Chapter 14: Magic

Sigh...this chapter was a monster to get ready.  I had to re-write it from the original draft at least twice and revise it several more times to get it to the point I was happy with it.  We're trying to quantify the existence of magic in the world of Serano here and explain how mages go about gathering the energy needed to use it.  I think it's handled well here, easing the audience into the basics after they've seen how it can be used to great effect, but...I worry about how it will be received.  The entire script was mostly re-written, which naturally made it longer, so that I could add in bits of character development which will be important later and to make the characters more consistent all around.

That brings me to a bit of disappointing news.  I may go on hiatus from this.  I won't stop, no no no, because I do intend to get this story published and this is tracking my progress.  However, writing has gotten much harder lately due to personal matters so my updates may become even more sporadic.  We'll have to see how it goes.  Added on to this is the fact that I may need to add more chapters.  This book is already pretty long and may need to be made into a two parter.  However, I want to add a short chapter after this one which gives us some characters bits of the less seen characters, particularly Gadius, Dakon, and Vincent.  They're some of the oldest residents of Acacia and I want the audience to understand how they interact and feel about each other and the situation with Mina and the others.  Originally, after this chapter we jumped straight into the next adventure, but I think a little more breathing room/slice of life style exposition might be beneficial for everyone.  Plus, stretching it out a tad helps Mina's growth feel more organic and less rushed.  Anyway, those updates are where this project stands.  If we get as far as Chapter 20, I have an illustration of Agni, the main villain for this series, that I'd love to share.  Fingers crossed we get that far.  For those who missed my update last year, we already have an illustration online featuring Aeon.  That can be found here.

Now, without further ado, Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Magic

            Taking a deep breath, Mina pressed her hand against the ice door that separated her from Aeon's private chambers and pushed.  The ice refused to move even an inch.

            "Huh?" Mina mumbled, cupping her hand to her mouth and breathing on it.  Squinting her eyes, she tried to look through the thick, crystalline barrier, but was unable to discern anything.  "Is anyone even here?" Mina mused.  She raised her hand to knock, but stopped when she heard a voice from behind her.

            "It won't budge for anyone who doesn't live on Acacia,"  Glancing behind her, Mina saw Kinana, garbed in a low cut teal dressing gown, float up through the opening in the center of the tower.  "If you pound on it, you'll just end up hurting yourself," the succubus muttered, lazily flapping her wings to keep herself aloft.  Alighting on the railing which surrounded the top floor of Aeon's citadel, Kinana stepped down and poked Mina's nose with her tail.  "And we wouldn't want that," the tan skinned Goetian smirked.

            "R-right," Mina stammered, her face turning beet red.  "H-Hello, Miss Kinana.  You're looking well."

            "Awww, you're so precious when you're embarrassed," Kinana giggled, hugging Mina and pressing her face against the emerald haired girl's cheek.

            "Haha, cut it out, Miss Kinana!" Mina squealed, trying to wriggle free of the succubus's grasp.

            "You are earlier than I expected," Aeon murmured, floating into sight from below the walkway.  He bore a covered silver tray in one hand and two bottles as well as three mugs in the other.

            "Well...Dem said you'd be expecting me but he didn't say when I should come," Mina shrugged, letting out an exasperated sigh as Kinana continued nuzzling her cheek.

            "I see," Aeon said, floating past her and Kinana.  "Since you are here, please, follow me."  The ice door melted away under Aeon's touch, allowing him to pass through unimpeded.

            Taking Mina's hand, Kinana led the blushing girl into Aeon's private chambers.  While a thin layer of ice still covered most of the furniture, a large fire was already crackling in the hearth.  Next to the fire, an armchair and a loveseat had been set up with a table in between them.  Aeon laid the covered tray down on the table and poured a frothing, amber colored liquid from one of the bottles into two of the mugs, while a pink liquid was drained into the third.

            "I thought things might be more relaxed if we had a meal together," Aeon muttered, floating over to the armchair and resting his spine against the soft cushions.  "A full belly eases an empty heart."

            Mina hid a smirk.  "Funny...my uncle said that to me and Celi when we first came to the tavern.  What a strange coincidence."

            "No, it is not," Aeon said, taking a large drink from one of the mugs containing the frothing amber liquid.  A few flecks of foam still dotted his lipless mouth as the fluid disappeared into his ribcage.  "I am trying to set you at ease based on what I know from your memories."

            Raising an eyebrow, Mina let out a groan and put her palm to her forehead.  "Is he serious?" she whispered to KInana.  "Can't he take a hint?!"

            Biting down on her finger, Kinana rumbled with mirth and tried to keep from laughing.  Mina tilted her head, nonplussed, and turned to Aeon.  The lich's skull seemed to have contorted to form a smirk and he chortled softly to himself.

            "Oh...I get it..." she snorted, crossing her arms as color rushed to her cheeks.

            "Don't be mad," Kinana said, wiping a stray tear from her eye.  "He's only messing with you because he likes you.  So relax and enjoy yourself."

            Mina cracked a nervous smile and plopped down on the loveseat across from Aeon.  The lich pushed the mug with the pink liquid inside it towards her.  Taking it appreciatively, Mina took a sip.  A sweet, fruity flavor filled Mina's mouth and she smacked her lips.

            "Thank you for this," Mina said, her smile slowly fading as she nursed the drink, "But I'm not sure I deserve it."

            "Please, be at ease," Aeon said, taking another swig of his drink.  "You have nothing to fear."

            "Yeah...I know," Mina sighed.  "It's not fear that's got me worried."           

            For a moment, silence overtook the room.  Kinana seated herself next to Mina and wordlessly put her wing around the girl's shoulders.  Mina squeezed Kinana's hand and managed a brief smile before looking up at Aeon, who had lain his mug down and was waiting patiently behind steepled fingers.

