(Resumed) Solstice

[Emmett]

It was Friday, and I woke up refreshed.

I leapt out of bed, gathered my things, threw on a new set, and hopped to class.

Ser Sakura issued a pop quiz in Theory of Magick today. It was mostly straightforward, asking about combinations of Aspects and Elements, and evaluating a written scenario to determine what was used. I noted a cheeky question: "What happens if you combine Æther and Light?" and wrote out that the result was just Light Magick. The real trick question, however, asked, "What Element would you use to cast Lightning Magick?" I ran through the elements: Fire wouldn't work, Air only concerned itself with the wind but if I had to guess it would be this Element, Water could create rain but not lightning, and Earth was right out. In the end, I guessed Air and turned in my paper.

When everyone in the class finished, Ser Sakura stood up. "So, how many of you got stuck on that lightning question?"

Several hands were raised, including mine, and interesting enough, Patrick's. Grace did not raise hers.

Ser Sakura chuckled. "Well, let's go over that one first." She held out her left hand, and a torch flame emerged out of it, plain as day. "This is Fire Magick, as you all know." She curled her fingers slightly, and the orange flame condensed into a searing white-hot beam. "This is me gathering all the fire, compacting and focusing it, and releasing it in one narrow stream."

She terminated the spell and held out her other hand. "And this, is lightning conjured through Magick."

"So it is Fire-" Patrick started to cheer.

Azure lightning sparked and jumped around Ser Sakura's right hand. She waved that hand, and the Æther arced behind it. She smiled as the class groaned and whined and sometimes cursed, and waited for the commotion to die down before speaking. "It was a trick question; Lightning is Unattuned."

Of course it was. I made a mental note of that, as it meant I could use it someday, at least in theory, and the class went on to talk briefly about Body Magick, specifically Strengthening.

"It is true that Unattuned Magick is negated by any Element or Aspect, and that any Element or any Aspect is negated by any Aspected Element," Ser Sakura mused, "but that only applies when the Magicks are in direct contact. There's a reason staves and polearms were favoured weapons of Battle Magi of all stripes. Mister Douglas,  please conjure and sustain a shield of stone."

The tan-robed older student stood up from the corner of the room and approached the teacher. He thrust his arms to each side so taut they shook. Moments later his hands snapped back into a prayer clasp. Amber light rose up and coalesced into a pillar of rough stone reminiscent of the Iron By Right Mine at Golden Palette. The wall solidified, but the amber light remained. The Student of Earth held still.

Ser Sakura drew her hands back and thrust them out. A torrent of Æther left her and careened right into the makeshift wall, a wave of force in its wake kicking papers and a few students off their desks.

The beam evaporated on contact with the amber cloak. The spell persisted, fading after a few seconds.

"As you see, I am using raw Magick, refined to neither Aspect nor Element," she said, "Mister Douglas, please step out of the flight path." He did as directed and she pulled a kunai out from her robe. A brief azure shrouded it for a moment before she flicked it forward. Faster than an arrow it left her hand, and with a snap in the wind it bore the pillar in twain. Even with Magick, the stone crumbled. "This time the target was mostly myself. Yes, some went into the weapon and yes it was dispelled. However, Magick cannot negate physics. Take the weekend to meditate over what you just saw, and we will expand on the topic on Monday. Class dismissed."

I looked toward the wall to find a crumpled heap of metal that used to be a throwing knife.

I stood up, gave my thanks, jogged over to my Physical Fitness class, changed, and started on my warm-ups. This time Larsen had called for thirty push-ups and sit-ups instead of the usual twenty. I wondered if this would be a pattern throughout the weeks.

"Just because it's Friday doesn't mean you can dawdle!" Larsen shouted, "Move! Move!"

I had gotten myself into another race with Ansel. My muscles tightened and I felt that familiar slow burn in my lungs. I also noticed something else swimming about within me.

"You alright, Em?!" Ansel called, "I know you're not that slow!"

"I'm alright!" I shouted back. "I-" I took a couple of seconds to compose my words, "I feel like my body's trying to cast something!" This was PT after all, and Magick was forbidden.

Ansel bellowed in laughter and shot a grin my way. "Well I'll be! Good to hear; you'll need that for MMA!"

Ansel's happiness bled into me and the frightful tension washed away, but the urge to lose my Æther remained. Feeling calmer, I focused on it a little more and realised that I had felt it before. On Tuesday with the weights, on Wednesday during MMA, and yesterday at the meetup; whenever I was competing with Ansel and giving it my all, my Ætheric vessel would swell, and the Æther would surge out of me. This time however I noticed it and drew focus upon it. I was finally able to hold it back and stop myself from accidentally cheating.

A meddlesome irony it was, that I had to let go of competition in exchange for insight. I swore to myself: it would only be this once.

We ran our cooldown laps, and after a bath I changed back into robes for my next class.

