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<12/23/1971 ~ 14:15 | Dakota Training Academy, Fronas, Gulop Region, Sprawn Valley>
Punishment of some sort was to be expected with the tone Eliza had given them earlier. Instead, she was silent for about twelve long seconds with Jane and her friends standing patiently in front of her. Other students lagging behind were finally leaving the room to go to their homes. By then, the teacher finally calmed her nerves, and decided to pry into their business a little more. "Danny and Taylor..."
Danny and Taylor each exchanged looks, but Jane was directly facing Eliza, trying to figure out the big fuss. With Eliza's tone level normalized, she assumed nobody was at fault after all.
"You two are still new students here. And as such, I am naturally inclined to expect a little less from you both as far as the training for Radial Stars is going. However," Eliza swayed, "I can sense that Jane has chosen to trust the two of you. You appear to be friends of hers, and that means you both have the great fortune to learn a lot from Jane."
Jane backed up a step. Even she was surprised that Eliza was complimenting all of them. Jane thought her teacher was angry about bringing up the dark magic subject on the spot. But as far as this promise Eliza was referring to, Jane remembered saying no such thing towards her. How would Eliza know about this anyway? "You-You're not mad?"
Eliza nodded left and right. "No, I'm not... Jane, you have been showcasing an incredible amount of vigilance in my class, always exceeding far beyond my own expectations. You are clearly driven to become a Leray master."
Jane avoided eye contact from Danny and Taylor, clearly blushing from the modest response of a maximum grade compliment. "Thanks... Um... That might be overstating it a little."
Unbelievable! Jane is all melted over a simple compliment? Danny remembered similar behavior in her during the dinner they had last night, but it was wondrous to see it happen to Jane again.
"Nonsense!" Eliza corrected. "You two should know. Jane isn't just top of the class for no reason. She's always sneaking off to train hard every day, sometimes even every night in the fields."
"Well..." Jane was covering her shoulder with the other arm, unable to deny the true statement. It wasn't that she hated training hard, but being put in the spotlight wasn't something she was used to, even when being praised.
"She even trains outside of the facility, all the time, rarely ever using the dark room for our studies. And Jane? I'm not mad that you brought that subject up. It just caught me off guard. Most people that end up getting involved in dark magic are older and more trained, much more than you. I don't want to bring that kind of gloom to a class of such young talents."
"I see." Jane became more serious again with the thought of the forbidden magic subject.
"It's important that we all learn to stay away from any of its influence, or any kind of attacks used in that manner. You know that as much as I do."
"I had no idea such a dark art existed here," Taylor pleaded. Maybe Danny and Nyar were right to distrust the culture of Sprawn Valley. If magic can be transformed into a dangerous format, they have no business learning any of it. Still...
Danny kept quiet, unable to dismiss the issue as quickly as Taylor. Knowing Eliza wasn't so upset after all is refreshing, but it doesn't clear the other weirdoes of suspicion. Even if its existence isn't well known, the mere possibility that others can use dark magic in such a dangerous way proves that Nyar was right to warn him not to get involved. Or rather, he probably feared that dark magic and Leray magic look too similar. Whatever is going on here, there is something sinister behind the life style people choose to live. Except... Leray magic is only allowed to be used in the confines of Sprawn Valley and the protective veil. So then, what enables the use of dark magic? Danny held his tongue in the question, for he knew that if he were to ask anyone around here, possibly even Jane, he would never get a realistic answer.
Eliza was not shy talking to Taylor or to Danny. In just some very short time, they were well known, and it was probably Jane's fault for being so unusually popular. "It's a disgrace to everything we live and stand for. It's magic that was designed specifically to oppose the properties of Leray magic and the veil, and it seems to be highly effective too. People have died before from dark magic in our nation's long history, but as far as things go today, we haven't seen much of that. Crime in Sprawn Valley is at an all-time low, and it's been this way for a couple of centuries now."
"That's good," Danny gestured with a sigh of relief. There really isn't anything to worry about then. If this really is the thing people are afraid of, then it's simply the dark potential of magic that others hate, not the practice of Leray magic entirely. If dark magic isn't a dominant force in Sprawn Valley, then this shouldn't be a problem... No, wait! That's not a proven fact yet. Who determines how dark magic is learned? If anyone can just get into using it, that means the possibility of disasters still exist here. Magic isn't safe after all!
"Oh, right!" Eliza stuttered. "I almost forgot. I want to let you know that any time you want some assistance from Jane to help your training, you can both trust her."
Taylor turned her head towards Jane, but felt confused by the blunt statement. Is there something to lead Eliza to believe they couldn't trust her earlier? "Seems like you and the teacher are best buddies, huh?"
Perhaps it was because Jane did not like people to see her as a teacher's pet or magnet, but for whichever reason, she turned out to be a little shy given Eliza's testimonies when they regarded her. "Come on. You know me."
Taylor figured that she did know Jane better than she did yesterday. It seemed a lot to her like Jane was accepted by enough people too often for her to be some dark, hardcore fighting machine. In truth, she is just as human as anyone else.