            "You know..." Mina murmured, "My uncle once told me that one of the hardest things anyone can do is fess up when they know they've done something wrong."

            "He is a wise man," Aeon said.

            Another uneasy silence settled over them.  Putting her drink aside, Mina leaned against Kinana and the succubus stroked her hair.  "Aeon...you know why I'm here today, right?"

            "Yes," Aeon curtly replied, "I know."

            "I...I'm sorry," Mina sat up and bowed her head.  "I never meant to lie to you at the Bay of Bendak, but...I..." placing a trembling hand over her heart, she swallowed hard.

            "Apology accepted," Aeon cut her off.  Mina glanced up at the lich's calm exterior before feeling Kinana's arms wrap around her in a warm hug.

            "It's okay," Kinana whispered, "We're not mad at you."

            Mina slowly exhaled and shook her head.  "That doesn't change the fact that what I did was very selfish.  I ended up putting a lot of people at risk just because I was curious about all of you."

            "Do not forget that you helped save a fair number of people as well," Aeon added.  "Miriel, Alnor, Kinana, Deminos, and myself, if memory serves."

            "It's alright.  We all make mistakes," Kinana said, gingerly stroking Mina's hair.  "No one expects you to be perfect, Mina."

            Quickly taking another swig of the sweet fruit juice in her mug, Mina let out a sigh of relief.  "I know you've got more important things to do than babysit me, Celi, and Daryl.  I didn't want you to wait or worry about me, especially since your time's almost up."

            "Then let us dispense with past regrets," Aeon said, removing the silver tray's cover to reveal several lumpy purple cakes, some cooked eggs that had a slightly brownish tint, a few strips of browned aurox meat, and milk porridge.  Next to the food were two wooden plates with matching cutlery.  "I hope this is to your liking."

            The smell of the food made Mina's mouth water and she swallowed hard.  "Ummm...but there's only two plates," she muttered.

            "Oh, don't worry," Kinana flashed her a mischievous smile as Aeon filled a plate with porridge, eggs, and meat.  Dipping his fork into the eggs, Aeon held it out and Kinana leaned over the table and took a bite.  "We've got a system worked out," Kinana mumbled through a mouthful of egg.

            Aeon filled another plate with food and pushed it towards Mina.  "Would you like more drink?" he asked, holding up one of the bottles.

            "Yes, please," Mina smiled and raised her cup.  "What is this, anyway?"

            "It's Lika juice," Kinana said, taking the last mug from the table.  Downing the frothing amber liquid in one gulp, she let out a small belch and added, "It's a sweet fruit that grows around the tropical regions of Ahri.  Nerise and Vincent love it.  Doesn't go down as easy as this mead, but still, pretty tasty."

            Taking a spoonful of milk porridge, Aeon dropped it into his open mouth.  The lumpy white mess seemed to vanish once it had passed Aeon's rib cage.  Mina stared for a moment before Aeon turned his eyeless sockets towards her and she quickly shoveled some of the brownish eggs into her mouth.  Her eyes widened as the egg yoke filled her mouth with a taste like fried meat sautéed in a delicious cream made of mushrooms.  After swallowing, Mina glanced down at her food and mumbled, "It's delicious!"

            "It's probably not easy to find food like this around here," Kinana said, sneaking a piece of fried aurox meat away from Mina.  "Harpy eggs taste a bit more savory than cockatrice eggs," she said, noisily chomping on the brittle piece of meat.  "And while the aurox meat here is a bit tougher than usual, Dakon raises the aurox until they're past their prime and only slays them when they've had their fill of life.  The age makes them tastier," the succubus smiled and grabbed one of the purple cakes.  "I love coming here for meals.  Goetian food is fine and all, but something about a meal prepared by Aeon just makes my mouth water..." she smirked and added at barely a whisper, "Among other things..."

            "Kinana..." Aeon sighed, as the succubus stifled a giggle.

            "You're terrible, Miss Kinana," Mina laughed, blushing as she did.  Turning to Aeon, Mina added, "You cooked this?"

            "Some of Dakon's apocra are skilled at cooking, but most of my meals I prepare myself.  A habit of mine from when I was a mercenary," Aeon shrugged.

            "I'm surprised you need to eat," Mina muttered, putting her plate aside and taking one of the lumpy purple cakes.  Biting into the sweet, flaky pastry, she sighed.  "Though, with Nerise's cakes I can understand why you'd want to."

            "Yes," Aeon chuckled, "I have no idea where she learned to make them so sweet, but they are quite tasty.  However, you are mistaken.  I do not need to eat.  For me, food and drink are unnecessary, as I can gather all the energy I need from the Leyline.  I choose to eat because I enjoy it," he murmured, dropping a whole cake into his mouth.

            "Pity you didn't bring your friends," Kinana mumbled, taking another bite of eggs from Aeon's fork, "It would've been fun for us all to get to know each other over breakfast."

            "Haha, I think Celi and Daryl might disagree with you there," Mina rubbed the back of her head and let out a nervous laugh.  "Celi's a bit overprotective of me and Daryl...I think eating with a lich might be too surreal for her."

            "Understandable," Aeon mused, "But why did they choose to stay behind today?  Prior to this, they have always accompanied you here."

            "Well..." Mina said, taking a second cake and biting into it.  "Daryl was exhausted from yesterday, so she decided to stay in bed.  Angelo told me he went to pick her up for training and her mom said she just didn't feel up to it."  When she'd finished her cake, Mina took another off the tray and put it aside, "I should bring her one of these to make her feel better."

            "Yeah...sure...for Daryl," Kinana nudged Mina's stomach and snickered.

            "What of your other friend?" Aeon said.

            "Celi?  Well, she decided to show Deminos around Gesthal as a thank you for yesterday.  My uncle took a real shine to him when he saw the four of us come into the tavern together last night," Mina blushed and averted her eyes.  "Dem was pretty cool fighting off those Dragons..."

