what a peasant would expect for a birthday present."
"It wasn't that hard to make."
"You're a garbage liar, don't make it worse by making an impossible claim."
"Fine, but It's a lot less work than I put into my first glider. Just know that I like a challenge."
"No wonder you're my boyfriend."
"True, what do you want to name your glove?"
"I'll sleep on that, but you know the rule and so do I, never come to Ingen's bedside without food."
"Yes, and rules are rules, gimme," I said, reaching my arm in her direction.
She pulled back the curtain of my infirmary cubicle and walked out. When she returned, she had a basket with steam coming from every crevice.
"I decided to try baking."
"Ooo, I'm interested."
She opened the basket and showed me the contents, most of them were good, but it was evident where Laura got impatient and "sped up the process." There were cookies with burnt edges and some crispy milfoil rolls, but other than that, she made quite the spread.
"Mm. these are good! You should make these more often."
"Yeah, I just have to avoid burning them."
"Thank you for visiting Ingen, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to steal him for a physical." a nurse appeared behind Laura.
"Yes, ma'am" Laura's voice was sad, but she left without resistance.
"Well, you heard me, let's go."
"Yessm" I got up and followed her.