Augmented Aspects [Steampunk], [Progression], [Gamelit]

Revealing Lessons from Spray Healing

"Today, my goal is to make it so you all will grow up to be POp stars." I begin with my ultimate purpose for this overcrowded lesson.

Since everyone took it upon themselves to try to take as many of my magical degree paths as possible, I now need to teach everyone everything. Which is sort of nice as I hate repeating myself between lessons and it means that my students are all learning at roughly the same pace as their counterparts.

"Generally, mages fall into one of two categories, at least at first. There are the MOps and the POps." I begin, and I pause there as I get the question that I had been expecting.

"MOps and Pops?"

Not really a question, as it could just be considered an echoing of my words back at me, but I do try to take this moment to express to the class the difference between the two.

"Yes, MOps or Mana Overpowered Method of casting. Or the POps as in the Precision Overpowered method of casting. Standard spell types and preset spell patterns teach us to be MOps, but my goal is to get it so you can all be POp stars by the time you graduate" I explain.

I give everyone a moment to let these two concepts sink in.

"The reason why all mages will fall into the MOps category, at first, is that it is a lot easier to just hurl massive amounts of mana at a spell and almost will it to take shape. This is fine, as it helps the mage get the basics that will and imagination are the fundamental building blocks for all magical spells. This is generally why premade spells are spelled out for you in terms of what they do, and how they are an improvement from previous versions. Improved Invisibility will create a barrier around you that you can move in and walk around freely in, only dropping once you yourself break that barrier." I state, and mentally chastise myself for picking one of the few modes of magic that I still have a hard time with. Not that casting Illusory spells are particularly tough, they are a rather soft and supple blue that seem to cling to things like a comfortable shawl, but I have a hard time discerning their ultimate effectiveness given my Angel's Sight, as such I often try to avoid it as a magical category.

There is an awkward moment as one of the smarter students raises their hand, but then instantly drops it, as fear grips them.

"You have a question?" I ask.

"Umm, not to distract you, but that's not what Improved Invisibility does at all."

Hearing that, I can only nod in annoyance, as I already knew I messed up by choosing this magical category, one where I don't even know what their basic spells are. I sigh and then give him a hand rolling gesture as in to get along with his speech.

"I take it you can tell us the true definition of Improved Invisibility then?" I ask.

"Improved Invisibility is an illusory spell that masks the user from multiple senses, including sight, hearing, and smell. The effects last anywhere from forty-five seconds to a minute, and can vary based on atmospheric conditions." The student recites verbatim, almost as if reading from their status screen, which they likely are.

"Wow, with magic like that, no wonder we can't have progress as a magical society. Still, this only proves my point about the two primary categories."

"It does?" The mage asks.

"Yes, this spell likely teaches you to be a MOp, regardless of what your actual affinity relies on." I continue.

For a second I think about asking them to come up and demonstrate the effects of Improved Invisibility as a spell, but then I decide against that, as I can't see to verify the effects. I could tell that more magic would be used, and that structurally my spell would be stronger, but that did little when I couldn't verify the actual effect.

I think about the problem for a moment and then realize this is a perfect time to bond with my Apprentice, someone that is a permanent fixture of my daily quests.

Yeah, it wouldn't be enough for us to just win, but we needed to win in exciting fashion. A part of me still hates this entire process, yet I can't complain too much as it would just waste more precious time. However, it is that last part that makes me realize I need to spend more individual time with my Apprentice, despite spending no less than four hours each day teaching her and the others about Magical Theory and expression.

"Speaking of MOps, the person who has the most Mana Overpowered approach to casting would have to be my Apprentice." I begin.

Shock.

I can already see and feel the fear radiating off of Valeria Spray-Healer, my Apprentice. She doesn't move, as it is clear that she was not expecting this exact reaction from me. Which is when I double down and rely on the ultimate power in the world to get her to come up here. That's right, I resort to peer pressure.

"Come on everyone, let's give her a big cheer and round of applause for my Apprentice, Valeria Spray-Healer." I state, while gesturing to the panic-stricken woman. It's subtle, but if you know her, and know what to look for, you can see the signs. There is the widening of the eyes, the locking in place of limbs, as if standing still will hide her from me.

Clapping.

At that, everyone begins clapping in anticipation, which does the trick I had been hoping for and forces Valeria to stand up. Which she does, albeit reluctantly. Her stiff body gets up and jerkily begins to move, before she is able to move around freely.