            "Haha, you should tell him that," Aeon chuckled.  "The boy could use a little confidence.  Especially after the beating Yuka gave him."

            "I saw," Mina grimaced.  "When he came in this morning he had a black eye and his face was all swollen.  At first, uncle thought Celi did it, but Dem explained everything while we served up breakfast to everyone."

            "He should have known better.  It is not my wrath Deminos need fear," Aeon said, sipping from his drink.

            "Still, he's the talk of Goetia," Kinana smirked.  "Going into Draconia and coming out alive?  That impresses people.  His friends over there are enjoying their fame while it lasts."  Leaning over the table, the succubus planted a kiss on Aeon's lipless mouth.  "Our little boy is growing up," she chuckled.

            "I'm glad," Mina blushed slightly and lowered her eyes.  "Dem was so down on himself because of that arm.  But honestly, he's amazing!  He can summon those incredible Goetians and I saw him pelt a Dragon with stones, hold a fireball in his hand, whip up a stream of water...I'd love to be able to do even half that."

            "So..." Kinana plopped down next to Mina and took a sip from her mug, "Why don't you?"

            "Well, it's hard to get people to teach me," Mina shrugged.  "We've got maybe ten magic users in Gesthal and none of them wanna put forth the effort."

            "It can be rather daunting," Aeon nodded.  "Before they would begin teaching him the art of conjuration at the Goetia academy, Deminos had to endure two years of rigorous spiritual training in order to learn to wield elemental magic.  And despite his protests to the contrary, he is quite gifted."

            "Yeah..." Mina looked up at the ceiling and sighed.  "You've gotta be gifted if you wanna get anywhere.  Daryl's been studying for years and training with Angelo ever since he and the other clergy members arrived.  And Aegle said that he had to train for eight years before he could spark his first flame..."

            Turning back to Kinana, Mina saw the succubus furrow her brow and cross her arms.  "If you talk like that, you'll never learn," she mumbled.

            "It's not like I don't want to, Miss Kinana," Mina groaned, "But no one wants to teach me!"

            "Well, how about him?" Kinana stood up and pointed at Aeon.

            "What?" Mina raised an eyebrow.

            "What?" Aeon said, the flames in his eye sockets sparking to life.  "Kinana, you realize that we must depart soon, correct?"

            "So what?" Kinana shrugged.  "We're not leaving today and you've got lots of experience."

            "Kinana, it took me ten years to learn the basics of elemental magic."

            "Then you should be able to sympathize, right?" Kinana put her hands on her hips.  "Look, if you don't want to do it, then come out and say it!  It's not like you to make excuses."

            "Ummm..." Mina stammered, glancing from Kinana to Aeon and raised her right hand.  "I...I don't want to be any trouble."

            "Hmmm..." Aeon murmured, tapping his left index finger on his right knuckle.  "I believe I already know the answer, but..." Aeon sighed and rose from his seat.  "Would you like to learn magic, Minava?"

            "O-Of course!" Mina exclaimed.  "Even if it's tough, I'd at least like to try!"

            "Why?" Aeon floated over to Kinana and gave her a curt nod.

            "Huh?"  Mina tilted her head to the side.  "Why?"

            "Yes.  Think carefully about why you would like to learn it," Aeon said.  "I believe I know...but do you?"

            Putting her hand over her heart, Mina bowed her head.  "Ummm...I don't like being helpless?"

            A sigh escaped Kinana's lips and she put a hand over half her face.  "Mina, you uppercutted and tossed a full grown conjurer off me just before he delivered a fatal blow.  You are far from helpless."

            "Try again," Aeon muttered.  "If you feel helpless then for what purpose do you seek power?"

            "Well...I guess I just want to keep my friends safe," Mina mumbled.

            "Very good," Aeon nodded.

            "Well?" Kinana slapped Aeon on the back of the head.  The lich did not seem to notice.  "Are you gonna teach her or not?"

            Glancing down at Mina, the green flames in Aeon's eye sockets swirled about, casting an eerie emerald light over the remains of their breakfast.  "To learn magic, Minava, you must be prepared for frustration.  For disappointment.  For pain.  And still be prepared to continue trying, even if your efforts seem pointless.  If you believe you can endure, then for as long as we remain here, I will teach you.

            For a moment, Mina's face was frozen in surprise.  "R-really?!" She exclaimed, jumping up from the sofa and nearly overturning the table.

            Aeon nodded.  "We can begin immediately, if you would like."

            "Yes!  Yes, please!" Mina's smile was so large her cheeks could barely contain it.

            "Very well," Aeon said, floating over to the open ice door.

            Taking Mina's hand, Kinana followed after the lich and together, the three made their way to the spiral staircase.  She stomped down on the stairway three times in rapid succession, and it lurched to life, carrying the three of them down to the ground level.

            Aeon floated off the stair well before it deposited Mina and Kinana on the ground and stopped in the center of the large, open hall of his citadel.  In the middle of the floor was Nerise, doodling with several paints from a palette at her side.  She glanced up from her drawings when she heard the stairwell drop off Mina and Kinana and waved at them.

            "Hi, Aeon, Mina, Kina," she called before turning back to her paints.

            Floating over to her side, Aeon looked over her shoulder.  "What are you making, Neri?" he murmured.

            "Vincent told me Aunt Ecchi's not feeling well.  Even worse than a few days ago.  So, I thought I'd paint her a get well picture," Nerise replied, smiling with child-like innocence.  "Weissy agreed to be my paint until I figured out what I wanna make."

            As Mina and Kinana approached Aeon and Nerise, the black paints on the crystalline floor rose up and formed a single glowing green eye.  It nodded to Nerise and Aeon before sinking back down into a picture of a tiny girl hugging a giant woman with four arms and a serpentine tail.

            "You are very thoughtful, Nerise," Aeon said, patting her on the head before floating back into the air.

