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Desperate to change the subject, you searched for something to latch onto, until you spotted the wooden wand strapped to her hip. <span class="mu-r">“Uh…hey! Is that wand at your hip the real deal? Can you actually use magic?”</span> you said.
Pandora casually glanced down at her belt, and with her free hand, she snapped her fingers and closed her hand slightly. The wand practically jumped into her gloved hand, sliding comfortably within the space that she’d left open for it.
<span class="mu-b">“Yes, and yes.”</span> she confirmed. <span class="mu-b">“However, I use a rather unusual method for casting magic. The wand is more of a focus that I fall back on for rituals.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“Unusual method?”</span>
Pandora nodded and took another sip of her coffee. <span class="mu-b">“It is a relatively new practice called ‘Spellweaving’. I picked it up from an extraplanar archmage that had stumbled upon my personal astral space.”</span> she explained. <span class="mu-b">“She was a giant spider that walked on her hind legs like a human. Imagine my shock when she just walked inside like it was no problem.”</span> she said, an amused grin spreading across her face.
Several bells rang in your head all at once. It wasn’t your spider sense, but the inklings of an epiphany. She might be talking about that thing that Madame Web was telling you about a while back. Did that mean that she wasn’t bullshitting you when she was talking about Spider-Gods?
<span class="mu-b">“It’s a brilliant technique, really. But insanely complex in many ways.”</span> Pandora continued, not noticing your shock. <span class="mu-b">“Think of it like…coding, but for magic. Instead of using established spells, I craft my own, visualizing the runes and spellforms in my mind’s eye and adjusting them as needed.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“What’s the difference?”</span> you asked.
<span class="mu-b">“Meddling with an established spell can lead to catastrophic results, and is often advised against. But if you create your own spells from scratch, then you can customize them to your specific needs. You get to decide the range, radius, effect, and just about every aspect of the spell.”</span> Pandora said, becoming much more animated now. <span class="mu-b">“The obvious downside is that this process is far slower than popping out an established spell. And there are many opportunities for failure. But with some practice, and much experimentation, spellweaving can become a powerful and versatile tool for any mage.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">“Sounds complicated.”</span> you said in reply.
Pandora released her wand and allowed it to slip back into its holster on its own. <span class="mu-b">“Very.”</span>
Over the next few minutes, Pandora tried to explain advanced spell theory to you, but you weren’t able to soak up much of the information. So, you decided to change the subject again.
<span class="mu-r">“Would you happen to know about a supernatural creature that steals voices? I have a friend that might’ve fallen victim to one.”</span> you said.
(Cont.)