The Mage's Forgotten Wand

"Close your eyes," Thaddeus instructed. "And for once, try to actually focus instead of just looking focused."

The hidden library section lay quiet around Zeph as he complied, letting his other senses fade while his magical sensitivity expanded. Natural flows permeated the space – currents of power moving in endless, intricate patterns.

"Now," the ancient archmage continued, "tell me exactly what Raven is doing three rooms away."

```

Status Check:

[Location: Hidden Section]

[Exercise Type: Detection]

[Sensitivity: Active]

[Range: Testing]

[Focus: Maintaining]

```

Zeph extended his awareness through the flowing currents, feeling how they connected everything in the academy. It was like trying to track ripples in an infinite pond, each movement causing echoes through the whole.

"She's... practicing something," he said slowly, following the subtle disturbances in natural flows. "A shielding pattern, but different from what we learned yesterday. More... intricate?"

"Adequate observation," Thaddeus replied. "Now tell me how many layers her shield contains, what types of flows she's using, and why her third stabilization matrix is slightly off-center. Preferably before we both die of old age."

Focusing deeper, Zeph traced the patterns of Raven's magic through the currents. Natural flows carried impressions of every working, if you knew how to read them. It was like watching shadows on water, each ripple telling its own story.

"Four layers," he reported. "Outer deflection using light-based flows, then force absorption, then... some kind of recognition pattern? The fourth layer keeps shifting – she's still working on it. And the stabilization is off because she's compensating for that corporate monitoring array in the next room."

"Finally, something resembling actual magical perception," Thaddeus said. "Though your sensitivity range still needs considerable refinement. A proper detection field should cover at least twice this distance."

Zeph maintained his focus, feeling how magic moved through the academy's ancient stones. Corporate channeling systems lay like rigid nets over the natural flows, but his sensitivity could trace power moving beneath and around their artificial constraints.

"There's someone else," he realized, detecting new disturbances two floors above. "Using corporate magic, but... something's odd about it."

"Explain," Thaddeus prompted. "And do try to be more specific than 'odd.' I've had enough vague magical theory from corporate textbooks."

```

Detection Analysis:

[Range: Two Floors]

[Target: Unknown Mage]

[Magic Type: Corporate/Unusual]

[Pattern Recognition: Active]

[Detail Level: Improving]

```

Focusing on the distant magic user, Zeph tried to understand what felt wrong. "The corporate patterns are perfect – too perfect. Like they're being maintained deliberately rather than flowing naturally. And underneath..."

He hesitated, sensitivity straining to read the subtle signs through layers of natural currents. "There's something else. Not true magic, but not quite corporate either. It feels... masked?"

"Interesting," Thaddeus mused. "It seems someone else is hiding their true nature. Though whether friend or foe remains to be seen. Your detection range is improving, at least, even if your magical analysis still lacks proper precision."

Zeph opened his eyes, maintaining his expanded awareness of the magical flows around them. "How do you hide sensitivity like that? I can barely control mine."

"That," Thaddeus replied, "is because you have about as much magical subtlety as a thunderstorm in a library. Though I suppose we should work on concealment techniques before you accidentally broadcast your abilities to every corporate sensor in the academy."

New diagrams appeared on the book's pages, showing how natural flows could be guided around a practitioner, masking their sensitivity from detection. The patterns were complex but elegant, using power's natural tendency to flow smoothly to create perfect camouflage.

"Watch closely," Thaddeus instructed. "Proper magical concealment isn't about suppressing your sensitivity – it's about working with the flows to remain unnoticed. Rather like convincing water to flow around a stone instead of marking its presence with ripples."

Zeph studied the patterns, feeling how they would interact with natural currents. Instead of trying to hide his sensitivity completely, these techniques would let it blend with the background flows of power that permeated everything.

"The principle is similar to what you've learned about defensive magic," Thaddeus continued. "Working with natural flows rather than against them. Though your execution will no doubt require considerable refinement before achieving anything resembling competence."

Starting with simple exercises, Zeph practiced guiding flows around his sensitivity. Each attempt taught him more about how magic naturally moved, how to become part of its patterns rather than disturbing them.

His first tries created obvious ripples in the local currents. The second set achieved partial concealment but wouldn't fool any serious detection. The third...

"Less like trying to hide an elephant under a handkerchief," Thaddeus suggested. "Natural flows should barely notice your presence. Think subtlety, if you can manage such an alien concept."

```

Training Progress:

[Concealment: Developing]

[Flow Integration: Active]

[Subtlety Level: Minimal]

[Detection Range: Extended]

[Thaddeus's Patience: Surprisingly Present]

```

Gradually, Zeph learned to let his sensitivity work through the flows rather than standing out from them. It was like becoming part of a vast river system, his awareness moving with currents that had flowed since magic first touched reality.

"Better," Thaddeus acknowledged as another attempt succeeded. "Though watching you discover basic magical principles remains an exercise in extended patience. Now, tell me what our mysterious practitioner above is doing."

Extending his now-concealed sensitivity, Zeph tracked the distant magic user through the natural flows. Their corporate facade remained perfect, but he caught hints of something else beneath – power moving in patterns he didn't recognize.

"They're... searching for something," he realized. "Using corporate detection spells as cover, but there's another kind of magic underneath. Not true magic or corruption, but..."

"Indeed," Thaddeus said thoughtfully. "It seems Everweave Academy holds more secrets than even I suspected. Though your ability to state the obvious while missing crucial details remains impressively consistent."

The lesson continued as morning light strengthened outside their hidden sanctuary. Zeph practiced extending his concealed sensitivity through the academy's flows, learning to read magical signatures and track power movements without being detected himself.

Each exercise expanded his understanding of how natural flows connected everything. Corporate channeling systems might try to cage and control magic, but the true currents of power moved through reality in patterns older than any artificial constraint.

"Decent progress," Thaddeus concluded as they finished. "Though your technique still needs considerable refinement. And do try to maintain proper concealment during corporate classes. Detecting another practitioner's secrets won't help if you broadcast your own abilities like a magical beacon."

As they prepared to return to the academy's official spaces, Zeph kept his sensitivity extended through the natural flows. Somewhere above, the unknown magic user continued their search. Raven's practice had evolved into more complex patterns. And through it all, power moved in eternal currents, carrying whispers of secrets yet to be discovered.

Now he just had to master concealment before his growing sensitivity revealed too much to the wrong people. Preferably while maintaining both his corporate cover and Thaddeus's increasingly specific standards for magical competence.