            "I think I know what I wanna do," Nerise said, holding out her pallet so that the black paint could slither onto it, "Can you help me make the real thing?" she added, glancing up at Aeon.

            "I am sorry, Neri," Aeon said, turning to face Mina, who averted her eyes from his, "But I have a promise to keep.  Maybe next time."

            "Oh.  Well, that's okay," Nerise nodded and walked over to Mina and Kinana.  "What about you two?  Wanna help me paint a get well picture for Aunt Ecchi?"

            "Ummm..." Mina stammered, trying not to look into the exuberant young face of the six year old girl in front of her.

            "Mina has places she needs to be," Kinana said, giving Mina a push towards Aeon, "But I'm free.  C'mon.  Let's go get some paints from Aeon's lab."

            "Yay!  Thanks, Kina!" Nerise hugged the succubus and the two of them headed up the winding staircase hand in hand.

            When Aeon and Mina were alone, Mina bowed her head.  "Shall we go?" Aeon floated over to Mina and held out his hand.

            "You didn't have to-"

            "I agreed to teach you, Minava," Aeon murmured.  "My word is my bond.  Neri and Kinana know this as well.  That is why they went on without me."

            "Thank you," Mina whispered, taking Aeon's hand and letting the lich lead her outside through the citadel's large crystalline doors.

            When they were outside, Aeon guided Mina down a set of stone stairs to the small garden just below the tower.  Hot air intermittently billowed out of the opening next to the garden that led to Raschid.

            “Follow me,” Aeon said, placing his hand on the stone archway at the far end of the garden which led into a deep black chasm.  To Mina’s surprise, golden steps leading upwards illuminated the empty space in front of Aeon, leading from the stone archway into a spot in the air above them.

Tentatively putting her foot on one of the steps, Mina pressed down and felt that it was solid.  Holding tightly to Aeon's hand, in case the steps suddenly disappeared, Mina followed the lich all the way up to the top step.  The air seemed to ripple like water as Aeon pressed his hand against it.  Aeon pushed against the rippling air until his arm was swallowed whole.  Glancing down at Mina and nodding, he floated forward and vanished into the rippling air.  Only his hand remained, still tightly clasped to Mina's.  Taking a deep breath, Mina closed her eyes and stepped forward. 

The air around her seemed to change, as if becoming sweeter and purer.  Sniffing the air, Mina detected the smell of water and soil, perfumed by flowers she could not recognize.  Slowly, she opened her eyes and inhaled sharply at the sight that greeted her.

Suspended in the air above the black chasm and the forest surrounding Aeon's tower was a giant plot of land that looked as if it were encased in a bubble.  The sun's rays split into rainbows as they passed through the bubble, illuminating the glade with a myriad of colors.  Beneath her feet, Mina saw cerulean soil, full of tiny silver grasses and flowering blue and silver plants, while in front of her were a number of trees bearing black trunks and silver leaves.  Even the rocks seemed to glow.  Tiny particles of light rose out of the ground and trees, floating about in the air and filling it with an otherworldly radiance that was akin to snow falling up.

“A-amazing!” Mina exclaimed, a smile coming to her lips when she glimpsed the landscape in front of her.  “This place is beautiful!  But…it’s floating in mid air!  How come I never noticed it before?”

“Because I hide it with a powerful glamour," Aeon said, resting the bottom of his spine on a large, flat rock.  “Without the bubble you see around it camouflaging this place, it would glow like a diamond in the sky, even at night.  For the comfort of my comrades and to better hide Acacia, it is best if this glade remains out of sight.

“I guess that makes sense,” Mina whispered, feeling the soft textures of the leaves and the thick, but warm trunks of the trees.  “So...are you going to teach me magic here?"

"Perhaps," Aeon murmured, nodding to a rock across from him.  Obediently, Mina took a seat on it and faced the lich.  "However, before you can begin learning magic, there are a few things you need to know."

"Like what?" Mina crossed her legs and tried not to be distracted by the dancing lights all around her.

"You see magic as a source of great power and wonder," Aeon muttered, "Something almost unexplainable.  However, magic is not as miraculous as you may believe.  Magic is merely Leyline energy that we mold within our bodies before expelling it or putting it to some other use.  Do you understand?"

"Ummm...I think so," Mina stroked her chin and looked down at the soil.  "The Leyline is Shanadia's blood...and we're all born from it.  So we all have some in us.  If we learn how to mold energy like you said...then we can use magic?"

"More or less," Aeon nodded.  "Magic is often divided into four distinct schools," Aeon said, holding up his hand.  "In order of ease it goes, elemental," he raised one finger, "Conjuration," a second finger rose next to the first, "Holy," a third finger joined the others, "And void," Aeon held the four fingers up so that Mina could see them.  "Each requires different kinds of training to properly mold the Leyline energy within our bodies and each is used for wildly different purposes.  Also, among the four schools of magic are countless subsets of magic, such as necromancy, which is a subset of void magic."

Scratching her head, Mina looked down at her feet, then up at Aeon's fingers.  "So...you're going to try and teach me elemental magic, right?  It seems to be the most common.  Even Aegle and Devan can use it...though I've never seen Daryl try," Mina mused.

"You are half right," Aeon said, lowering his hand.  "I will teach you elemental magic, but only if you can take the first step yourself."

"What do you mean, 'take the first step?'" Mina cocked her eye at Aeon.

"Leyline energy does not merely exist within us, Minava," Aeon said, floating into the air.  "I want you to pay close attention to what I do." Taking a long, deep breath, Aeon held out his right hand and Mina saw hundreds of the tiny specks of light fly into his body from all sides.  A fireball burst to life in the palm of the lich's bony hand and Mina nearly fell backwards in shock.  Tearing her wide eyed gaze away fromt he flames, Mina glanced up at Aeon who held out his left hand.  A tiny trickle of ice rose out of the bone.  Slowly, the trickle spread out and formed an exact copy of Mina's face.  The face turned to the flames and puffed out its cheeks before blowing a stream of ice onto the flames and extinguishing it.

