"Please, whatever you do, DON'T take away the magical paperwork systems." Emmett gets down on his knees and shuffles over to Noelle's spot at the table in The Library. "I'm begging you."
Brehanna smirks. "Remember when we were kids and daydreamed about being named Champions of the Realm and developing magic that would help us win epic battles and stuff? Now we literally beg for magic to help with office work."
"Oh how far the mighty have fallen," Ellyse laughs.
"Hey," Emmett sniffs haughtily. "I'd be a great Champion."
Aidyn grins. "I'd never name you, Emmett. I spend too much time with you already."
"You'd never name anyone, Mister Royal-Customs-Make-Me-Itchy." Emmett stands and goes back to his seat. "But seriously. What else can we cut so that we don't have to go back to writing out reports by hand? I've enjoyed having enough time to actually see my family. My kids have developed killer senses of humor, and I don't like missing more than I absolutely have to. They're hilarious. I'm so proud!"
Aidyn chuckles along with everyone else but directs his next question to Noelle, to keep the meeting going. He's going to need a nap soon. "What systems need to remain in order to keep assembling reports and other documents with your magic?"
She sighs and rubs her forehead. "It's complicated because everything is connected."
"Can you put the information into a flow chart?" Aidyn suggests. Noelle often struggles to simplify complex ideas, but graphics and charts help.
"I can try."
A few seconds later, six rectangles materialize over the table, prompting Noelle to start her explanation.
"How it works now is we each have separate Data Input Systems."
Their names appear inside the rotating rectangles.
"Yours are selective instead of passive, which allows each of you to use my magic to collect data when you want to, but not all the time, like me."
The Data Input System rectangles shrink, and lines appear underneath to connect them all to a new, larger rectangle.
"Our six individual Data Input Systems send all collected data to the central Data Collection System."
A funnel shape that's wide on the top and narrow at the bottom appears below the Data Collection System rectangle.
"Once collected, data runs through the Filtration System, which consists of the Keyword System and Catalog System. The Keyword System adds relevant tags to the data, and then the Catalog System uses those tags to sort the data into broad Categories, which are then broken down into more detailed Collections. Keywords allow each piece of data to exist in multiple Categories and Collections."
Beneath the funneled Filtration System shape, a row of miniature bookcases appear.
"The Storage System stores all filtered data chronologically." More bookshelves appear but instead of remaining in a straight line, the rows bend and wrap around themselves into a complex spiraling maze. "This is why, normally, the oldest data sits at the center of The Library and newer data exists at the outer edges."
Two colors tint the bookcase spiral, turning the central layers green and a thick band of outer layers blue.
"I expanded the Storage System to include two timelines when I joined the team. All work-related data gets stored within the timeline at the center, while my personal data is stored in the timeline that wraps around it. The buffer my data provides is a part of the Security System."
Noelle zooms in on the spiraling timeline and isolates a single bookcase.
"The Formatting System, which is a part of the Visualization System, automatically formats filtered data into books, files, and/or bundles of paper that fit into the bookcases."
The bookcase shrinks, returning to its spot in the spiraling storage timeline. Then a narrow rectangle Aidyn recognizes as a Recall Search Bar appears to the right of the flow chart, with connecting lines leading to the Storage and Filtration Systems.
"Retrieving stored data uses the Recall System. The Recall System uses the Keyword, Category, and Storage Systems to locate data from timelines and Collections. It then integrates with the Visualization System to let us see and interact with that data in a variety of ways, including basic image and text boxes, audio files, or as the formatted papers and books."
Noelle gestures to the table and general architecture of the space. "The Visualizing and Formatting Systems also integrate with the Aesthetic Systems, which controls the way The Library looks and feels, from temperature controls, to architecture and furniture, to our bodies."
Six more boxes labeled with their names appear beneath the spiraling bookcases. "In order to transfer data out of The Library, we run it through our individual Output Systems." She holds up a stack of reports. "Output Systems are how we materialize, or Download, paperwork from the magical realm into the physical one as objects with lasting mass."
Noelle puts down the reports. "Also, the Internal Data Input System adds all data we generate while inside The Library into the Data Collection System as well." She looks at the rotating flow chart, and then sighs. "See how it's all connected? I don't know what to cut out to conserve magic."
Aidyn twirls the pencil in his hand. He'd learned way back in the early days of Preparatory School it's best to take notes whenever Noelle explains things, attempts to summarize anything, or starts brainstorming and/or theorizing. The flow chart actually worked really well though.
"And how many Keywords do you currently have?"
"402,343 and counting," she answers without hesitation.
He nods. "Do we even want to know how many Collections there are?"
"No," Noelle replies seriously, but then with a hint of a smirk she tells them anyway. "1,512,458."
