“There are many ways to use this skill, but let’s begin with the simplest form,” Vell said, rising to his feet in the moonlit night.
He planted his staff firmly in the ground, and its tip glowed softly, illuminating the space around them.
“The principle is almost the same as calling to the elements, which you’ve already learned. So, we can skip the first step.”
Sonder listened closely; Vell rarely offered her direct lessons in magic. Aside from her accidental swallowing of a cube and the calling to elements, the lessons he had given her were limited.
Vell clapped his hands together, holding them in place with a strained expression that seemed more theatrical than genuine. With a subtle shift in his stance, a visible wave of energy burst outward from him, powerful enough to knock Sonder off her feet.
“Sorry about that,” he said, extending a hand to help her up.
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Sonder brushed herself off, surprised but curious. “Does it take a lot of mana to do that?”
“Actually, not at all,” he replied, dusting his hands. “This ‘technique’, often called a pulse under others names, uses very little energy, yet it’s quite effective. I have a lot of mana to spare, but I used the bare minimum. It can be really strong, but we’ll start small.”
“How harmful is it?” Sonder asked as it was her biggest concern.
“Well, how do you feel?”
“Mostly fine—I was just surprised.”
“See, just a bit rattled but fine. Instead of inviting anything in, you expel it. It’s something that briefly ‘nudges’ the world around you. Telling it that you want no part of it. But it’s never lethal. Well, there are a few exceptions. If somebody falls off a cliff because of it, does it count?” He thought about it with half-frown, “No. I don’t think so.”
Sonder tilted her head. “So... it’s just a strong ‘go away’?”
“Exactly,” Vell said with a grin.
Sonder nodded, glancing down at her hands. “I’d like to try. But... maybe on a smaller scale than what you did.”
“Alright,” Vell said, moving a few steps back. “Start like you would with the elements—let your mana flow outward. Once you can really feel it, give it a nudge—just a gentle push, not a full shove across the field. When you’re comfortable, practice letting it happen in one quick breath.”
She took a steady breath and mirrored Vell’s movements, clasping her hands together.