Mina's mouth hung open as Aeon folded his hands behind his back.  Sitting back down on the rock, Aeon said, "Now, tell me, Minava.  What did I do differently the first time as opposed to the second."

"Well, you used flames instead of-" Mina started, but Aeon shook his head.

"No.  Think harder.  I used magic in one hand and magic in the other.  What did I do differently?"

Furrowing her brow, Mina wrapped her arms around her legs and gazed down at her feet.  The flecks of light were coming out of the ground at a steady pace, like pollen filling the air in the middle of spring.  One fleck touched down on Mina's nose and she touched it with her finger.  Turning from the speck of light to Aeon, Mina's eyes brightened with realization.  "The lights!"

"Very good," Aeon nodded, his skull twisting into a smile.

"So...these are Leyline energy?" Mina held up the speck of light.

"Yes."

"Then...the first time, you took them into your body and the second time...you didn't?"

"Correct."

Turning from Aeon to the speck of light on her fingers, Mina cast the speck aside and rocked back and forth on her stone absentmindedly for a moment.  "So...Leyline energy doesn't just exist within us.  It exists outside of us too, in the natural world.  And...we can draw on it?" she mumbled, feeling her cheeks burning red with each word.

"Indeed," Aeon nodded.  "We almost always have a store of Leyline energy within our bodies," he placed his hand to his spine, just below his rib cage, "however to be able to use magic, we must understand the flow of Leyline energy.  We must be able to guide it without forcing it and gather energy from the world around us.  Most people let the ebb and flow happen automatically.  To understand and control it is to be a mage."

"That doesn't sound too difficult...I wonder why no one else explained it like that..." Mina said.

"Likely because it would be too difficult without a visual demonstration," Aeon replied.  "Selvan glades are one of only three places in Serano where the air is so saturated with Leyline energy that it is visible to the naked eye.  This makes it an excellent place to teach ordinary people the art of magic."

"Oh, I see," Mina nodded.  "I suppose it's like trying to explain to someone how to breathe.  You can go through the motions, but if they can't see the air, it'll be tough to explain."

"An excellent analogy," Aeon nodded.  "Now, before I can teach you magic, you must understand the flow of Leyline energy, gather it consciously, and direct it throughout your body.  When you can do this with ease, I can teach you elemental magic."

"Alright!" Mina jumped up and grinned at Aeon.  "I'm ready!"

"Your enthusiasm will get you far," Aeon said, folding his hands behind his back and floating off his rock past Mina, "However, make no mistake.  This training will likely be one of the most difficult and frustrating things you will ever do."

Falling into step next to Aeon, Mina smirked and crossed her arms.  “I handled all the breakfast and dinner shifts on my own before Celi joined up with us, remember?  Uncle Kano and I worked ourselves to the bone for that tavern, so if there’s one thing I know all about, it’s hard work!”

"Excellent.  Then I shall leave you to it," Aeon said, floating away from the Selvan glade and over the black chasm.

"W-wait!" Mina exclaimed, unwilling to put her foot over the empty black space, "You haven't taught me how to-"

"I have," Aeon said, turning back to face her.  "Understanding what I have taught is your responsibility.  What you have understood so far can take neophytes days or even weeks to wrap their heads around.  Whether or not you can go further is up to you, Minava.  You have a brain and you have imagination.  I suggest you use them."

With a sigh, Mina nodded.  "I should've known it was too good to be true...how much time will you give me to figure it out?"

"Enough," Aeon said.  "The only hint I can give you is to watch, listen, feel, taste, smell, and remember."  When he had finished, Aeon floated away before vanishing into the sprawling forest surrounding his tower.

Marching back to her rock, Mina plopped down and rested her chin on her knuckles.  "Great..." she grunted.  "Smell, listen, watch, feel and taste?"  Sliding off her rock, Mina stretched out for a moment on the soft soil and downy grass.  "What did he mean by that?  And what am I supposed to remember?"

Rolling over onto her side, Mina began to stroke the fronds of silvery grass.  They were soft and fuzzy, not unlike her uncle's beard.  Errantly picking one from the soil, Mina laid back down on her back and turned it this way and that.  Specks of silvery light spilled out of the tear at the bottom of the blade of grass for a few seconds before stopping.  Furrowing her brow, Mina laid the blade of grass back down and got to her feet again.

"Use my five senses and remember..." she mused, walking all around the glade for several minutes.  "Well, watching is pretty easy," Mina added.  "I mean, this place is full of those little specks of light.  Here, I can see Leyline energy...what else am I looking for?"

Leaning down, she retrieved the blade of grass she had plucked.  It had already lost it's fuzzy coating and seemed very brittle between her fingers.  Laying it back down next to its brethren, Mina felt a fresh piece.  It was warm, almost like a woolen fleece.  Taking the brittle blade of grass in one hand and feeling the fresh piece in the other, Mina murmured, "I guess for touch...it's life.  They feel so different when they're alive as opposed to when they wither and die.  It's not just the fuzz either...it's..." she stopped and put the brittle blade of grass down next to the fresh piece.  "Sorry,  she sighed, bowing her head to the piece of grass.  "Guess I've never appreciated what happens to the grass I trample on before now."

Treading carefully, Mina made her way to the edge of the bubble.  Taking a quick sniff of the air, she smiled at it.  There was a pleasant earthen smell with a hint of water that almost smelled like rain.  The flowers perfumed the air even further, tickling her nose with sweet sensations.

Holding on to a tree to keep from falling, Mina stuck her head as far out of the bubble as she could go and immediately her nose was assaulted by the lack of smells.  There was no water and no flowers perfumed the air.  Nevertheless, she breathed in several times, sniffing the air as she did and found that it wasn't any worse than the air in the glade.  From far below her, she caught the faint smell of soil and trees, along with a rank odor from an apocra treading through the forest.  Feeling her arms start to go numb from holding onto the tree in the glade, Mina pulled herself back inside the bubble.