Eliza suggested, "Anyway, it's still up to her whether she wants to help you out. But since you are helping around with Jane, I figure that the both of you really can be expected to learn one attack or two. Jane? I know that with your help, they'll be shooting stars in their sleep."
Jane nodded in agreement, appearing much more confident this time. "They'll need to for tomorrow's advancement. Friday is elemental training day, right?"
"How are you always on top of my own lesson plans before I can even read them out?" Eliza never got this far even with Jane's session. The only other time she ever got to train outside of her own classroom was with the other male teacher known here as Brauna, who is expertly skilled in close combat craftsmanship and basic spells. That is where Jane learned her physical fighting style with the additional help of Mr. Mire, and for whatever reason, she appears to love her choice of hidden daggers as the main weapons here.
"When I want to speed up," Jane explained, "I like to peak ahead."
"Well you're in luck Jane. Once we begin actual training, which we have today, we don't slow down even for more students. We will be reaching our mark in just a month of time or less. Anyone who doesn't pass will have to try again next time."
"So that means," Jane conceded. "In just a month, I get my license!" Before Eliza could agree to her claim, Jane jumped up with her real stamina returned to her. "Whoo-hoo! I'm gonna graduate! I'll get my license for sure!"
Danny felt like Jane could use a time out, getting so psyched so fast like that. She was not nearly this excited one second ago, and in just a few more seconds, she was a whole new person. Jane must really want to win. "Radial Stars, is it?"
"Oh, it'll be easy. Even a pipsqueak like you can pull it off."
Once again, Danny took another insult from Jane, and it turned out to be the same one from before. "Hey! I'm no pipsqueak."
"We're just kidding," Jane and Taylor replied together.
Danny noticed that Taylor was part of Jane's response, which didn't exactly add up to a degree of honesty. "What do ya mean we're?! Taylor?!" Danny felt defeated already. Jane and Taylor were already the cliché team of girls who stick together against him in their silly parade of bullying or teasing, but even he realized it was just a joke in the end.
Eliza got off the desk she was leaning on before, and began walking out of the room. "Alright you three. Remember that should you decide to use the dark room, we still have to lock it up at five pm, so mind the time of day."
"It's okay," Jane directed. "We won't be using the dark room this time." Danny and Taylor were predictably looking at her, waiting for the next answer to a question they didn't really have to ask. "We'll be training outside of my house. It's better to get fresh air than to be trapped in a stuffy old room. That way, I can keep an eye on you."
"You really think I can learn Radial Stars in just a few hours?" Taylor doubted.
"I know so." Jane was very confident even in her abilities to teach her friends. "You've both been able to invoke an energy scope already, and using a magical attack spell is sort of the same deal. That's how I know it won't be impossible."
Danny wanted to raise another concern, but knew Jane would just ignore it. Why fight in the open fields of Fronas, so close to her own house no less? Isn't the dark room specifically designed for negating stray magical damage to other physical objects? Danny forgot how and why the veil doesn't protect physical objects, but it's significant, because any one of his magical attacks could end up damaging her home structure if the aim was off. On second thought, she better know that it will be her responsibility should anything happen there. "What about stray fire? What if we hit someone else by mistake, or break one of the windows to your room?"
Jane ignored the specific detail in which Jane's room was on the backside of the house, not the front, but he had a fair point. Still, a power level one attack shouldn't be of any concern in this regard. "Don't worry about it. I won't let that happen."
Danny warned, "Okay. But I'm not responsible for damage if it does happen."
"I said it'll be fine. Now let's say we go fire up our magic!"
In a most monotone voice, Danny let Jane and Taylor be themselves. "Cool. What are we waiting for?" Danny's impatience was well-founded. None of the others argued with his idea to go and train right now. Jane plans to take this outside where the view would be better.
"Lunch first," she stopped. Even as Jane became fired up to show them both Radial Stars, she reminded Danny and Taylor that eating was an important factor in using Leray skills. "I'm hungry, and I'm buying."
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Chapter Theme Shift: Deep Strike ~ Ace Combat 4 OST
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The day passed by quicker than it normally would. That last class session full of Leray battling information got the sun sinking down much faster than anybody expected it to. Perhaps that class session was more like three hours as it felt like one. The class day did not start out as earlier as it did before either. One P.M. was the set time for the session to begin.
Aside from that, Jane got her friends some grub as they ate outside together. Jane didn't really say much about the spell for Radial Stars, even though Taylor and Danny would not stop asking about it. It was eventually obvious that Jane was waiting for that direct moment to defer their concentration to the right idea. After what seemed in available daylight as five P.M., Danny and Taylor both spread out facing the same direction in front of Jane's house, with Jane further away facing both of them for observations.
Danny and Taylor were now in a position to begin their practice, and Jane was ready to give them their first general instructions. "Alright you two. You're going to create a glyphring in order to fire the spell known as Radial Stars. Watch me."
She's doing this now? Danny wondered why Jane was a bit quiet for the past few seconds, but this setup was the grounds Jane planned on using for them both. They were in front of her house in the short cut field of grass, and on the other side of Jane in the distance, there were three spread out scarecrows facing them.