"Noted!" Aidyn smiles and looks at his sheet of paper, checking it before reading out the list of sixteen separate systems she mentioned. As he says them, he uses the Visualization System to make the words appear as text box that hovers to the left of Noelle's flow chart.
The group studies the board in silence for a moment.
"So, these are just the systems tied to Downloading paperwork?" Ellyse asks.
Noelle nods. "There's also all the Administrative Systems, as well as the Integration Systems that pull your consciousnesses into mine. In terms of personal use, I've put Aidyn's data from our Love Bond into a totally separate System Suite. Then I have things like my Storytelling System and Anxiety Response System. Plus, there are default Memorizer Systems, like Measurement and Monitoring Systems, just to name a couple."
Emmett whistles. "Dang Allendale, I think you deserve a raise."
Noelle blushes and shuffles some of the papers in front of her. "Not all of it takes much magic. Collecting data hardly uses any. Our brains are wired to do that part on their own. It's organizing everything and getting Recall to work efficiently that requires the most magic… Well, that and integrating the five of you into the processes."
"Don't sell yourself short, Noelle. I haven't heard of any Memorizers who do what you do," Aidyn says, expecting her to blush deeper. Compliments tend to make her squirm.
Instead, she hunches in her seat a bit, as if he'd insulted her instead of complimented her. Aidyn wishes he understood her emotional landscape better, but he doesn't and they need to continue the meeting.
"Is your magic distribution report ready?" he asks, changing the subject.
Noelle nods and straightens, as bundled documents appear on the table in front of each person. Everyone takes a few minutes to look through them, doing their best to decipher the pages and pages of complex information. Apparently, Aidyn wasn't specific enough about the length and format of this report. He can't help but smile.
A lot of the time he sets aside for managerial responsibilities is spent working with Noelle to trim down her reports and documents to more manageable lengths. For someone with so many strengths, summarizing really isn't one of them. Although to be fair, considering the amount of data she constantly interacts with, a twenty page report like this one probably started as hundreds of pages long.
Memorization is intense.
The longer he works with Noelle, the more Aidyn understands that she experiences the world around her as a river. Information rushes through her constantly, at a fast pace that never ebbs. She has spent her whole life figuring out how to navigate that river as smoothly as possible. The problem is, most people can't handle the flow of a river. They need the flow of a faucet, and getting a river to flow through a faucet is challenging, to say the least. Noelle does the best she can to simplify and condense the expansive amounts of information she works with. When she needs extra help, he doesn't mind stepping in to help narrow her focus.
Like now.
"I definitely want to go over this full report in depth with you later. However, for this brainstorming meeting can you summarize it in two pages?"
Noelle's eye's widen. "There isn't enough room for all of it to fit on two pages. Everything in my report is important."
This response doesn't surprise him. Two pages is always a hard sell.
"I didn't say it wasn't all important. Let's start with a pie chart." Aidyn uses The Library's Visualization System to replace the flow charts with a large, semi-transparent circle. "If the circle represents you using 100% of your magic on a daily basis, how is that 100% divided up?"
"Before or after we formed a Love Bond?" she asks.
"Let's do both." He adds another circle next to the first one.
Noelle glares at the circles like they are her greatest nemesis before responding. "Well, you have that mandatory Overload Buffer Rule where I'm not supposed to use more than 80% of my daily magic on my systems."
"Indeed." Aidyn enforces a 20% buffer for every mage in the King's Army, no matter their magical ability.
He turns twenty percent of both circles red, labeling those slices accordingly. "You don't have to talk us through all of it. Go ahead and add the rest in yourself."
Noelle nods and projects her data into the circles.
As expected, her first attempt still includes too much information to make it useful for the rest of them. The pie chart is divided into so many thin slivers it isn't readable.
"Great start," Aidyn says. "Now, can you combine any of those slices into more general categories?"
After giving him an exasperated look, Noelle closes her eyes and taps her chin with her fingers as she thinks. A few moments later, the hovering charts update.
"Thank you, Noelle. These are much easier for me to process," Aidyn says, although he still has to enlarge the charts in order to read and compare them.
"Okay," he begins. "What I'm seeing is our Love Bond takes up 30% of your magic, which extends beyond your 20% Buffer. That's why you went into Overload. Is that 30% referring to the first few days when you were holding half of my emotions on your side, or since we've started keeping our emotions separate?"
"I used the most aggressive data, which came from the first few days."
Aidyn nods. "So what does the chart look like today?"
Noelle updates the Post-Love Bond chart, and the slice for Love Bond data drops from 30% to 15%.
"So, now that Noelle isn't holding any of Aidyn's emotions, your Love Bond is using half the amount of magic as it was," Brehanna notes.
"Which keeps everything within Noelle's limits, but only gives her a 5% buffer," Taryon adds.