"Well, it didn't smell as good," she panted, watching her chest heave with each breath.  "But air is air, right?," she mused, leaning against the tough, but warm trunk of one of the black trees.

Mina headed back to the rock she had been sitting on when Aeon first brought her to the glade and closed her eyes.  Cupping her hands to her ears, she listened.

A little ways off from where she sat, Mina heard water bubbling up from the ground.  The wind whistled through the trees and the leaves rustled with each gust.  It was perfectly tranquil around her.

Flopping back onto the grass, Mina let out a groan.  "Ugh!  It's...normal!  I can see the Leyline energy, but everything else is normal...as normal as a floating chunk of forest can be, at least."

Turning her head, Mina saw the water she had heard before bubbling up in the form of a natural spring.  It flowed out of the ground and created a small pond a short distance from where she lay.  The water seemed to be full of the little specks of light and sparkled as if it was loaded down with gemstones.

            Shrugging, Mina rose to her feet, walked over to the stream, and sat down in front of it.  She scooped a handful of water out of it and watched as the little bits of Leyline energy danced around in her palm before the water leaked through her fingers.  Cupping her hands together once again, Mina scooped up another handful of water, but stared at it for only a second before holding it to her lips and gulping it down.

            Blinking, Mina put her hand to her throat.  "It...tastes like water," she mumbled, putting her hand into the pool and swirling the glowing particles of Leyline energy around.  "Just...normal water," she sighed.

            Getting to her feet, Mina paced back and forth between the pond and the rock she had been sitting on.  Occasionally she would stop to watch the particles of light rise out of the ground and float into the air.  Minutes ticked by slowly and eventually, Mina laid back down on the soil.

            "Aeon...what am I missing?" she groaned, turning over on the ground.  The blue soil felt warm against her skin and the flecks of light rising out of it felt like a gentle breeze as they gently caressed her. 

            "Hmmm..." Mina put her hands over her eyes and dozed.  "Let's see...Leyline energy is in the natural world and it's also in us," she mused.  "But usually we can't see it or feel it.  So...how do I get it to enter me?"

            Eventually, Mina turned onto her side and her stomach let out a gurgle.  Sitting up with a grimace, she held her hand over it.  "Ugh...I think I ate too much," she groaned, breathing slowly to quiet the rumbling.  Crawling over to the pond of water, she drank deeply from the glowing pool.  The particles of light passed through her lips and she sat back on the grass, breathing slowly until the gurgling subsided.  As she gulped down air, Mina noticed that she was swallowing the specks of light in the air.

            Her eyes slowly widened and she glanced from the water, which still sparkled with Leyline energy, to the air full of glowing lights.  "He put his hand where his stomach would've been," Mina whispered, holding her stomach and getting to her feet.

            "Okay, so...all this time I've been drawing in Leyline energy through food, water, and air?" Mina mused, trekking back over to her rock and taking a seat.  "I guess that's what Aeon meant when he said people let it happen automatically.  My senses can't find anything different...but they're still going into me," she murmured, watching the flecks of light go into her mouth with each breath.  "Unconsciously, at least.  Hmmm...maybe that's the point," Mina mused.

            Crossing her legs under herself, Mina let out a sigh.  "Maybe...maybe if I focus on gathering energy through my breath...yeah...I saw Aeon take a long deep breath and..." Mina stopped and felt her heart, which was beating a little faster than normal.  "Okay...calm down...try and focus on breathing, like Aeon was doing," she said, holding out her hands, as Aeon had done while the particles of light drifted around her fingers.  Closing her eyes, she started to breathe, slowly and deliberately.  The sounds of the Selvan glade intermixed with her own breathing and a slight breeze ruffled her hair.  The smell of the air wafted into her nostrils and passed down her throat.

            For several minutes, Mina focused on her breathing, doing it as deliberately as possible.  She smelt and tasted the air as it passed through her while listening to the glade.  Eventually, she began to notice a strange warmth creeping into her stomach.  Mina opened her eyes as she took another breath and saw the flecks of light flow through her mouth and nose as she inhaled while only empty air came out when she exhaled.  Glancing over at her arms, while continuing to breathe, she noticed a few particles vanishing into her skin rather than floating over them. 

            Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through Mina's stomach and she hugged her stomach.  Losing her balance, Mina tumbled off the rock and let out a groan of pain.  It felt to her as if the warmth which had gathered in her stomach was pushing its way back out of her.  Forcing herself onto her hands and knees, Mina held one hand over her mouth for a moment before retching up the contents of her stomach onto the ground.

            Collapsing on the warm blue soil, Mina wiped excess vomit from her mouth and lay still, unable to move.  "Ugh..." she groaned, trying to sit up.  Her stomach let out another gurgle and she flopped back down on the ground and closed her eyes.  Suddenly, some water was pressed to her lips and she drank thirstily, trying to purge her throat of the burning sensation of the vomit.

            Strong arms lifted Mina up and patted her on the back.  "My apologies," a calm, tender voice whispered in her ear, "I had forgotten that the Selvan glades can cause gatherer's sickness for the inexperienced."

            Lifting her head, Mina saw that she was leaning over Aeon's shoulder.  "Ugh...for a second there, I thought...I thought I felt something," she said, holding her hand over her mouth.

            "You did," Aeon said, "Well done."

            "Wh-what?" Mina grunted, using Aeon to steady herself as she tried to stand up on her wobbling legs.

            "You are unable to properly control the flow," Aeon muttered, "But you have taken the first step into a bigger world."

            "Heh..." Mina managed a chuckle, "I thought this was supposed to be hard."

