Throbbing through the passengers, the helicopter's blades twirl through the mist. As always in Mariepskop, the mountain is covered in fine clouds with a generous helping of cold, cloying mist. Down below, surrounded by tropical forest interspersed with various clearings around rock pools, a washed out road is visible through the trees.
Just forty minutes earlier the socially awkward Tony and fourteen other trainee candidates, all female after the departure of the three members of Idiots Inc, were picked up from the local Hoedspruit Air Force base after being delivered by a special charter plane. On arrival most of the ladies wished to explore, that is, until a Sergeant Major politely advised them all of the local Cheetahs. Used to humans but still wild, these alpha hunters are kept on the runway to discourage the local Fauna from sleeping on the warm tarmac during the night.
As the mist clears Tony is greeted by an amazing view of greenery. The whole world seems to be forest below them.
Do you think we will be able to go hiking, Tony?
Not sure Tan-
"Ladies and gentleman, please ensure your seatbelts are fastened," the pilot announces over everyone's headsets," we are going to land in 2 minutes. Once we have landed please stay seated until the rotors stop. At that time you may disembark. Thank you for flying Dollar Air!"
Grinning at the pilot's sense of humor about working for a bank, Tony glances outside in hopes of a glimpse of the training facility. As the fog clears Tony sees a large open field. On the field, a helipad is marked out in the grass. On the western edge is the access road, and across from the field, there are some tennis courts and a swimming pool. Barely visible to Tony there is a 3 story structure to the north of the tennis courts. As the helicopter comes in for a final descent he sees getting from the field to the other buildings will be a pain.
"How the hell will we climb all those stairs in wet weather?" One of the other trainees says over the headsets they are all wearing.
With a slight thud the helicopter lands. As the other trainees start grabbing their bags there is a loud PING! Inside the passenger area.
From hidden speakers, Miss Adams voice says, "Welcome to Mariepskop, everyone. Please wait for the rotors to stop, after which each person will be responsible for grabbing their bags. These will be unloaded by the flight crew. For those sensible among you now would be a good time to don your dusters to keep most of the moisture from your clothes. Please climb up the stairs across from the landing field, on your left is our hall where I will meet you all. Chop-chop!"
After being called forward for their bags the group starts making their way across the field.
"Lion!" someone yells pointing to the southern edge of the field.
"What is a -"
A problem. Large feline carnivore that hunts in packs. The females of the species are the main hunters. When you see one lion, there is usually 3 you don't see.
Swinging around Tony sees four slinking shapes moving through the tall grass at the other edge of the field. Tony immediately thinks of the restaurant and envisions four separate wind lances engulfing the lionesses. As in the restaurant, he builds his vision, totally focussed on the lionesses being picked up and thrown back into the trees.
Tanya blurts out, "You are not read-"
Tony releases his magic as the world turns black.
Sometime later...
Trying to grab his pounding head Tony realizes he is no longer on the grass in the field. This is due to the feeling of cotton sheets on the back of his hand. As the red strobe in his eyes fades Tony cautiously opens his eyes. As he focusses on what he is seeing he finds himself back in his bedroom in his apartment. Turning his head to the right he sees a demoness sleeping next to him. Her body is lying on his right hand with her right leg pinning his left arms as she is sprawled over him. Not wanting to make any sudden moves Tony notices the demoness has freckles around her nose.
"Ta. Tan." Tony tries to call for Tanya through a parched throat, "Tanya." The demoness opens her eyes and smiles at Tony dazzlingly.
"Tony, I am so glad you are finally awake. Here, let me help you". Realizing the demoness is Tanya, Tony relaxes. She rolls off the bed and stands up already dressed in her yoga pants. Tanya hands him his water bottle as Tony sits up.
"Come on, time to unveil my mysteries..." Tanya says swinging her ass as she walks out of his room. Tony sighs as he gets up. Looking down he sees he is dressed in black yoga pants as well. Taking a red t-shirt from his cupboard he walks out of his bedroom into a field with training dummies fifty meters from him. Confused he looks back and sees a door standing unsupported.
"Did you think we were still in the real world?"
"Well, yeah. How did I get -"
"You are still on the field Tony. This is happening in your mind. I could not wait for us to get time to train. You need knowledge before you kill us both, or the lions do." Tanya walks toward a waist-high red wall across from the targets. "Come here, let's get started"
Bemused as Tanya once again showcased an ability she didn't tell him about Tony goes to stand next to Tanya. "What now?"