"Everyone, this is my lovely Apprentice," I begin, trying to shower her with praise for coming up and being brave enough to face my entire class. Most smile warmly, but there is one who has a micro-flash of annoyance cross her face, before she regains control and goes back to a sort of neutral state.

Stolen novel; please report.

Normally, I wouldn't pay any attention to such expressions, but that one caught me off guard, particularly as it was from Penelope. I tried to understand why Penelope would make such a face, but I can't come up with anything. Maybe they had a spat in private? I don't know, but it doesn't seem to be anything major, but I do make a note to talk to Penelope about that, but later.

"And what you might know her best for is for her patented Spray-Healing effect." I begin.

At this, Valeria herself seems to be annoyed, but quickly recovers, as she seems to know exactly where this will go.

"Now Spray-Healing, or at least the method used by Valeria here is the epitome of MOps casting." I begin, and then using a bit of Earth Magic I have a rock rise up from the ground that is roughly humanoid in shape. I give it a bit of what I think is color and light, by basically growing plants on it and through it with Nature Magic. For a moment I almost think that I should have just started with Healing Magic and gone for real flesh and bone, but just stop as this is a class and I just needed to give Valeria a target, as she always seems to have issues just casting into thin air. In what I mentally attribute as having the magical Yips, the illusory mental block that keeps a good mage from being able to perform magic without a spell.

Maybe it's a lack of focus? As in she can't mentally construct the spell without having a visual target to cast at. It's odd, and I am mentally trying to diagnose her problem with magical yips when I realize I am onto something. Or rather the system makes it blatant that I am finally onto something involving my Apprentice.

Badump, badump, badump.

Seeing that system message, I felt my little heart beat three times faster. There it was, Perfect Casting. Or at least the principals for how I was to perform Perfect Casting. Seeing it right there spelled out before me, I could almost feel pixie drool coming to my lips. This was the pinnacle of casting, something that I had seen and been enticed by for months, and yet every time I got close it either eluded me or remained just outside my grasp. Yet, here it was, the system all but telling me how to cast perfectly.

It should be noted that at times like these, with these particular quests, I feel that there is a second AI running this world. This AI is much older, and seemingly wiser. The younger AI has no clue about magic, as if it only learned about magic from books. The second AI doesn't seem to understand magic either, at least it never shows up as a being that was ever able to use magic, but it has a much better magical mindset. It's algorithms can predict ways magic should work better, this is the force that I often listen to when I am close to a breakthrough, I can almost feel it whispering into my ears, telling me I am close and to trust myself and go on, that I can do it.

Of course, it would be great if the second AI could tell me how to do it, how to improve, but this is why I think it doesn't know either. It knows the theory, but lacks the nuance to use and control the power of the world, of the universe around us. Yet, it is times like these, moments that it pushes me forward. Almost as if I am the top of dead man's turn in my radio flyer, one where we hooked the wings up perfectly. I am there, looking down, mentally preparing myself, then before I even realize it, I am racing down with speed and force. Speed caused by my dad why pushed me before I was ready, mainly because he knew I would never be ready on my own, that I would doubt myself.

In my mind, I remember the moment, one where I took flight, if only for a moment. I rode down, bouncing once, a soar. Bouncing twice, two seconds off the ground, crashing hard, we jumped up, as I kicked up, willing the flyer to rise up with my will alone, and I did. For three seconds easy, I had the best experience in the world, I flew. I had made it, while I could feel gravity fighting me every second of the way, I still flew.

For a moment I wonder where that memory came from, and why I was suddenly reminded of that moment now. It was only after a second that I realized that was the first moment when I realized magic was real, or at least what I thought magic should be. Magic was flying on your own, defying gravity, and soaring in the air.

Unfortunately, when I came down a fourth time, gravity took its cruel revenge. I crashed hard, causing the wheels to pop out, causing me to slam into the ground and slide to a stop. In the end, dad and I were grounded from ever flying again, especially after dad had to explain why we were in the Emergency Room and I had not one, but two broken legs, but it was worth it.

Flash.

"Whoa!" My class erupts with words of surprise.

Only after a second do I realize that I am apparently leaking energy on high.

"You okay?" Penelope asks, somehow going from her seat in the front row to by my side and holding my hand. Her touch, a gentle grounding to help me focus on the here and now.

"Wow, what just happened?" I ask, shaking my head only to realize that Valeria wisely had taken a step back, Penelope was next to me. Jhonny, my bodyguard, was a few feet away, easily within jumping distance if needed, but still somewhat far away. Then half my class was either leaning forward, as if watching a huge bonfire erupting before their faces, or leaning backwards mouths wide with shock.