Ansel waved me farewell when I stepped out of the barracks. "See you at MMA,"

I felt my Ætheric vessel return to normal and spent my lunch hour studying for my 2PM Spell Circles test.

Four and twenty runes. Four and twenty names. Four and twenty meanings. The moment I sat down, I was given a test paper. I went to work. Five minutes later I filled out the exam paper. I spent the next five checking my work and finally turned it in. While waiting for my classmates I closed my eyes and recalled the sensation I felt back at PT. Eventually I got my paper back with a score of 68/72 and smiled. I took note of my mistakes; I'd have the time to go over them in the flying carriage.

At the end of the school day was Magickal Martial Artes. Ser Linn was the instructor for the day. He mentioned not having anything new to teach for the day, and even if he did it was the weekend and several of us had Squad Missions to cover. that it wouldn't be the most helpful anyway since it was the weekend and quite a few of us had squad assignments after.

Ansel sought me out and we faced each other in our stances. "Well Em," he said, "this is it. You ready?"

I wasn't.

Ansel chambered a punch from a distance.

I nodded and braced myself.

Ansel punched out, and a shrike of azure slammed into my nose before I could react.

My feet scrambled back and my hands covered my face in wait for the next strike. I saw another flash of Magick and pushed my arms out to block. Ansel's shrike pushed me back a step, and I hadn't finished shaking it off when a third crashed into my left ribcage. I flailed my arms to keep from falling to the right when the fourth punched me in the chest and lifted me slightly off the ground.

There it was again. Æther swelled within me; the urge to release it returned. My feet found firm ground and I opened my hands. It gathered.

"Awakening-"

I heard Ansel chant. I couldn't see him for my eyes were closed, but at that moment I was a goner. Last time it put me on the ground by itself. This time it was stronger and I was weaker.

I couldn't survive this. My heart bounced all over my chest, and desperation singed my veins.

Danger stalked my flanks. I threw a right hook clear across my chest and punched a heavy globule aside. I snapped my arm back taut, and the second threat bounced off.

"-Comet!"

Fury screamed before me.

The pressure on my insides climbed ever higher-

Her Touch Between My Legs
Ethereal Chains On My Wrists And Ankles

My heart seized and my stomach turned.

Fatal Magick plumed at my anterior. Bitter, that in the end, Jessica would fuck me from beyond the annals of time. I tasted her lips and tongue again; I felt her wet flesh prey upon me, I accepted my-

"And you'd throw your life away for any such person?"

I recalled Grace's condemnation. I had very nearly forgotten; I was a Squad member. I had people counting on me.

"Don't become a martyr."

The corners of my lips curled toward the sky. I won't make it that easy for you Ansel!!

The Ethereal Chains Break

I let out a scream, and the ghostly wind returned in full force. Azure blazed out of me in all directions and my hands blocked the homochromatic sphere. I felt my skin soften. Illusory weights erupted atop my nipples. My timbre smoothed and brightened. I felt a distinct gap between my legs.

The two Magicks clashed and my lungs emptied

"Em?!" Ansel called, "Is your Talent in Body or Spirit?!"

When I inhaled to reply-

"You're a potent Magus..."
"Don't keep me waiting."
"Now you're mine"

The ghostly wind hiccoughed, and the Magick flowing out of me choked. The comet won, and my back planted into the dirt. 

This time, however, I had barely flown even one metre, let alone tens. I felt like me again, in my rough-skinned, flat-chested, deep-voiced form with an overgrowth on my hips.

"Em?!" Ansel rushed toward me. "Em you alright?!"

I breathed short and fast. The memories of that night at Golden Palette rushed in at full strength, and I rolled over to dry-heave.

"Ansel you went too far!" I heard a voice, Christopher, the archer-Magus, shout.

"Told ya you couldn't be a Magus Emmy!" Patrick shouted, "You think we're playing here?!"

Ansel bent down next to me and looked my body over. "Checking for injuries; don't move."

"Someone's getting scary fast!" I heard the upperclasswoman, Danielle, nearly sing.

"I-" I shivered and shook. Just what was that power?! And why had I never felt anything like it outside... that room.

Samael glowered at me. "Emmett, if you compromised mission readiness today I will not forgive you."

I didn't hear from Grace; she must have been diligently practicing.

"I-" I coughed, "I'm alright. Just..."

Ansel gently patted my back. "We can take a break. That must have been a lot in one go."

"Indeed," chimed Ser Linn's voice from behind me, "Mr. Bauer, I felt the strength of that attack. You could have seriously maimed Mr. Sinclair, who up until this moment had a history of exactly zero ways to deal with it. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Ansel looked down, and I took the opportunity to speak up. "Ser," I said-

"I asked Mr. Bauer, not you."

"I told him I could handle it," I blurted out. It was a lie, not even just technically; all I told Ansel was about that Ætheric pressure in me, but I wasn't about to let him get in trouble.

