I was pumped to get to some dedicated training. I could tell I was getting close to a grasp on Bea’s new advice. I had never thought of trying to control other noises. It did make sense. Earth mages interacted with the ground and fire mages could manipulate existing fires. So a sound mage should be able to use naturally occurring sounds.
I sat in a field and concentrated, closing my eyes. I focused on what I could hear: the rustling of grass, Corby’s practice strikes, the birds chirping.
Let’s start with the grass.
I concentrated harder, trying to isolate the sound. It was more like a million sounds, each blade of glass making its own sound as the wind blew against it. I could feel the sound expanding out from each blade of grass like a million tiny spheres combining and colliding with every breeze.
I tried to reach out to the sound around me as the waves hit me. I tried to turn them away before they hit, creating a buffer of mana that redirected the sound. As I refined the barrier more and more the world fell totally silent.
Not a very practical skill unless someone’s being super annoying, but still cool. But if I can prevent sound from getting in, maybe I can prevent it from getting out?
I tried to change the barrier to let sound come in, but not leave. I coated myself in a thin barrier to try and stop sound waves. It was tiresome work, but eventually I made it so that when I spoke the sound didn’t escape. But when I took a step, the grass still made noise. Plus, the tax on my mana was high enough that it was outstripping my regeneration.
What if instead of using my own mana to make a barrier, I redirected the sound with the noise around me?
I started working again, connecting my mana to the sounds around me as I weaved it together. I could touch the sound with my mana, but I couldn’t hold the connection for more than a moment. This would take some time to do properly.
I should also practice that rumble thing. Being able to push things back is pretty useful in a pinch.
Wait. Rumbling moves things. Ambient mana means I can cast from more than just my mouth. So I can move things in any direction. With magic. Oh fuck! I can move things with magic!
I jumped up and ran towards Bea, who had been practicing her dodging with Corby. “BEEEEEEEAAAAAAA!!!!!” I hollered.
They both turned around to look at me. “Oh hey, Nym. What’s up? You’ve barely moved in hours.
Huh. That would explain why I’m hungry…wait, focus!
“I can push things with sound.”
Corby looked at me, confused. “Yeah, you’ve been doing that since we left Laketown.”
Bea, though, knew what I meant and was beaming.
Want to try chasing me and trying to get me with your magic? Skills improve more and unlock faster when you use them against opponents with good levels.
“You know I’d love to chase you down.”
Bea blushed, and used her perfect to run away from the conversation: training was starting.
Corbin was frowning.
“Oh cheer up, you cute dummy. I never said you couldn’t chase me.”
I took off, and Corbin wasn’t far behind me.
Bea was getting better at running, but she still didn’t stand a chance against me. The hard part was actually hitting her with the rumble thing while dodging Corby.
I need a better name for the rumble thing.
Bea’s long legs did help her keep some semblance of speed as she ducked and weaved. She was also feeling bold because she’d occasionally cast taunts when Corby had distracted me.
Missed me!
One of the taunts was just a fiery image of a butt, which was rather impressive to do while running. It was also just good to see her have fun.
I did my part by teasing Corby as I dodged and weaved around him. He could still probably take me in a fight easily unless I caught him with magic by surprise, but catching me in a pursuit was another matter entirely. Corby never reacted to my taunts, which was a bummer since it just felt like a waste of effort.
Eh, he’s probably laughing on the inside.
The actual practice with the rumble thing (Sound Pusher? No) was slow to show progress. But I managed to extend the range and make it a bit more difficult for Bea. I also started using it as a defensive option for Corby to see its utility on that front. It worked the first few times, but my angle of attack was still very linear and easy to avoid. Using it from other angles was hard, and I wasn't able to get it to work on the move yet I also tried to use it to gain more height and distance on a jump. It did not work,
This mud tastes kinda bitter. Maybe there’s a lemon tree nearby?
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Still, I kept at it. And I wasn't the only one. Bea also tried my explosive launching plan. The results were absolutely hilarious. A 2 meter tall mass of pink would get launched like an arrow and land in the funniest positions. By the third attempt, she was complaining that she unlocked an explosion resistance skill on top of her normal magic resistance
By the time the sun set, I had still not managed to hit Bea, who looked supremely smug. My consolation prize was that Corby had never managed to hit me, either.