Jane volunteered to demonstrate the entire effect of the spell, while Danny and Taylor watched carefully. With their attention on her, Jane turned her body to face the target dummies set outside. They were really scarecrows with targets painted on the front and back, made mostly out of sandbags and hay. Before long, Jane shut her eyes only momentarily, drawing in the energy she had stored up. From any other perspective, it would have just looked like Jane was concentrating, trying to focus on something she could sense. At that moment, a bright orange colored glyphring, with the diameter set of two feet wide and the neon glow styled with symbols located on the glyphring, formed out from phase in front of her. The glyphring's center was facing the target dummy, as if it was some kind of eye, and the large disk began to rotate in place slowly. At the exact same time, Jane's hands were glowing a different color too, the color of aqua blue, but only at a low level of intensity.
Jane then performed her next move, throwing her entire arm into the glyphring, and allowing that limb to line up straight through the center of the rotating disk. Now Jane's open palm and the center of the glyphring itself were aimed at the target dummy. Next, Jane hollered the phrase, "Radial Stars!" At the same time she shouted this, several mid-sized star shaped objects began shooting, formed from phase right at the center of the glyphring. Each star appeared to be a solid orange glowing object with five sharp pointed ends, spinning in place as they shot straight through the air like arrows. One after another, creating an entire barrage of stars, each and every one of them had the same bright orange glow that the glyphring had, as they headed straight for the target dummy with intense speed. The speed of each projectile felt as quick as 145 miles per hour. After every single star was shot from the magic in the glyphring, they had all impacted on or around the target. Several of these stars happened to miss the target dummy, but that was because they were not shot out in a perfectly straight line. Creating a mixed barrage of shooting magical stars, the impacts caused the standup dummy target to sway far backwards from the force of the magical attack. However, the bag did not rip open, and each of the stars disappeared into nothingness shortly after individual impact.
All of this happened in a matter of two seconds. Only one for Jane to create the glyphring, unleash her energy, and shoot every single star; there had to have been about 35 small objects in the shape of a star. After that first second passed, the rest of the time was devoted to the target taking the hit from the attack. It may feel natural to Jane, and appear to happen in slow motion when imagining it, but to Danny and Taylor, Jane unleashed that entire spell so fast it made their heads spin.
Shortly after all of the stars had disappeared, Jane lowered her arm back down to her side, which traveled through the glyphring as if it were just a hologram projection. The glyphring was phased entirely, unable to be touched by real world objects. Just as Jane lowered her arm, the entire glyphring faded away as well. Jane didn't even seem like she was breaking a sweat. With a confident look, Jane addressed the two of her friends. "That is how a Radial Star attack should look like."
Taylor felt a bit winded in her mind. How was she supposed to do that? The demonstration was great, but there was no guidebook for this. "How did you do that?"
Jane knew exactly how to explain the method of channeling her MP energy into a spell, whether it has been learned or not. "You have to channel your energy into an attack spell to make it form. With Radial Stars, you have to start off with a glyphring, specific to that ability. That's when you unleash the energy."
"Yeah," Danny backed down. "I'm not so good with channeling my energy."
"It's just like I showed you before," Jane reminded. "Think back to when I made the two of you use those energy scopes for yourselves. This is the exact same thing, only you have to chant a different name and focus on that particular spell. Imagine while you are using and releasing energy that allows you to use the spell happening in real life, and it will."
Taylor almost gasped, forgetting that she successfully made an energy scope. Were the two really related? "So, if I bring out my energy scope, is that sort of practice for Radial Stars?"
"It will help you get a feel for how to execute magical attacks," Jane reworded.
Taylor thought back to before, with her memories still completely fresh on how she was able to pull her energy scope up. After the first time she tried it, Taylor copied that move down again and again. With another attempt, Taylor began to get a feel for that energy, the same sensation she had from before. Without being in Sprawn Valley, this would have been impossible in every way. But when Taylor tried to get a sense of her own physical and magical energy, she really did feel a powerful essence emanate and vibrate inside of her. That is when she began to store a small amount of it.
Danny was a little quiet and confused, trying to figure out what Taylor was up to. When she finally felt that now was the time, she imagined her own status box appearing above her head, at the same time she was quickly releasing that energy. To her, this felt like an entire time of three seconds had passed in order to make it happen the right way. It was probably longer. With an easy success, Taylor managed to actually make her energy scope appear right above her head, partially translucent, but still readable with the strong orange glow it provided.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/zv0gHcNW/S1-Taylor-N-002.png]
"Whoa!" Danny had seen it before, even pulled it off himself, but it was going to take a while to get used to having the capacity to use magic this way. Taylor intentionally created her own energy scope, pulling up her stats in order to see if she could again. Danny studied the box, watching how the MP level on Taylor's stats rose from 99% to 100% on its own. So it does regenerate!
"I get what you're doing," Jane inquired. "By getting the exact same feel for using magic in your mind with your energy scope, you can have an easier time using Radial Stars."
"That's exactly right," Taylor approved. She then turned to face that target dummy again, thinking it over and over in her head, what it would have to look like if Taylor shot a Radial Stars attack in that direction.