            "Then perhaps you are ready to try again," Aeon muttered, sitting her down on the rock.  "This time, I will help you, in case you are sick again."

            Glancing down at the puddle of vomit she left on the ground, Mina flushed red and nodded.  "Alright...I'll try."

            Closing her eyes, Mina began to breathe slowly and deliberately once again.  Gooesbumps rose on her skin as Aeon put his cold hand on her shoulder, but she tried to ignore the feeling and focus on her breathing.  Emptying her mind of anything but the sound of the world around her, the smell and taste of the air, Mina saw the flecks of light being drawn into her with each breath.  Rather than watching them, however, she scrunched her eyes shut and tried to avoid being distracted.  Warmth built in her stomach and it began to rumble.  Instinctively, Mina tried to put her right hand over her belly, but Aeon caught her hand and held it still.  She trembled and felt her body heave as something coursed up her throat.  However, it stopped before getting to her mouth.  A gentle chill flowed into her through her shoulder.  Rather than heaving uncontrollably, Mina felt more in control of her body and swallowed, forcing the warm mass back down her throat and guiding it into her stomach.

            Just as she was about to breathe a sigh of relief, Mina felt Aeon lifting up her right arm.  "Try and guide the warmth you are feeling into your right hand."

            Slowly, Mina nodded and contracted her stomach, trying to force the warm feeling up to her chest.  Once again, she had to resist the urge to vomit, but the refreshing chill in her shoulder  helped Mina hold the warm mass down.  Her chest tightened as she moved the warmth through her arm.  Once the warm feeling had made its way into her trembling hand, however, it suddenly became very hot, like a raging volcano threatening to explode out of her arm in one burst.  She began to whimper, but the cold from her shoulder slowly extended into her arm and her trembling ceased.

            "Now...push it out of your hand," Aeon murmured.

            Gulping down air, Mina tried to force the pain in her hand out through her skin.  Her muscles tensed and her heart pounded uncontrollably.  Grabbing her right arm to hold it steady, Mina exhaled at the same moment the pain in her hand erupted out of her palm with the feeling of a dozen needles pushing through her flesh.

            A burst of wind shot out of Mina's skin, rustling the grass and the leaves of the trees.  Once the wind had died down, Mina collapsed in Aeon's arms, panting hard as sweat formed on her brow.

            "Congratulations," Aeon muttered, holding her up with his bony hands, "How did your first spell feel?"

            Grimacing and blinking rapidly, Mina managed a weak smile.  "Painful..." she grunted.

            "It always is, at first," Aeon added.  "But in time, it will become easier.  Your magical ability is akin to a muscle.  The more you exercise it, the stronger it will become.  The pain you are feeling is because this muscle has never been used before now."

            Holding her hand over her stomach, Mina nodded and glanced over at Aeon.  The lich's eye sockets glowed with a gentle green light that was focused squarely on her.  "Thank you..." Mina said.  "You were right...it was hard.  But I'm glad I tried.  I...I don't understand why I got sick, though."

            "Because you are unused to drawing in Leyline energy," Aeon said, helping Mina over to the pool of water and gingerly lowering her to the ground so she could drink from it.  "What you experienced was called gatherer's sickness.  I believe you know that Leyline energy is stored in your center, correct?"

            Wiping water from her mouth, Mina nodded.  "In the stomach, right?"

            "Yes," Aeon nodded.  "And for some, Leyline energy is like a strange and unusual piece of food the stomach does not know how to process.  As such, it rejected the energy, pushing it out of you along with whatever else was in your stomach."

            Gripping her stomach, Mina said, "That's why...but it didn't happen the second time, because you-"

            "I merely use void magic to bypass some of your body's more automatic reactions, like your gag reflex," Aeon cut her off.  "You were the one to gather the energy.  And because I bypassed your reflexes, you had enough control to guide it into your hand as well."

            "So...does that mean I can't do magic without your help?" Mina sighed and stumbled to her feet.

            "Not at all," Aeon shook his head.  "Gatherer's sickness is only caused by a sudden influx of Leyline energy into the body when your body is not prepared to handle it.  Most mages spend several months channeling low levels of Leyline energy in and out of their body daily before they are ready to store it within them.  Because you have only recently started channeling the energy, your body is not yet used to it.  That will change, in time."

            "Will I have to stop eating in order to keep training like this?" Mina swallowed hard and let out a groan.

            "Hmmmhmmm," Aeon chuckled softly, "No, all things that live require food, Minava.  I would have thought you understood that Leyline energy has no physical presence.  It permeates the body, but it cannot weigh your stomach down like a heavy meal."  Placing his hand on Mina's shoulder, Aeon led her towards the exit of the garden.  "It will take time, but so long as you train daily and keep your body healthy, you will learn to control Leyline energy."

            "Ummm...shouldn't I clean that up?" Mina pointed to the pile of vomit on the grass and blushed.

            "No, leave it.  The soil will break it down quickly enough and turn it into Leyline energy for the plants to enjoy."

            "O-okay..." Mina gulped as they headed down the glowing stairwell leading out of the Selvan glade.  "Aeon...how long was I at that?" she mumbled, glancing up at the sky, where the sun had already started to droop.

            "A few hours," Aeon replied.  "Enough time for me to welcome Dakon and his apocra back from their training exercises and to help Nerise finish her get well picture to Echidna."

            "Huh?" Mina blinked her eyes and glanced down at the end of the glowing stairwell.  She immediately recognized the large, glassy black form of Weiss, standing behind Nerise and Kinana. 

            "Mina!  Mina!  Come see what I made!" Nerise jogged over to Mina the instant she got off the glowing stairwell and handed her a canvas that was almost as tall as Nerise was.  While crudely drawn with a variety of paints, Mina was able to make out a black haired girl hugging a large, serpentine woman with four arms who was painted bluish green. 

            "That looks great!  I bet Echidna will love it," Mina laughed and handed it back to Nerise.

