Five Weeks (open)

"I have fortitude, you'd have to kick extra hard. So what is this shattering and what causes it?"

"It's a thing the fae go through when they change fully from human to fae. Like a werewolf going through their first change. It just happens when it happens."

"I'm gonna need a mortal on hand again in the day I think. Somebody who is a ghoul. Do you think I could hire that nice circus performer?"

"Alex? Yeah. She might have to bring the baby. And my Potence is greater than your Fortitude."

"Baby is fine. And you aren't allowed to kick me in the shin without filming it for Miyu to laugh over. Also, what do I owe you then for the instruction?"

She shook her head.

"Nothing. Victoria owed you. I have to pay her debt. My ghouls killed her. Yay."

"Sounds like Audrina is the real winner then. Hooray for your ghouls. "

Victor tapped his fingers on Griselda's desk and sighed. "Ok, one I'm gonna need to know how much oopsie I can cause following these books on my own, two, how to reach Alex, because a ghoul around the place is a must, and a Tremere one is excellent in case this Shattering thing happens in the daytime, and thirdly just what exactly am I to do about you and your current state of poor mental health?"

"One, very big oopsies. You can end up actually summoning a demon if you're not careful. The key is to do exactly as the books say. Everything has to be just so, perfect, or Very Bad Things happen. Don't even attempt it until you've committed the instructions to memory and can recall them without even thinking about it. Two," she pulled out a piece of paper from her desk, writing on it in her neat, even handwriting. "Here's Alex's number. And three, I'll be fine, I just need everybody to heal up and get back to living life, I think. Then I can relax."

"I noticed you seemed a lot more normal once we stopped talking about you, and covering most anything else."

"Ok, so other stupid question. So Koldunic sorcerers work with an aspect of nature? Just what will I be working with?"

She folded her hands and thought about it.

"Koldunic Sorcery is about the earth a bit, yes, but mostly it's about the elements. Air, fire, water, earth, spirit. I suggest starting with fire. It's the most powerful and most destructive, if you want to learn how to kill supernaturals quickly and efficiently."

Victor nodded as he glanced at the first book "Any particular ritual I should learn first?"

"Hospitality. It's a security measure. Your house will talk to you and tell you if anyone or anything has been inside or tried to get inside during the day."

Victor's eyes lit up. "Oooh. So there are ways to talk to the spirits of things too?"

She smiled.

"Yes, technically. Though in this case, this ritual will only work on your haven."

"You know eventually that could make diagnosing my car's mechanical problems easy..."

No. Seriously. Victor wasn't fond of that old relic.

She smiled at that.

"There's always that."

"You knew I'd go there didn't you?"

She smiled, weakly.

"I kinda did, yeah."

"Ok, after Hospitality what are the next two or three I should focus on?"

"They're all good. Reawakening the Dead Water is good, Reflections is good. Beast That Feeds on Dreams is also good to know, but be careful with it. Blood of Flame is extremely useful if you're worried about someone trying to take your blood for some reason. Sentinels of the Haven is always a good defense measure."

Victor flipped through the books as she spoke "Huh interesting stuff. So how does the magic activate? I mean it can't just be as simple as knowing the correct incantation and blood offering? Or is it?"

She folded her arms on her desk.

"It is. You need the components and knowledge and need to know how to push your blood to do what you want it to do. The Tremere teach that you must first know and understand your blood to make it do what you wish it to - other forms of sorcery should use such methods, but they don't."

"So like here, hospitality, it appears to be just an incantation. If I just say the words, that's it, or am I having to delve deeper inside of me as I do it?"

She smiled.

"You do have to delve a little deeper. Saying the words isn't really going to do much. You have to add your blood into it, like any other discipline. It's like Auspex - you just do it, but it's fueled by your blood. There's power in the blood."

"So, probably stupid question, how do I know when I've done it right, and not just wasted my blood?"