Danny realized that he would have the same luck if he gets himself familiar with the sense. That's why it is so hard to explain Leray magic; it's something that can only be felt. Remembering his practices from the other day, Danny tried once again to focus his energy, trying to imagine using the energy scope assigned to himself.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/PxJKqYYS/S1-Danny-N-000.png]
Jane saw Danny's energy scope appear above his head, right as he was trying to create it on purpose. He seemed highly concentrated, but only for less than a second of time, since making an energy scope is not that difficult.
"Awesome!" Danny coaxed. "Now for Radial Stars."
Jane smiled while watching the two of them attempt their first try of the easy attack spell. Both of them didn't shut their eyes, not that they really had to, but only Taylor had her arm already pointed out in front, taking aim. She seemed to be concentrating very hard, trying to imagine the glyphring form around her wrist in mid-air, though some time passed. Taylor seemed like she was really pouring her heart into it, but nothing was happening. Taylor didn't know it since she was focused on trying to use the spell, but her MP energy stats were not even budging. Even though she imagined it happening over and over, there was no success.
"Taylor, you have to focus your energy at the same time. And don't forget to chant the spell name when you are ready to use it."
Danny was trying to concentrate as much as Taylor was, but was immediately distracted by the new information. "Chant the name? Why would we do that?"
"It helps focus your mind on the spell you are trying to use. Imagine yourself using Radial Stars. At the same time, store and release your energy at the correct moment. Chant Radial Stars just before you release that energy."
Danny heard what Jane was saying. It did make sense, but that left behind another strange issue. "Wait a minute." He turned towards Jane, confused by a conclusion this allowed him to draw. "If we always have to chant the name of each attack we use, won't our future opponents see every attack coming their way?"
"Not always," Jane replied. "Besides, chanting the name in real combat is not for or against any rules, but people do it anyway because it helps assign a focus name to your spell cast. Once you master one spell, it becomes quick and automatic to your mind. After mastering more than ten spells, it gets really confusing and mixed up if you only rely on feeling alone. That is why keeping track of each spell name and chanting it each time helps the wielder focus their energy without forgetting exactly how the attack pattern is executed in Leray magic."
It was a mouth full, so Danny simply nodded pretending to understand the full intake. After shaking off that short lesson in his head, he tried once again to focus. First, he felt the energy around him, just like he did before when creating the energy scope. He let that energy fill up inside of him, through his arms, legs, his veins too. At the same time, he tried to imagine Jane using her Radial Stars, knowing exactly what stance to use and how to execute it. The sensation was something else. Though as indescribable as it was, Danny could tell that the Leray energy channeled inside of him had to be concentrated, which did feel like a less intense electrical buzz to that section.
Taylor lowered her arm, sighing from a stressful mistake again. She managed to get nothing done so far, and glanced over at Danny, who was also trying hard to concentrate.
Danny lifted his arm really quickly, aiming at the dummy with his palm now open. "Radial Stars!" he shouted. After expecting some kind of magical energy to be released, there was nothing. Danny's hands did not glow in the slightest. His palm did not shoot beautiful stars out of it. The buzzing ceased immediately, and there was absolutely no sign of a glyphring in place around his arm. Danny sunk down a little in his stance realizing his failure.
From no less than a holler, Jane commanded, "Keep trying you two," from both Danny and Taylor. "Charge and release your energy carefully. Radial Stars takes an average of two percent to draw."
Taylor exhaled calmly again, trying to get her sense of focus back again. This was not as easy as it looked anyway. How does Jane do it? Taylor checked her status box from before. She didn't decide to make it fade. There wouldn't be a point in dismissing the energy scan with the constant need to glance back at it. Her MP energy did go down slightly from before, but she watched as it recovered quickly towards 100%. If Radial Stars only takes about 2% MP, than there should be no reason that it can't be used. The failure had to be her own.
Danny decided not to give up yet, but his sight was taken back to Taylor, who looked incredibly still, more than what he thought she could pull off. She was focusing like before, but even better this time. In just another second of time, Taylor drew her arm out. She calmly held her arm straight with her left hand opened. Contrary to what happened last time, an orange glyphring formed right in front of her left hand at the same time.
"Radial Stars!" Taylor shouted the name, hoping that it would help, but it didn't exactly work. The stars were not there, nothing was firing from Taylor's open palm of her left hand. She did happen to notice the faint glow of a glyphring right in front of her eyes. However, it was not entirely there, much less opaque than when Jane launched her attack. The glyphring immediately flickered and faded away before Taylor even realized that she got slightly better results this time than she did before.
"Keep trying!" Jane encouraged. "I almost saw a fully active glyphring Taylor."
"I know." Taylor was surprised at herself. Even though it did not completely form, and she failed again, the physical proof was right there. She did that! A glyphring with the same orange glow as Jane formed just specifically for her, under Taylor's own command. All she had to do was try over and over until it works.