Him being distracted laughing at me for faceplanting doesn’t taint my victory!
At night, Bea slept in the house, while we insisted we stay outside. We did, however, agree to eat with them.
How could I pass up such delicious food? I am but a mere mortal.
A chunk of mana left again.
Hey, I didn’t even think that one at you.
Corby and I agreed we didn’t need someone to stand watch, but I still woke up a few times at the faintest noise. It wasn’t an instinct I wanted to ignore. Better annoyed than dead.
A week passed by while we settled into training routines. I was able to connect my mana to ambient noises for extended periods, but I still had trouble holding shapes. My silence bubble was slowly starting to bear fruit, though. I even managed to sneak up on Corby and get surprise nuzzles a few times. Bea also helped me with my practice. She had a skill to see mana, so she could see what was going wrong and point at the flaws. She made sure to stand a bit further away to cast, otherwise our mana fields would apparently get all tangled up. She didn’t tell me what would happen if they did, but she was very clear she didn’t want it to happen; I wasn’t going to press the issue.
Bea, after many hilarious attempts, was able to actually land with her feet on the ground a few times. The last time, she turned towards us with this wide, adorable grin.
I got a skill:
“What does that even mean?”
She jumped forward and launched herself twenty meters before landing flawlessly, even preserving her momentum.
It takes a fair bit of mana and has a cooldown. Still, it feels amazing! Thanks, Nymia.
“Glad to hear you love your new skill. And quit it with this ‘Nymia’ stuff. Way too formal. Just use a nickname.”
She looked at me and I could see the wheels turning in her head.
Well, since Corbin calls you Nym, what about Mia?
“No,” Corbin and I both said in unison, causing Bea to flinch.
“Sorry, that’s just my mom’s name, so it’s not something I want to make into a nickname. I’ll just read it and look around for fear my mom is nearby.”
Bea was still dejected, but nodded.
“Just give it some thought and feel free to try them out on me. Ooh, and you should get one for Corby, too!”
What about Benny?
“I love it,” I said.
Corby/Benny rolled his eyes, but gave a begrudging nod of endorsement.
“Your turn!” I said to Corby.
“Uhh, what about…Kimmy?”
Bea nodded her head enthusiastically, blushing like crazy.
My skills with the rumble (Sonic Cannon? Ooooh, not bad) were improving. I managed to score a couple of glancing hits on Bea. I didn’t get offered a skill for it, but I wouldn’t accept one anyways. This was the magic that would become like my new hands one day, and I didn’t want to be reliant on anyone or anything for it, even the System. I was also getting better at maintaining the field while moving, thought it was really difficult.
Well, I guess I get my sound magic from the System. But no help outside that!
I spent every waking moment working on it in some capacity: daily training to use the sonic cannon, attempts at controlling ambient sounds and mana during conversations, and trying to get something to raise in front of me while eating. I also tried to help do chores in the Professor’s house with the rumble, but I got chewed out by both the Professor and Bea for causing too much damage.
Corby also improved, but his progress was always much quieter than us loud and bombastic magic types. When I mentioned that, he groaned at my pun, but Bea at least had the good sense to appreciate a pun. Corbin had even managed to tag me a few times in training, so the results were there, even if there weren’t levels to show for it.
I was just starting to get a grasp on ambient casting when we heard the emergency bells. It was time to kill some undead.
Name: Nymia
Age: 18
Species: Rabbitfolk Lv. 43
Class 1: Bard Lv. 20
Class 2: Locked
Stats:
Bonk: 76+7
Zoom: 175
Sturdy: 64+6
Senses: 172
Brain: 73
Mana: 93
Willpower: 153+64
Free points remaining: 0
Class Skills
* Sound magic Lv. 20
* Soundproof Lv. 20
* Story Time Lv. 16
* Good at Word Stuff Lv. 20
* Find stuff Lv. 20
General Skills
* Blades Lv 43
* Dodge! Lv 43
* Barefoot Lv 43
* Sneaky Lv 43
* Stubbornness Lv 43
Species Skills
* Rabbit’s Foot
* Enhanced Senses
* Forage
* Burrow
* Cuddles