            "Weissy and I are gonna go give it to her now!" Nerise skipped over to Weiss and climbed into the Nihilon's large black hand.

            "If you will excuse us," Weiss nodded to Aeon and the others before lifting Nerise up and placing her on his shoulder.  The giant, glassy skinned black figure climbed out of the tiny alcove and headed into the forest before eventually disappearing from sight.

            As soon as Nerise had gone, Kinana furrowed her brow and glared at Aeon.  "What happened?!  Mina looks sick!"

            "It's nothing, Miss Kinana," Mina smiled, even though her stomach started to rumble.  "I'm fine."

            "She is better than fine," Aeon said, patting Mina's shoulder.  "She managed to use magic."

            "Already?!" Kinana exclaimed.

            "Well...Aeon helped," Mina lowered her eyes and blushed.  "I woulda been even sicker if I'd tried to without him."

            "Still, that's great!" Kinana hugged Mina so tightly that she lifted the fourteen year old girl off the ground.  "I'm so proud of you!  A few more training sessions and you'll be a master!"

            "Ummm..." Mina stammered and glanced back at Aeon.  "Will there be any more training sessions?"

            The lich shrugged.  "I will be gone for much of tomorrow, however you are free to come here and use the glade.  Just step through the archway and the stairs will appear."

            "I meant...when do you leave?" Mina added as Kinana lowered her to the ground.

            "Who can say?" Aeon muttered, folding his hands behind his back.  "Master Dezolis has requested an audience of me to discuss that very matter.  I will return before dark on the morrow.  If you wait for me, I can give you a bit more instruction.  In the meantime, I suggest you practice on your own." 

            "What can I do to make sure I don't get sick like last time?" Mina asked.

            "You will have to focus harder, since the air back in Gesthal is not as saturated with Leyline energy," Aeon responded, "Try and become one with the world, as you were in the glade.  Be aware of the invisible energy around you and guide it into your body.  Once you start to feel the energy gather within you, stop, so that it does not make you sick once again.  Do this enough and eventually you will be able to gather Leyline energy with no problems."

            "Alright," Mina nodded, "I'll try.  Thank you so much for all your help," she smiled at Aeon and gave the lich a short bow.  "I think I should head back now.  It's still another hour or two until the dinner shift, but I'd like to rest a bit before then."

            "Will you be alright walking home?" Kinana murmured, putting a hand on Mina's shoulder.  "Maybe I should come with you."

            "No, it's okay.  I'll be fine," Mina said, skipping up the stone steps that led out of the tiny garden below Aeon's tower. 

            Though her legs felt a bit weak, a smile was plastered all over Mina's face and she let out a whoop as she dashed across the meadow between Aeon's tower and Acacia's exit.  Grabbing the door's handle, she flung it open and skipped through the dimly lit halls.  She was so preoccupied that she didn't notice Deminos until she had collided with him.

            "Ugh...what's with you?!" Deminos grunted, picking himself up off the stone floor.  "Why don't you watch where you're going?!"

            "S-sorry," Mina blushed.

            "Heh...I guess things went okay with Aeon, huh?" the scrawny brunette teen snickered as he held out a hand to help Mina up.

            "Better than I could have dreamed!" Mina squealed, pulling herself up with Deminos's help.  "Aeon agreed to teach me a little magic!"

            "You poor thing," Deminos sighed, shaking his head.  "You think it's all fun and games now, but wait till he sends you over to Gadius for the physical training.  It's supposed to improve the body's capacity to hold Leyline energy, but..." his shoulders drooped as he spoke.  "I think it's killing me.  I'm lucky that stupid Vey gave me the day off after...well, you know."

            "Don't be so down on yourself, Dem," Mina smiled and patted the sorcerer's left arm.  "You can already do a ton of amazing things.  I know you can handle a little exercise.  Anyway, did Celi give you the scales?"

            A smirk crossed Deminos's lips and he pulled the three Dragon scales and the egg fragment they had found in Draconia out of his tunic.  "I owe you big time, Mina.  These will go a long way to helping me fix my arm," Deminos held up his freshly bandaged right arm and nodded.  "Good thing you and Celine remembered...I totally spaced on these last night."

            "Glad I could help," Mina said, "So, how was the tour?"

            "Hehe, a little boring...though, Celine and I did get a chance to go harass your snooty friend.  That was fun," Deminos chuckled.  "I think your uncle might have the wrong idea about us though..."

            "Let him dream," Mina shrugged and the two shared a quick laugh.  "Anyway, I've gotta get back.  I hope you come visit us again, though.  Our home is your home," she smiled broadly at Deminos.

            "Might take you up on that..." Deminos groaned, rubbing his black eye.  "Yuka said I had a lot to make up for.  Maybe treating her to one of Kano's famous breakfasts'd help."

            "Couldn't hurt," Mina snickered before brushing past Deminos.  "Later, Dem," she said, heading towards the exit.

            Pulling the heavy metal door open, Mina scooted outside and shut the door behind her.  Seconds after it was shut, the door faded into the smooth hill which concealed Acacia.  There was a crisp breeze wafting through the trees next to the hill and the smell of spring flowers reached Mina's nose as she headed back towards Gesthal. 

            As she walked, Mina glanced down at her hands.  There was a slight bruise from where the wind had burst out of her palm, but it was barely noticeable against her skin.  Smiling contentedly at the bruise, Mina murmured, "I did magic."

            "HEY!"  Raising her eyes, Mina saw Celine waving to her from the edge of Gesthal.  "Hurry up!  The dinner shift starts in an hour and the old man wants help with the stew!"

            "Coming!" Mina waved back, skipping her way over to Celine with a happy grin on her face.

            "Judging from your expression, I guess things turned out okay, huh?" Celine put her arm around Mina's shoulders.

            "Oh, you have no idea..." Mina giggled.  "I'll tell you all about it after dinner."