Danny's jaw almost dropped. How did she get so good? There has to be something I missed. Danny closed his eyes briefly, trying to concentrate on his MP energy again. The feeling was actually more familiar each time, and because of that, it allowed him to charge that energy into himself even faster than before. When he felt that the timing was right, he threw his arm up again, shouting, "Radial Stars!" Despite what he wanted to happen, he could not even create a glyphring as good as Taylor's. In his failed attempt, he felt that charged energy had been completely released, and lowered his arm again to rethink it.
Once again, Taylor drew in her focus, feeling for the familiar sensation of Leray energy inside of her. After realizing that stored MP simply means it already lives in her essence, Taylor knew exactly where to pull it from, but this time, instead of storing that energy all around every part of her body that she could feel, Taylor tried directing it all into her hands. At the same time, even with her eyes wide open, she imagined the entire attack. First, the glyphring is created using some of the stored energy. Then, all of the remaining MP stored into her hand is released, and a barrage of shooting stars will fly out of her left palm. This is only what Taylor imagined happening just before trying it again.
This time, Taylor waited a short moment before lifting her arm, releasing only some of her energy from her body to try and make a glyphring. Without a better way to explain the process, Taylor simply imagined that the glyphring would form during her attempt. Whether she was suddenly seeing one appear in front of her now was either a mind trick of her own or the real deal. Proceeding the formation of the more solid orange rotating glyphring, Taylor held her left arm higher, aligning that part of her body into the center of the holographic disk. At the same time, she took aim at the dummy targets and released the energy stored directly from her left hand. While this was happening, during the release - Taylor automatically ended up chanting the name, "Radial Stars!" while imagining that the barrage of stars was shooting from her left hand.
Jane was tapping her foot, evaluating how it was all going, when suddenly, she saw Taylor's next attempt create a perfect glyphring connected to the Radial Stars spell. Jane watched Taylor execute her move perfectly, pulling up her arm into her own glyphring, and shouting the name of the spell once more. This time, a short burst of the real spell ended up shooting out of Taylor's hand. With only a smaller burst of about ten Radial Star projectiles flying fast through the air, they ended up missing the target except for three small stars. Upon realizing her succession, Taylor ended up lowering her arm and the glyphring too soon. But this was progress!
"I did it!" Taylor screamed. "You see that Danny? I shot some stars!"
Danny indeed saw the event happen, but he felt a little disappointed in comparison. It made him a little angry for a short moment, but he also noticed that Taylor's Radial Stars, though successful was not perfect.
"Good Job," Jane clapped. "Now keep doing it over and over Taylor. You need to work on the spell's execution, accuracy, and even making sure you launch the entire arsenal of magical shooting stars this time."
Taylor didn't even realize she failed to complete the full spell until Jane pointed it out. For a moment, Taylor really did believe that her successful attack was just part of her mind, until she saw the stars shooting out of her hand unexpectedly like that. It forced her to draw her hand back early since the scene startled her. It was surprising even when expecting to see magical sharp star things flying out of her own hand. I did that! Taylor told herself, and could hardly believe it. This is so awesome!
Danny released his energy trying once again to get it right. Without even forming the glyphring, he yelled Radial Stars again, causing nothing to happen afterwards. Even he felt that his execution was quick and rushed, even after trying so hard...
"You're trying too hard Danny," Jane suggested.
Danny didn't feel like taking advice from Jane right now, at least not until he can get this glyphring right. He tried once more, starting with storing up his energy.
Taylor also tried to feel for more energy, charging the spell all over again. Jane watched her carefully, hoping to see Taylor execute Radial Stars as perfectly as ever. This time, after Taylor hollered the name of Radial Stars while trying to shoot the pulse of energy from her hands, nothing came out. Before that, the glyphring was once again a no-show, and after realizing how bad it went, Taylor was obviously frustrated. It looked to Jane like Taylor was about to rip into the dirt, but Taylor just turned around with her fists clenched into balls.
After that failure, Danny and Taylor both tried again extensively for as long as it would take. Despite her positive results before, Taylor was barely capable of generating a glyphring, never having it fully formed.
Jane couldn't help but smile in sympathy. After trying in the past to perform some tough abilities and failing miserably, Jane could relate to either of them in this moment. It was just like before when she had to learn Radial Stars. Jane failed miserably because she was too impatient to get it right on the first day, even though she had trained with it weeks in advance. Jane could even think of a few moves off the top of her head that she still could not count on today. She really wasn't that far ahead of her class. Otherwise, they would have let her graduate early. Jane walked up towards Taylor, hoping to comfort her and restore her pride before it sinks down too far. "You'll get it Taylor. It just takes time."
Danny saw Jane walking towards Taylor, and he got closer as well. "True. Even I can't get it yet. We'll just try again some other time." Danny had a sense of temporary defeat in him. He was obviously done for today, but Taylor was another story.
"I wanted to learn it right now!" Taylor argued. She now confronted Jane, who was very calm about the situation.
"You will," Jane promised. "You just have to learn how to focus."
"I am focusing!" Doesn't Jane understand that? Taylor was trying her hardest! All of that buzzing energy feels great! But controlling it is something else.
