Chapter 23

Riley felt the power surging around and through her, rising on the tides of her own elation as Justinian and Tobias regarded her with awe.

"This is awesome!" Riley cried as she went through her list of spells, trying to find something, anything to cast, pushing her will and intent towards healing halo.

A wave of white light rolled out from around her. Her mana bar dipped for the first time, losing easily fifteen percent of its total.

Justinian and Tobias both straightened up and looked at each other in a surprised, shocked silence.

"That was a healing spell," Justinian looked down at his hand and flexed it, "I cut the hell out of a finger a few days ago."

Holding up his battered and scarred hands, there were no fresh wounds to be seen.

"She's a healer," Tobias said to himself in thoughtful reflection before a dejected look washed over his face, weighing him down like a winter's rain.

"I've got a few offensive spells too, and, ooh, analyze!" Riley, too lost in her own joy, began casting again, watching the bar dip a little each time.

Justinian, Artificer, Level 2-2

Buffs Active:

Happy go smithy: Joy in what you do is an art form all its own. This buff adds a bonus to all forms of magical production.

Debuffs: None

Tobias, Fire Mage, Level 2-1

Buffs:

Overthinker: A penchant for over analysis grants special insight into problems and magic alike

Kind Hearted: In a hard world, Tobias has chosen the harder path and refused to grow harder with it, inspiring loyalty and friendship.

Debuffs:

Cursed Confidence: Magical connection is limited or stifled due to a lack of faith in himself.

Bullied: Years of persecution have both hardened and weakened him

Oak Tree, Plant, Not Magical

It's an Oak Tree. You talk to plants; pray they never talk back.

Tobias began to storm off, drawing Riley's attention. She grounded her cast, looking towards her sorcerer in confusion.

"Did I do something wrong? Was it rude to analyze?" She called out.

Tobias muttered under his breath, an anger rising within him.

Stolen story; please report.

"By the dead Gods, even a newbie casts better than me," he kicked at the ground before yanking the silver torc off his neck and throwing it to the ground.

"Hey, be careful with that! It's a one off!" Justinian complained.

Tobias glared.

"It's not going to matter in about a week anyway," he snapped, closing his eyes and pulling at his power.

Riley saw a sickly orange flame stutter into and out of existence, covering his right hand as he breathed slowly in and out.

"Bud, you're angry. Fire mages shouldn't cast when they're angry," Justinian warned.

Tobias began to shake, his form going rigid, pulling with all his might until, finally, the power snapped and fizzled, dwindling down to nothing.

"Gaaah!" He yelled towards the sky and fell to his knees, hanging his head in his hands.

"No matter what I do, it doesn't work, but Riley picked it up in seconds. What's wrong with me?" Tears flowed down his face as he shook.

"Was this my fault?" Riley looked towards Justinian as a storm of emotions surged through her.

"Nah, he has bad days like this, and now that the pressure is on, well," he gestured towards Tobias before moving over towards him, setting a hand on his shoulder.

"They're gonna fit me for a copper torc. Then Chadrick and everyone else will be right," he looked up at Justinian, terrified.

"You've been my best friend since we were five, man, and I've seen it in you. All we need is one breakthrough, and you're rollin. Keep fighting, keep pushing; something is bound to click," Justinian encouraged.

"Yeah, I'm the one about to break. I don't sleep, I don't eat, I can't focus, which doesn't help, not to mention everyone at my house telling me they're proud of me day and night when I can't even light a fucking candle without my torc," Lost in self revulsion, he stared down at the ground, horrified.

Riley tentatively hopped over, "Maybe I could help."

Tobias reached out and stroked her ears back, smiling weakly, "With all of a third year's education in magic and basic spell work. You're a good soul, Riley, but I'm defective. I don't know if I can be helped," Tobias' breath caught in his throat. His hands were trembling.

Riley drummed her hindpaw, riding a growing tide of anger, "The only thing despair does is hand the baddies the win! It's a self fulfilling prophecy! The only way things get better is if you work towards it no matter how futile it feels."

"Well, it feels pretty futile. I have less than a week," Tobias spoke like a profit of doom.

"So, what's your class schedule like? What time do we have to practice? Justinian, how swamped are you?" Riley asked, reaching for any advantage.

"Me, I'm coasting. I've got my project done, save for some tweaking, and I know how to forge. As for class schedule, tomorrow is dedicated to study and prep, and then we have the weekend. Basic trials begin on Monday with the Magical Expo and conclude with the combat trials on Friday and Saturday," Justinian explained.

"So we all have time to work and crack at this problem and really push until it breaks. We have a week, but it's a good week, and it kicks off with three solid days to prep, right?" Riley sounded like a general marshaling her troops for war.

"I suppose," Tobias said, lost in a well of depression.

"So help me, by the 13 Gods or whatever, I will bite you! You're a good person, and I'm not about to give up on you or let you give up on yourself. They're going to have to drag me away kicking and screaming!" Riley felt the power rising in her. Quickly she channeled it down into the earth, not wanting to inadvertently harm Tobias further.

She had an idea about his problem, but the trick would be getting him to see it.

"Alright, so I'm on board. We meet tomorrow, normal time?" Justinian asked.

"That's the start, but then we book a casting room or go someplace quiet, and we work at this till we fix it," Riley proclaimed, firmly in command.

"I guess we know who wears the robes between you two," He snarked.

Tobias glared with a look that could melt steel.

"Dude, easy, easy… but if she was a nasty, she'd have totally fae blinded you," Justinian nodded gravely.

"I know, you jerk," out of nowhere, Tobias began to chuckle, then laughter built, crescendoing into a howl before the tears fell. He took a deep breath, seemingly letting go of some of the weight he was carrying, "One way or another, I think I'm bound, like it or not."

"What?" Riley worried.

"It's fine," He smiled gently, like sunlight after a storm, "OK, one last try for good and all. I suppose I should take every chance I can," he said, rising.

"Now that's more like it!" Riley replied, pressing up against his legs.