In a spacious public practice room, Allen had just finished his last personally taught lesson for the Basic Rune Mutual Aid Group.
The apprentices, still wanting more, dispersed in twos and threes, fervently discussing the "multi-node resonance" technique Allen had just explained. Everyone's face shone with the satisfaction of what they had learned.
Vera and Colin didn't leave. They stayed behind of their own accord, skillfully tidying up the tables and chairs and wiping clean the stone teaching slate Allen had used.
"Allen, that lecture was amazing,"
Vera said, clutching a few books, her face full of admiration. "I feel like a few things I could never figure out before just suddenly clicked."
Colin nodded vigorously beside her, chiming in, "Yeah, yeah! It was way clearer than the academy professors. Those guys just read straight from the textbook."
Allen looked at them. Two months had passed, and they were no longer as thin and timid as when he first met them.