"Not good enough," Jane reported. After getting Taylor's complete attention, Jane gave her one of the hard-learned virtues that would help. "You need to stop getting frustrated at mastering the skill, and keep on trying. When you try to invoke a magical skill, you have to block out everything else. Quiet your mind of all passive thoughts. Act like there is nothing else in the entire world, except for your imagination of how the move is correctly used, and learn to block out every single residual thought and emotion during the process."
Taylor sighed, unable to argue about the strategy shift. She wanted to try again, so much that her display put her on the edge of tears.
Jane glanced around, noticing how darker the sky has become since their training. It takes only seconds to invoke a magical ability, but training extensively makes you lose track of time quickly. It must have already been around 7:30 P.M., which is around when the sun goes down over the hills. A faint orange glow still illuminated in the sky, making some of the small clouds purple in color. If it gets any later, they might have to try again tomorrow, but Jane knew that Taylor was close. They must have been practicing for almost a full hour now. "Taylor. I want you to concentrate this time, and try again over and over for a total of ten attempts. I'll call it a victory if you can pull off Radial Stars before ten tries perfectly."
With another long sigh to relieve stress, Taylor agreed. "Okay." Watching the target dummy in the distance carefully, Taylor knew what to do, and psyched herself up first.
Realizing that she was going to need some room, Jane backed away slowly, revealing Danny in her peripheral, who was also standing back to chill out while watching Taylor. It seemed pretty clear that Danny was going to call it a day already, though Jane's psychological encouragement worked for Taylor. By turning it into a challenge of ten tries, Taylor will take all ten of them before giving it up, and that many tries was more than enough.
Taylor closed her eyes, only to allow herself to feel that familiar sensation with her MP energy. Once she finally picked up the sensation that her body was physically ready, she opened her eyes once more. Because of how dark it was getting, she could barely see the dummy, becoming more of a shadowy figure than anything else. But that was soon about to change.
Taylor forced that MP energy to charge up directly into her entire body, and channeled most of it into her hands. As soon as she did, Taylor imagined herself using the spell like before, and choose the timing of when to release her energy carefully. "Radial Stars!" Taylor thought something would happen. She could even see her left hand contain a slight glow when she drew her arm to aim, but not even a glyphring formed in front of her.
Aaaaagh! Taylor wanted to scream at the world for preventing this moment, but she quickly calmed her nerves, remembering what Jane told her. It's okay. Nine tries left. Taylor took a long deep breath. I can do this.
Taylor took another attempt to create a Radial Star spell, allowing Danny and Jane to just sit back and watch. Taylor was not sure what Danny thought, but it was obvious to her that Jane had complete and total faith in her. With that reminder, she immediately went into charging her energy up like before. This time, Taylor thought of nothing else except for the glyphring she was supposed to create. First, she expended some of the energy she had stored up from her body. In just a few seconds, the orange glyphring returned in front of her. So that's it! In order to create a glyphring, some energy needs to expel early to support it. The rest is going to emit directly from her left hand while connected to the active glyphring. Taylor tried again with a newfound realization; lifting her arm up in the same instance, she began to spend her stored energy. "Radial Stars!" This time, even though the glyphring was perfectly cast in front of her, ready to support the magical spell, Taylor still wasn't able to generate those stars.
With a quick reaction to the failed attempt, Taylor's glyphring quickly disintegrated into nothingness. Jane of course could not just help Taylor get it right physically. Even if she knew she could, this is something Taylor has to do on her own.
It was a sight to behold. Despite several additional failed attempts, Taylor continued each time after creating glyphring after glyphring, shouting Radial Stars at enough volume to wake up the whole neighborhood. She took on several more attempts, now failing from the sixth try. Taylor almost had it too, making the glyphring appear at exactly the right time before invoking her move. As soon as she was about to shoot, the glyphring disappeared again, making her power useless. Jane also saw that since Taylor's energy scope had not gone down yet, her stats were constantly readable, even though it was translucent text she was reading from a distance.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/KcNLWRTz/S1-Taylor-N-003.png]
The focus of course was the noticeable drain in her MP energy. Jane realized that even for rookies, 86% was not bad, but now consider that Radial Stars only expends 2% each time with passive regeneration in the background, and this spell has the lowest attack power ever. It was almost insane seeing a person use so much energy just to make one successful show of Radial Stars, but it was clear that Taylor was not giving up yet.
Danny was watching for the same reasons too. After having to try so hard every single time without giving it up, it was clear how determined Taylor was to keep learning Leray magic. In the meantime, he wanted to ask Jane a few questions. "Hey Jane? How do we all know what power levels are for any ability? It's not like we can record their actual damage before we know it."
"Actually, that's how it was done," Jane educated. "There are so many skills, abilities, and magical attacks, that there are entire books that list and describe the specific ones, from A through Z. And that's just for one volume."
"Wow." Danny didn't sound too enthusiastic about it, but he was too surprised to believe that anyone can record that much information so easily. "But still, how do the authors know?"
Jane knew this much from a history lesson. "The authors obtain and pay human test subjects with recording equipment on them that measures their response to magical damage taken as well as the level of pain felt. They then use all of that data to create a scale, which goes from one to ten."
People just stand still and take damage to help another person write a book? That's dedication if he ever knew any.