"Em." One word from Ansel made it clear my intervention was unwelcome. "Ser, I saw how Emmett handled my first several attacks; he showed a strength above and beyond what I'd seen from him. And what he told me was that his spirit was screaming."

I looked toward Ansel. "I didn't-"

"I see," Ser Linn said. "Your rationale is reasonable. You still exhibited profoundly poor judgment. If Emmett had failed to release his Magick he would be battling the throes of death right now regardless of his spiritual state. Therefore, I impose three nights and two days in the brig, to be served immediately. Being of Presidential status, your Squad is allowed to deploy in your absence, so do not worry."

Ansel nodded solemnly and rose to his feet. "Understood, Ser. I will go report, if you would excuse me."

"You are excused," said Ser Linn.

I couldn't let this stand. A sit-up later I was sitting up. "Ansel-"

"He's right, Em," Ansel replied, "I was beyond impressed with how much you've grown, and I let my competitiveness get the better of me. In that moment, I had forgotten you still don't have control of your Magick yet." He turned around and his head hung low.

I climbed back up to standing. "That's why we're in this-"

"No Em," he interrupted, "I misspoke. Yes, MMA is about controlling your Magick, but your issue is being able to use it consistently in the first place. Battle Magi can survive outright fatal blows, but doing so requires spellcasting to be reflexive."

And I couldn't even use it normally...

"You see the issue?"

I nodded.  "Y-yeah."

"Em, you're amazing, so amazing you made me forget you weren't a trained Magus like me. I hope you live a wonderful life."

He walked away, without even saying goodbye.

My chest ached, and tears stung the back of my eyes.

"As for you, Mis-"

Ser Linn could wait.  "Ansel!"

He stopped.

I continued, drawing on every desperate emotion in my poor overworked heart. "If you think one mishap is going to make me hate you or turn on you, then you are dead wrong!" If there was one moment in all of time that I needed confidence, then right here, right now, was that moment.

He slowly turned to face me.

I focused my gaze, unwilling to yield. "When I'm back from my mission, I'm spending time with you!" I did not let a sliver of doubt into my voice.

I saw, for the faintest moment, a warbling smile. He nodded, slowly, and turned away.

After a short pause, Ser Linn placed a hand on my shoulder. "If I may."

I took a deep, slow, breath, the choleric high in my chest subsiding. I nodded.

"I see you discovered why you were fizzling your spells."

My consciousness crashed into an astral wall. That was it?! Really?! He knew I transcast the fucking day we met and didn't tell me?!

"I told you you had potential." He took his hand off of me; I had forgotten it was even there.

"Yeah, some potential I have," I spat, "I can't even cast a proper spell, my Æther won't even respond, and I may have lost my first real friend!" I'd tried.  I held out my hand and willed it alight, but the spell flared up and wicked out, leaving me with sickening memories of Patrick, Bryce, Jacqueline, and-

"Damn you're eager."

-someone who didn't matter.

"Spirits are a fickle sort," replied Ser Linn, the lack of judgment disarming me then and there, "I would know: I am the Provost of Arcana, and the study of the Spirit is my life's work."

That and you're a Two-Spiri- I slapped my forehead. That he could figure me out in a day was beyond obvious.

Ser Linn chuckled. "I hear your squad has the yearly fate mission."

I blinked. "What do you mean, fate mission?"

Ser Linn's lip curled up. "A Mission requested by House Fayt, no?"

I slapped my forehead again. "Oh, right. Yes."

Ser Linn's hand rested on my shoulder again. "They are kind and gentle souls, willing to offer wisdom to any Magus willing to listen. I would pursue this opportunity for all it's worth." He pulled back his hand again. "Speaking of."

I turned around to find Ser Feylance behind me with my Squadmates in tow. "Ser Linn," he asked, "may I have my Squad member please?"

"Oh of course," Ser Linn replied. He then turned to the class. "Mister Michaels, Mister Peterson, Miss Gardner, and Mister Sinclair have an expedition to attend to and are being released early with full marks. Everyone else is to resume practice, finding a new partner if needed!"

"Do we even need the deadweight?" Patrick asked, "Emmy probably fucked his Magick for the week."

"Mister Peterson," Ser Feylance said with a snarl, turning away to lead us to that flying carriage he loved using.

"We technically need him to come with for policy reasons," said Samael, "What we do with him after is up to us."

Our sponsor's voice lowered even more dangerously. "Both of you quit it or I will deny you staff merit."

Silence followed; I shook my head. Why couldn't I get a squad more like Ansel's?

I turned to Grace.

She seemed to notice my gaze because she returned my gesture. "You realize how reckless you were today?"

I nodded. "Quite, but I'm alright."

She shook her head. "Don't overexert yourself."

We marched onward to the familiar horse-less carriage. My heart fluttered briefly. Adventure awaited, again.

I just hoped this time wouldn't end in intimacy with a woman I didn't want.