Khasekhemwy didn't know anything about this Birch (who he assumed was a person, not a tree), but he could make an assessment of her abilities based on what Danny said.
“No,” he sighed again. “I imagine she's too low-level or not practised enough. And even then... psychic powers are generally more difficult to control than physical powers, and it takes a certain... personality, to master them.” He hesitated, unsure of how much more he should say. “Personalities like Mallos – he could explain it better than I. It takes a certain detachment, a coldness. Suffice to say there's a reason why the most powerful psychics are usually also the most evil of men.”
He paused for a moment, then added as an afterthought, “you might have better luck speaking to Mallos himself, or even his daughter. I understand she's a medium. He's more into mind control than calling on the dead, but he knows the theory better than anyone, and he's resourceful. Just...” he studied the boy closely. “Be careful of Mallos, if you ever have to deal with him. You can only rely on him to be unpredictable.”
That was the best he could offer. He'd advised Danny and pointed him in the direction of answers, but couldn't help any more than that. Internally, Khase hoped that his student wouldn't try to commune with or, worse, raise the dead. It never brought closure. The only thing which did was acceptance, which only came at the end of the long, emotional grieving process – when Danny reached that point, he may find that he could finish a lot of what was left unfinished himself.
The change in subject was a relief for both of them. Khasekhemwy glanced at the workbooks on the table and knew, quietly, that they wouldn't be enough of a distraction. Learning could be a blessing for a mourner, but not in the form of textbooks after such a raw conversation. When the hands were occupied as well as the mind, it was more difficult for the mind to wander. Khase rifled through his options mentally, not liking any of them, and finally selected the least scary one.
“We could have a practical lesson,” he suggested, trying and failing not to look too nervous about it. “In the pantheon. Divine architecture and its merits in magical theory.”
khasekhemwy
patron deity of palestine
|
|