"Radial Stars," Jane whispered to Danny. "Power level, 1. Attack type, non-elemental magical piercing damage. Attack form, unguided projectile barrage."
Danny stopped Jane halfway, "Wait, wait. You know all of that for just one attack? How did you even learn that stuff, and what does it all mean exactly?"
Jane answered, "This kind of information can be found in many guide books, and also our textbook I know you two never read, but they don't tell you much about how to actually invoke such a spell. I simply know it from using it so many times. For example," Jane provided. "Attack type describes what exact kinds of damages can be done with the attack that is generated. And the attack form describes in what way that spell is launched against the enemy or target. Radial Stars is non-elemental magic, so it deals most of its damage from magic that retains zero elemental factors. It's a barrage of stars as I've already shown you, and each star that hits the target deals a small amount of damage, but you can only aim the stars from start, so they are unguided. They fly through the air from point A to point B, so it is considered a projectile attack, and the damage type also has piercing properties in it, because the stars are small with sharp edges. It would be like throwing ninja stars, only these ones use a glyphring and are magically enhanced."
"And you know all of that from experience?" Danny didn't know that even for the most simple and easy attack, there was still so much to learn about it for battling purposes, let alone having to remember it all. How does Jane remember all of that for every single ability?
"Yep." Jane seemed pretty proud of herself, or at least she was pretending to be for show. "It is a lot of information to retain, but a Leray master can't stop when something gets hard."
"You do realize that you're not a master just yet, right?"
Jane noticed that Danny was going to be a buzz kill already. "I meant future Leray master, of course.
Danny deferred the conversation to try and poke around another subject, but he wasn't sure how Jane would handle this. "And what was this I heard about dark magic or forbidden magic? I know it's supposed to be bad, but what actually prevents somebody else from using it? Couldn't anyone just chose to do harm if they want to?"
Feeling suddenly uncomfortable, Jane still swallowed her pride, remembering that not every person in the world loves Leray magic. "Dark magic works specifically in negation to Leray magic, which is why it is so powerful and forbidden. I think it was invented during a distant war specifically to try and erase the concept of Leray magic. But then, that's what we have Leray agents for. Their actual job takes highest priority stopping criminals like that. If somebody were to use dark magic in front of a crowd, and another person stole important public property, everyone would ignore the thief and search directly for the dark magical user. Remember, the cops we have here are technically watching out for these things all the time, even though it never-ever happens anymore."
The sound of the details are comforting, but, "So it used to happen before?"
"I suppose it did," Jane replied with little certainty. "I know that nothing like that has ever happened in my lifetime, and I've never actually seen dark magic before... Maybe we should change the subject, and see if Taylor has made any progress."
She was only another deep breath away from taking action. Taylor charged the energy into her body and into her hands. After creating the glyphring responsible for allowing Radial Stars to work, Taylor focused on the next part. Even in failure, Taylor had been invoking this ability so many times now that she could already create the glyphring in front of her without much effort. She raised her arm, sliding her wrist right through the center of the holographic glyphring, and took her aim before acting. I can do this... I will do this!
Taylor didn't care about trying anymore. She knew that even with the capacity, skill, and training on how to use Leray magic, there should not be anything that can stop her this time. She negated any other outside thought and emotion, except for the obvious determination that drilled its way into her skull. Taylor felt like this was defiantly going to happen, and it will happen on her own watch. This time, instead of just imagining herself using Radial Stars, she sent the word to herself as a direct command. Ordering herself to execute the magical attack, she released her energy from her hand again, shouting Radial Stars at a mid-based sound level. This time, yelling Radial Stars had a new meaning for her.
In the eighth attempt to use the magical ability, Taylor forced it through, knowing it was going to happen this time or else. In a total time of two long lived seconds, over 30 stars shot out from Taylor's hand in a wide stream. Each and every one flew through the air proudly, emanating from the palm of her hand and the glyphring one after the next after the next. It was like firing a machine gun that only shoots sharp magical spinning stars. Each of the projectiles were glowing orange with more saturation, causing them to light up the area more as they traveled beneath the darkened sky. After Taylor finally felt all of the energy she was using dry up, her glyphring faded away, but it happened right as the heavy barrage of Radial Stars impaled the target dummy everywhere.
Jane began clapping loudly with her mood lightened, impressed with a performance that could not have been done better herself. "You did it Taylor! That one was perfect!"
Taylor was in a short moment of shock. She couldn't believe it, even though she was aware that she did believe it just seconds ago. That time it worked. After forcing her mind to believe in herself for once, it actually worked. "I-... I did it! Yes!"
Danny had not seen Taylor this excited since she successfully used an energy scope for the first time, but even he felt a little left out. She performed Radial Stars so perfectly, so elegantly, and now she was being rewarded for praise; not him. Danny couldn't even get the glyphring out to try. He closed in on Jane and Taylor, but took his time calmly waking over there.
"Let's go see how many hit the target," Jane plotted. True it was that despite Taylor's efforts, the actual projectiles of stars disappeared after hitting the target or passing it up; this was done by design. The stars disappear a little after impact even in battle. That way, the damage carries and stays while leaving no mess to clean up. Jane imagined how hard life would be after learning Radial Stars in class, shooting them everywhere in success, and then being told to pick them all up.
