#debukefarmhold

"You ARE still a DeBuke, Earl. Why wouldn't we help you?" Clem rolls her eyes.

"I don't like relying on the family too much" Earl says, "I mean, I don't feel I owe it anymore, and it sure doesnn't owe me"

"You artistic types sure can be dumb" Clem observes, "You're my cousin, like a little brother to me. You know you're not escaping that. And you are not the first DeBuke to live off the farm. We're traditional in our way, but we're not Amish"

"You sure? Have you seen our middle names?"

"Recently, yes" Clem sighs "Now, Reuben, how can we help, or are you really going to leave it up to my own plans?"

He sighs "Well, food might be handy, Kosher, that is. IF we can get a trod in the area or I ever learn flicker flash to get it delivered. Could save us a fortune."

"Food was a given. Sure you do't want more? Buy a plot of land we'll raise a small barn for the two of you " She grins

"Oh yeah, I'd love to see the look on her face there... hey , zara, look, a barn of our very own..right near your academic dreams pass."

Clem says "I was joking, but Earl, don't get too fussy. You can dot all the i s you want and cross all the ts and still might have trouble. That's life."

"I just want it perfect," He sighs

"And yess, I know that's not going to happen" He says "But it's what she deserves"

Meanwhile, of course, Zara is off studying runes... Emmitt makes it look - actually, no, he's never made this part of naming look easy.

No, but it is interesting, and to a curious mind, that's even more alluring.

Zara's eyes trace the patterns that are in the sand. It's lilke a child's toy, but there are things in the material that block, no.GUIDE the passage of the colored sands. Red blurs one way, Gold another...

follow the trail, find the patterns in that, and compare them to the runes before her.

All of which leave her too engrossed to know what Her Hunter is up to...

Clem pats Earl on the shoulder "One small thing at a time, Earl and like you said, it maybe months. She's not even settled on on yet for sure has she?"

"Not completely, and that's fine. I don't want to push. She's got time, and her folks will want to tour whatever she picks" Earl says "but I want to know we have the resources ready. I want Zara to be able to focus on her studies." and "And I want wards. Uncle Emmit might be willing?"

"I'm sure he will be. Though at the rate her power is growing, she may not need him much longer" Clem smiles.

Indeed, zara realizes there is a third way to shift things, by circling the runes on the ground, changing HER position, she controls yet another aspect of the names that are forming

"Oh, aye..." She trails a finger through the sand, carving a symbol.

Emmit says "was wondering if you'd catch onto that" honest praise? distraction attempt? both

An effective one! "Aye, but what if I were to do aught... here, using a fibonacci curve?"

"The Influence of the nockers in your family is showing" he grins "Will the curve hold or go full spiral? Names have weight, you know?"

He doesn't stop her from trying.

"It might spiral, aye... but is that so bad? Keeps it dynamic..."

"True, but you have to expend more focus and may not get the effect you want," A nod

"Aye, but see if it is moving, that means an attack can't stay on one part for too long... make it more like water than stone..."

"Very good... now, motion has power of it's own... you understand nockers better than Ido. Ever hear of Perpetual magical theriums?"

"Oh, aye. Hirim goes on about it in his cups..."

"In the old days, it was possible... but the Dreaming is not what it was... you can however set tricks to make it get the most out of things, Of course, I know a nockeer sorceress who says she's almost got it. But compared to her I'm a piker when it comes to temporal magics." He says "Thee's always someone who knows more . Now...your mention of curves means direction, and direction, contained direction while encouraging the dynamism can cause a spell to fuel itself to last longer than it ever would last normally"

"So you're jumping a head a bit, but..well, that's a good thing" A chuckle "In this case"

"In every case!" A sassy smirk.

Emmit hurumphs "You might recall tales of apprentices who jumped a head and ended up flooding towers when they were just supposed to mop the floor"

but his eyes twinkle

"Aye, but how else do you make discoveries?"

"Well, if precautions are taking. If you don't survive the discovery, it's not a discovery is it?" A scratch of his chin "Though there is those that insist that while curiosity killed the cat, satisfaction brought it back. You strike me as leaning that way some days"

"I take precautions..."

"...usually..."

"Honestly spoken" he nods

A smile "Now, you've seen how to make it move like water, but each visualization of each element has its advantage."

And the lessons continue

"Bet Hirim'd go for fire..."

"Why limit..." He mixes the pattern ...and it goes... steam? water and fire mixed. "Yourself to one..." a grin

"No, no... earth, aye?" Mud!

"A useful thing mud, bad rep. Dry it just a bit, and clay is yours. Increase the water, and black waters run... and seep into hidden crevices."

"And it feels nice."

"It can be, " he nods "Remember, you are a creature of imagination, not some wizard confined to ritual alone. What FEELS right in your heart is a great factor for we kithian, not just rites tried and true. I suggest testing all the elements, but what they MEAN? that's up to you"

"More that it's up to me to find it out."

"You have to listen, thing will tell you their nature..."