Aidyn nods. "That means our primary goal is to get that buffer back up to 20%."
"I really don't need that much of a buffer."
"Yes, you absolutely do," Aidyn says calmly, but firmly, to Noelle. "That percentage is standard policy."
"I never kept that much buffer before joining this team."
"And how often did you experience Overload?"
When Noelle hesitates to answer his question, apprehension sprouts in Aidyn's emotional landscape. He made that comment more to make a point than to call her out, but now he thinks there's something he needs to know.
"I know you know the exact answer to that question," Aidyn pushes. "So tell me, how often over the course of the seven years that you were Captain Jaycobs' Administrative Coordinator did you experience Magical Overload?"
Noelle's face turns red, but whether from anger or embarrassment, Aidyn can't tell.
"Well, a lot," she admits, "but I wasn't as experienced then. I have more efficient systems now. They could still be better, but I'm continually working on it."
Aidyn's heart sinks. It's not a good sign that she's avoiding giving specifics. "Tell me the numbers, Allendale."
Noelle looks around at everyone sitting at the table, and then down at her papers. "On average, once a month."
A combination of slow exhales, winces, and uncomfortable shifting in chairs take place all around the table.
Aidyn tries to school his face, tries to hide the anger boiling up inside of him, but he can't.
That is absolutely terrible management and leadership on Collan's part. He should have never allowed any mage under his command, let alone his wife, to push herself beyond her limits that often.
The uncomfortable silence stretches until a very fidgety Noelle speaks up again.
"It's okay, really. I was only hospitalized once or twice a year."
Aidyn swallows a groan. Any hospitalization is too many. "No. It isn't okay, Noelle. None of it is okay."
He struggles to keep his voice level as his anger towards Collan grows. "I know you are aware that prolonged exposure to Overload leads to Burn Out. You never should have been put in a position where you experienced Overloads that frequently."
Aidyn's hands clench into fists. "I refuse, as any good Team Lead should, to allow you to keep working and living that way. You WILL have a 20% Buffer at all times while you are a mage in the King's Army, and that is FINAL."
His anger rages within his emotional landscape, stirring everything else up, but he keeps a tight grip on it so it doesn't spill over into Noelle's side.
The emotions on her side of their bond swirl as well. Outwardly, the flecks of magic found in every mage's eyes activate and flash. "Don't you DARE blame him for my failings."
"I most certainly WILL blame Captain Jaycobs, if he even deserves that title! HE was your commanding officer, and as such it was HIS responsibility to properly balance workloads with his mages' health."
"STOP IT. It was MY fault! I'M the one who couldn't handle it. I'M the one who wasn't good enough!"
"No. That isn't true, Noelle. You are a powerful mage. But even if you were using the worst systems ever designed, as your commanding officer, Collan should have recognized you were at your limits and done whatever was necessary to keep you from consistently going into Overload. I'm not saying I know exactly what he should have done, but I am ABSOLUTELY saying he should have done SOMETHING."
They are both standing by this point, Aidyn with his arms braced against the table and all but snarling, and Noelle with crossed arms and eyes blazing.
Taryon stands up as well. "Okay, I think we need a break. Everybody, ask you guards for lunch; stretch your legs; take a nap. I don't care what you do, but you can't stay here. We'll meet back in an hour. Aidyn, follow me."
With that, Taryon turns and disappears into the maze of bookcases leading away from the conference table.
Breaking eye contact with Noelle, Aidyn stomps along behind Taryon, fuming.
Once they've navigated well into the depths of The Library, Taryon whirls around to face him.
"Silver Swords, Aidyn, I know you're on edge from your bond breaks, and all the challenges and changes that come with it, but that"—he points back in the direction of the table—"was unprofessional."
Aidyn's anger still runs hot and he's not ready to let it cool off. "Overloads every month? And hospitalizations? Repeatedly? For years?" Aidyn balls his hands back into fists as he paces. "That's reckless leadership. That's gross mismanagement. That's absolutely unacceptable!"
"Yeah, apparently there were good reasons an investigation was launched after the captain died." Taryon's face darkens. "We already knew there had to be a reason why it took Noelle twice as long as normal for her broken receptors to heal. Now we know."
"She must have been on the very EDGE of Burn Out."
"That's seems likely," Taryon agrees. He reaches out to grip Aidyn's shoulder, forcing him to stop pacing. "But calling her out on it while attacking her late husband, in front of the whole team, was NOT the way to go."
Aidyn wants to shout but settles for a deep and frustrated growl. "They were Love Bonded for years. They were married. They lived and worked together. How could he not have known she was struggling that much? Surely he knew. He HAD to know. So does that mean he just didn't care?"
"You're missing my point, Aidyn."