Taylor followed Jane to the target dummy. That thing stuck in the ground really did look like a scarecrow. Jane planted these things into the ground knowing full well how awkward it was to the scenery of her property. Now at the scene of the sight, Jane picked up the attached cloth at the front end, attached to the chest of the dummy. She was examining it for cuts, holes, anything that would have resembled that something pierced through.
"Let's see." Jane began counting the holes in various areas. "Twenty hits!" The tone in her voice showcased how impressed she was. "And it looks like a few strays hit elsewhere. One in the head, and one that grazed the neck. Out of thirty five total projectiles, that's almost better than me."
Great! This was so awesome. Taylor not only managed to invoke her very first Radial Stars ability, but she also developed a clean aim as well. "I did great!"
"She really did," Danny supported. "I just wish I could do that good too."
Jane turned and gave Danny a disappointed look. "You really could if you practiced more. You didn't give it as many goes as Taylor did."
"Yeah, but I'm saving that energy for tomorrow." Danny had some comfort in knowing that it was not a clear requirement to master Radial Stars in one night today, since he had already lost the motivation.
"And that's why I'll be better than you at this in no time," Taylor implied.
Danny snapped, "What?!"
Jane caught on to how Taylor was teasing Danny, and chimed in herself. "She has a point. With that attitude, you'll show up in last place, Danny boy. Or should I say lazy boy?"
"Oh, stop. I'm not lazy!"
Despite Danny's weak defense, Taylor kept going at it. "Then train with me some more."
"I don't need to," he claimed.
Taylor repeated what he said in the form of a question. "You don't need to? Or you don't want to?"
What was she even saying? Taylor really needs to learn when to actually speak sensible words at a time like this. "That doesn't even make any sense."
Jane joined again. "Or, he could just be jealous that you got it down first?"
"No way!" Danny denied, throwing his arm behind him to further the claim. "I'm not jealous! I can do ten more Radial Stars than you any day."
"We're waiting," Jane and Taylor both replied.
Danny realized that Jane had gotten Taylor to join in the selfish idea that they were better than everyone else, him included. "Alright, I will! I'll show you who's better!" Danny walked off, back to where Taylor was standing a moment before. He was obviously in the mood to keep on training harder. "You may have gotten it down first, but I'll make my spell stronger than you both!"
Taylor knew better. She was only forming a rivalry to get him out of that lazy habit. He would do this all the time, confident he could complete homework at the last minute, and failing each problem by the time he attempts them after so long of procrastination. Even with the equation totally changed all into something incredible, he's still the same in that regard.
Jane noticed how observant Taylor was towards Danny, reminding her about what happened between the two of them last night. She just knew there was something between them, but now was just not the best time to show it. Besides, with them arguing all the time like this, it might get more stuff done.
Taylor was hoping that her success rate would be better than this every time afterwards. She knew Radial Stars, and that means according to what Eliza said before, any ability she tries to learn from now on should be a breeze. Danny was obviously in the mood to practice more privately, since he ignored most of what Jane said to him after. The day may have already been over with, but the night is just beginning.
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Chapter Theme Shift: Theme of Jupiter Night ~ S.T.A.L.K.E.R. Call of Pripyat OST
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During the thirty long minutes that passed further into the night, Danny still didn't give up his attempts to invoke the magical spell. Jane however noticed after so many failed attempts that he probably wouldn't master this while she is awake, and directed herself back inside for rest. Jane didn't invite them in her house this time, but bid them both a good night before departing.
Taylor stayed to watch just a little longer, but after Danny gave it a few more empty tries, she convinced him to head back to the medical facility to eat dinner, which this time would be another dip into their MREs. In truth, the experience had tired both of them out for half an hour, but Danny wasn't upset or worried about failing to learn the skill, especially not in front of Taylor. There would be plenty of time to get it right tomorrow anyway.
Taylor had to further think on how all of the magic information went into her physical training. To a degree, some of Eliza's lessons made sense, but Jane's lessons were easier to go by since she got so detailed in how to use attacks. There will eventually come a day where Taylor would be able to challenge Jane to a battle and then defeat her. That moment shall be priceless.
Danny quietly mulled things over on his way back in the growing night of Fronas. It was questionable whether learning all of these incredible spells was really worth it. After what he just learned today, there is plenty for people to be afraid of, when considering this mysterious dark magic element. Rare as it might be, the thought, combined with Kain's intentional dismissal of that knowledge generated an eerie atmosphere Danny wished he could ignore. This feeling instead threatened to swallow him, leaving all thoughts onto the principle of whether magic would be worth learning in the first place. It may be good to master enough of it for self-defense. At the same time, there doesn't seem to be any rule stating that he must use magic after it is learned.
Jane is a good person, Danny thought. Eliza also seems to have her head on straight. That just leaves the agents. The Leray Agents of Sprawn Valley must be hiding something. No matter how insignificant it may seem to others, it has to matter to somebody. So, what are they hiding?