"I," I begin, almost telling how my mind rambled to a memory of my dad. A good memory, and one that I mentally tag as a way to find him. Maybe with a modified Leaf to Branch type spell, one that could help me transcend his protective mortal shell that I could hopefully dislodge and help him reunite with mother. Yeah, I know that wasn't what I was actually thinking about, but it just came to me as a way to finish my mother's dying request. Mentally tagging that as a win, I go for the truth. Well a version of the truth, "I got a new quest."

"A quest?" Penelope asks nervously.

I don't know why she would be so nervous, "don't worry this quest isn't about you." I begin, then turning to face the backpedaling Valeria, "get over here, we have something to learn."

Yet, despite my actions, and welcoming gestures, Valeria took another step backwards. I was about to comment, when Penelope beat me to it.

"Perhaps, you shouldn't look half crazed with that look of excited discovery that people associate with a level three or higher Cass-Tastrophy?"

I roll my eyes at the comment, even tilting my head back. "People are still using that joke?"

"That joke has saved lives," Jhonny cuts in from behind me. With both of them, I feel all the fun I was experiencing a moment ago leave me. I still have the insights for this particular quest with learning about Valeria's unique Spray-Healing qualities and how it has a portion of a perfect cast within it. The spells are wasteful, sloppy, and seem to be short ranged but they still have a portion of perfect casting within them. Granted that portion is at the center of the spell and not at the sides, but it is still there, and that is what this quest is likely hinting at, that if I get her to cast with a POps method, she might improve, and I might finally understand what she is doing.

"Okay fine," I state, taking a deep breath and calming myself. All memories of my dad teaching me to fly, gone. Along with all expectations that I am going to solve how to conduct a perfectly casted spell. Instead, I am here trying to get my Apprentice to do what she is good at, Spray-Healing.

"Valeria, your task is simple," I state as I begin creating a second humanoid copy of the stone with natural bark growing around its outside. "I want you to begin casting your healing spell at the first target."

There is a pause as Valeria seems to doubt me, but after a nod from Penelope who is now up by my side, apparently as an aide. Maybe the pretty assistant, as people do seem to be calmer around her and more able to ask her questions that should be directed towards me. Not that I get jealous, but it does sort of hurt that they choose to interact with her over me.

Splash.

As expected of Valeria's unique casting style a spray of green Healing Magic erupts from her hand, arcs in the air and hits the target closest to her, right in its chest. I nod, letting the stream continue in this manner for a few seconds.

"Now, without turning your hand, body or any part of you. I need you to change your target to the target on your left." I state.

"What? I can't!" Valeria demands.

"Of course you can, just focus your control over the magic and rather than guiding it forward, curve it to the left." I state as if trying to say the most obvious thing.

"Control over the magic?" She asks, still utterly confused.

Then a light bulb goes off in my head, as I suddenly find myself gliding over to her, third eye opened as I try to see her magic.

"WHA-AHHH!" She cries out, as she had tried to focus on the task at hand, that of switching targets, but she ended up turning me and spraying me with a torrent of highly pressurized Healing Magic. Magic that I caught full on in the face.

"Oh, so sorry!" Valeria cries out, stopping only after realizing that I am now doused in magical goop.

"BLEH! Like a magical facial!" I exclaim, as my hands reach up to rub the magically congealing slime away from my face.

"Never say that again," Penelope warns.

I pause and look at her, confusion evident on my face.

"It's an adult thing, you'll realize when you are older." Penelope clarifies. I just continue to stare at her, but realize this is one of those 'the parental guidance filter is keeping things PG in my mind.' I nod and go back to my thoughts.

My third eye is still open, which is why I can see the way the congealed mana slowly clumps together, before fading away into glowing slimy goodness. Looking at the mana, I realize this is thick, far too thick for a standard casting. My mind runs through different calculations, and I realize something definitive.

"You don't actually control the spell once it leaves your hand do you?" I ask.

That's when Valeria gives me the most groundbreaking answer. An answer that would help me solve all of the questions of the universe.

"No, I just choose a direction and cast it," Valeria stated as if that would somehow answer everything. And the sad part was, it did.

"GAH!" Was all I managed to get out in anger. Mostly with myself for missing the clearly obvious answer.

"What's wrong?" Penelope asked, her voice calm and reassuring.

"It's just so stupid, that I can't believe I missed it."

"What?"

"I just. . ."