~Chapter Sixteen~
Magic
After his first manipulation of the stone Knall had found it easier and easier to control it again. He was able to make it soar into the air and split in half and be put back together. Knall had carried the stone as if it was as precious as the mirror.
It was night and Derez and Knall were stopping for the night. Derez summoned the beddings as Knall willed the stone to do spirals. “Good, Knall. You’ve come a long way. Lesson two starts tomorrow.”
“You mean that’s not it?” Derez smiled and shook his head.
“On the contrary. This is the very beginning. Knall, do you remember the fight between Rezlel and I?” Knall nodded as he climbed into his blankets.
“Do you remember those beams of light we shot at each other?” he nodded once more. “Someday, when the training is all over, you will become even more powerful than The Four’s combined power.” Knall’s eyes widened but he remained silent. Mostly out of shock but also out of disbelief. Yes, he had been able to move the rock but that was the extent of his power, nothing like The Four.
“Derez…” Knall asked quietly, “Why are you training me?” Derez fell silent and Knall looked over at him. He was gazing up at the stars, his gaze barely shifting. Knall sighed and closed his eyes, attempting to fall asleep.
When he fell asleep he could actually see the sun coming over the tops of the trees. From what he could tell he had only gotten a few hours of sleep. Derez had awoken him and the two were now on the move once more.
Knall tried not to press the fact that Derez had said that lesson two started today, he attempted to remain silent. “Uh… What’s lesson two?” Derez continued to walk for a few moments then eventually answered.
“Lesson two… You need to learn how to touch any object quickly and impose a spell into it. You have rocks down but you need to be constantly in touch with everything around you.” Knall nodded, barely following. He figured it would be like the stone yet he had to find a way to come into contact with whatever it was quickly and push a spell upon it.
Knall looked around and saw a small, clear stream they were passing. He stretched out to the water as he had the stone. The first thing he noticed was that there were numerous presences. Instead of the one essence of the stone it was as if he could feel every droplet of water pressed together to make the stream.
Overwhelmed at first he lost contact then looked back at it with even more determination. He pushed through thousands of essences, searching for one, only one. Knall stopped and rested a hand on his temple, feeling mild pain.
Refocusing, he looked back. He pushed through them again and found a single entity. He grabbed it and willed a spell into it. The droplet very slowly rose out of the rest and out of the stream. It hovered in the air for a moment and, feeling the pain pressing against his head, Knall dropped the particle of water.
Knall held is head, he looked at Derez as he said, “That wasn’t very fast.”
“There were too many presences. I could barely manipulate one.” Derez smiled and curtly answered.
“No, Knall. Not one, reach out to them all. They’re all one body and don’t fight them. Flow with them. Become one of them.” When Knall heard this it made sense but when he thought on it he found it slightly humorous. Does he want me to become a droplet of water?
Knall reached out once more and felt the millions of presences. Seeing it from further away now he saw it. They all flowed the same way. He could manipulate a group as one. He smiled and felt the presences.
Thinking of a simple spell in mind they easily gave way, hovering over the small stream. He felt each particle working as one instead of all working against each other. Knall made himself one of the particles and influenced them to do what he willed.
It transformed into the shape of a horse in mid stride, then a sword that sliced through the air. He manipulated it several different ways until Derez was satisfied. “Good, you’ve mastered that one much faster than the stone.”
“Well, this time I had a hint.” Derez smiled and they continued walking.
~*~*~
Khor walked down the empty hall alone, beaming in the darkness. When he eventually reached his room he retrieved a key from his pocket and thrust it into the keyhole, opening the door.
He turned around in the darkness, closing and locking the door. He walked into the center of the room and lit the oil lamp hanging from the ceiling. As soon as light filled up the room Khor shouted and jumped back.
Vathen was sitting in his cot, looking at him. “Dear gosh Vathen, you scared the heck outta me!” His heart still racing Khor walked over to the cupboard and opened it, retrieving a small box of crackers.
“You’re not supposed to be out this late.” Vathen said calmly. Khor sat across from him and delved into the box of crackers.
“I met someone and we became friends.”
“It seems you’re a little bit more than that.” Not sure weather to be offended or flattered Khor ate several crackers before responding.
“What are you doing here anyway?”
“Came to check on you. Today was your first day and it seems you don’t necessarily need my encouragement.” Khor narrowed his eyes at him and he continued,
“Either way that isn’t the reason why I came. I came to test your magic.”
“How, exactly? You mean just use it or do you need to do something?”
“I believe casting something will suffice for now.” He replied. Khor stood and looked around the room. He noticed the lamp and focused on the flame. “.” The spell should have simply frozen the flame but the entire lamp was encased in a solid blanket of ice.
Khor’s eyes widened and Vathen stood. “Uh…” Khor said, shocked.
“Reignite the fire. But be careful; spend as little magical power as you can.” Khor nodded and looked at the lamp again. He felt his magical power inside him. He had not needed to for such a long time and it felt different now. Before he was restricted it had felt warm and familiar. Now it felt strange but stronger. Also like it was a good friend who had been away for a long time and was now back and slightly different. Nevertheless Khor drew upon this power and cast the proper spell.
The lamp burst into flames, shattering the glass and causing smoke to pour out immediately. Khor sighed and sat back down on the chair as Vathen touched the lamp, causing it to freeze over again.
“It feels different. Strange… Like someone altered it but I can still barely tell it’s my magic. It feels only slightly more powerful. I’m causing things to explode with a small spark charm.”
Vathen returned to the cot and answered. “I don’t fully understand it but from what I know the strangeness seems to be some kind of barrier. If you break through it using your original magic it will be even more powerful. You will need to practice. You must break through that barrier.
When you do your magic will feel even more powerful and you will need to practice on taming that as well. I apologize if that is not a sufficient answer. If you had come back earlier you would be able to practice more.” Vathen stood and offered Khor a small scrap of paper.
“It’s excusing you from magic classes tomorrow.” Khor nodded and took it. He looked at Vathen as he began to leave then called out, “Hey, how do you know so much about this?” Vathen stopped and without turned replied,
“The time will come when you need to know.” He left then, leaving Khor alone in the dark. Khor smiled bitterly and looked up at the lamp.
“Give in now and I’ll try to make this painless.” He offered the lamp and stood underneath it…
. Okay, this chapter rocks! It's not super action filled or anything, but it is just sweet. Khor and Knall are getting better with magic, and things are going well. GOOD JOB! 