"And why didn't she say anything for all that time? Matter of fact, why did she push herself into Overload after we bonded? She has enough experience, apparently, that she of all people would recognize the signs."
"Aidyn—"
"You didn't see the state she was in when I found her, Taryon! Noelle was unresponsive. Her fever was at 103 and had been for days. It took two more days for her to regain consciousness, even with Strength Mages supplementing her magical stores. WHY didn't she back off on her magic use before that point? Why would she allow it to get that bad? She's not unaware, and she's not stupid. She's the smartest, most aware person I know. What was she thinking?"
"I don't know, but that's not the point I'm trying to make right now!"
"How could he have not been afraid for her? I'm afraid for her and I've only been her team lead for one year and Love Bonded for a few weeks!"
"Aidyn—"
"We've seen mages intentionally Burn Out, Taryon."
His teammate releases a slow breath. "I see. You're thinking about Crystoff."
"Crystoff, Darrell, Amandalynne." Aidyn starts to list them off on his fingers but stops, knowing he'd need dozens of hands to list everyone. "I'm thinking about all of them. We've lost too many already."
Taryon rubs the back of his neck and leans against the nearest bookshelf. "Aidyn, I don't think that's what's happening here. I've kept a close eye on Noelle and while I can't sense her emotions directly while we are in here, I haven't picked up on anything too worrisome. Before adding the Love Bond, she hadn't Overloaded a single time since joining the team. That is a good sign. However, even if her struggles now are a part of a larger pattern, you can't bully people out of self destructive behaviors. THAT is the point I'm trying to get through your thick skull. Losing your temper back there, even if it wasn't directed at Noelle herself, only made things worse."
"Ugh, I know," Aidyn huffs and slumps against the shelf next to Taryon, who looks at him sharply.
"So what are you going to do about it?"
* * *
After he's had time to calm down, Aidyn shifts out of The Library and back into the physical realm. In their hospital room, he opens his eyes and sees Noelle in her bed, curled around another tear-stained pillow shield. He turns on his side to face her, making enough noise to alert her that he's fully present.
She flicks angry, teary eyes in his direction.
"I'm sorry," Aidyn says. "I'm sorry, not only for pushing a very personal conversation on you, but also for doing it in front of the whole team. Losing my temper and not having that conversation in private was unprofessional and unfair."
"Yes, it was," Noelle snaps. Her voice is slightly muffled by the pillow covering most of her face. "It's not any of your business."
"The thing is, Noelle, as your team lead, your safety is my business. As such, I have to ask you a sensitive question, and I really need you to answer it honestly."
Noelle buries her face deeper in her pillow, but nods.
"Did you realize you were heading towards Overload after we bonded?"
Noelle nods, curling more tightly around her pillow.
Aidyn's stomach tightens as well. It takes all of his willpower to keep his voice steady and calm. "Robyn told me she saw your intake chart. When we finally managed to get here, your magic levels were low but not critical. What happened between then and when I found you? Why did you take on more of my emotions instead of giving them back to lighten your magical load?"
Noelle jerks up into a seated position. "Why?" Desperation coats her tone. "What was I supposed to do, just sit there and do nothing while you were drowning?!"
Now she sounds angry. "I know what it feels like to sink beneath the weight of grief. I know what it feels like to be surrounded, to have all of your worst fears pressing up against you on all sides, and I know what it's like to be left alone to survive it all by yourself."
The anger in her face shifts into something that looks a lot like fear. "Pain is everywhere. I encounter it all around me—see it, feel it, take it in, Memorize it, never forget it. The whole world is drowning in pain, Aidyn. I would erase it all if I could; make it all disappear. But I can't. There are some things even magic can't get rid of, and pain is one of them! All I can do is take it in and make space for it, and that includes your pain now too."
Her eyes flash with magic again, fully and completely capturing his attention. The intensity radiating from her here in the physical realm also races through their bond. For the first time, her emotions leave her side and cross into his. They spark like lightning across the surface of his landscape until they collide with his soul on the other end.
Each spark that touches him links him for a split second to one of Noelle's memories and all the details her magic gathered with it. Spark after spark, he glimpses the world as she experiences it: its beauty and darkness, its warmth and coldness, its sharpness and softness, its fears and joys—and. so. much. pain.
Suddenly, Noelle's magic jerks away from his soul, releasing him, and flees back across his landscape towards her side. He senses her trying more and more desperately to reel it all in faster, but it's too late.
Perched on the edge of her bed, Noelle's eyes roll up into the back of her head.
Aidyn shouts for help and leaps towards her, fighting against the tangle of sheets and blankets wrapped around him. He barely catches her before she hits the floor.
"Mages have mercy, Noelle," he swears as healers and guards swarm around them. "This is why you need a Buffer!"