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
"First, let's start with the basics. This is very important for you to remember. Magic is a force that responds to your will, but it also has rules. You can't blow four lions away just because you can think it up," smiling gently Tanya continues," You need to realise that becoming a mage is like building a whole new muscle. Your capacity grows with practise and is only limited by your imagination."
"Ok, I get it, but what do I do?"
"Let's start then. First is simple illusions. These are only visible but cannot be interacted with etc. Good for practice but not always useful against an experienced foe." Pausing Tanya checks that Tony is following her words carefully.
"Imagine a flame, just the vision of a flame, and will it to appear in that circle of stones, " Tanya says pointing to a circle of stones with some wood piled inside that appears on the other side of the wall.
Focusing on the wood Tony focusses on the image of a candle. Unbidden he sees the candle at his mother's funeral. This will work as good as any other image I guess. Putting the wick and flame on the wood Tony exerts his will. Suddenly there is a smoke coming from the wood.
"No, you idiot! Just the vision of flame." Waving her hand at the wood which resets to a smokeless pile Tanya continues, "Just the image now". Finished with her scolding Tanya crosses her arms and turns to the stone circle. Trying again Tony sees the wick and flame again.
Just the image... How is flame anything but real? It always has hea-. Oh, she is right, I am an idiot.
Focussing on the vision again Tony focusses on the image of the flame but as a heatless construct. Exerting his will once again Tony sees his mana bar dropping with two percent. Glancing at the circle again Tony sees his flame flickering there but no smoke.
"I did it! Yippee-ki-yay Motherfu-" Tanya starts giggling. Blushing Tony turns to her.
"I did it, I am a mage -"
Suddenly serious Tanya shakes her head, "You are not a mage. Don't use that term till I tell you ok? If a real mage heard you he would kill you for insolence." Tanya holds his gaze till Tony nods slowly.
"So what am I then?"
"A worm."
Smiling at the shocked look on Tony's face Tanya clarifies, "A worm is the most basic animal, it can sense only a limited part of the greater world. Yet it can evolve into a beautiful butterfly." Tony starts smiling, taking a compliment not meant. "Or it can only become a bigger worm." Tony scowls at Tanya. "What now Tanya? You keep on feeding me titbits of information. Stop this crap." Tony clenches and unclenches his fists as his eyes bore into Tanya. Tanya drops her gaze as she says, "Fine, but don't say I didn't warn you." Straightening her shoulders Tanya starts resolutely. "The rules are simple but need to be practiced for years to become part of your psyche. For illusions, you have to imagine the object or element and remove a key element." Nodding Tony says, "Like the heat from the flame?"
"Yes. For any physical object, it cannot be stronger than your capacity. There is no set limit but you only learn your limits by practicing and being aware of your mana pool."
Luckily I have a gauge with percentages unless I try something too advanced. Tony nods eagerly as Tanya scowls.
"You can create objects from mana permanently but to do so takes being able to fully envision all aspects of the object."
"Does that mean I can imagine my favorite meal as well?"
"No, food is excluded as well as all organic items. There are too many variables for a person to think off. Unless you are a god?" Tanya says turning up her nose and sniffing.
"And finally you can manipulate your mana pool to grant you permanent improvements or embed items as tattoos on your skin. But be careful! Many male mages have lost much trying to make certain aspects of their anatomy bigger." Wincing Tony nods. "Ouch."
"Now go practice, you won't kill yourself here," Tanya says while going to lie down suddenly dressed in a bikini, "but probably not from a lack of trying."
Tony follows the movements of Tanya's perfect bubble butt till she bends to sit down.
She does that on purpose, no woman walks like that! Well, I'll show her I can get this magic thing done. Worm my ass. Wait, that doesn't sound right...
Tony spends the next hour focussing on illusions. Willing flame he experiments with the flame moving from dummy to dummy across the field. Keeping an eye on his mana he sees that after the first 50 minutes his gauge no longer moves as he creates illusions of flames. Tony starts creating ever more complex images. Satisfied that he can do illusions without dropping his mana below ninety percent he thinks of the first spell every mage he has ever played in role-playing-games starts with.
I would need to create a magic missile. Maybe an arrow made of light? Nah, that won't work. Don't want to try a laser and pass out again. Let's use something fast, hard and simple, something like this...
Tony slowly builds a vision of a hollow point bullet. Walking around his illusion he adds a concussive force spiral. Exerting his will his bullet falls as an impressive fart sound reverberates against the wall. Blushing furiously as Tanya snorts in laughter behind Tony, he continues his experiment. Creating the illusion first Tony changes the bullet and combines it with the force spiral. When he has the two combined he is looking at a gray almost mirage-like image of a bullet with air translucent flames extending from the tip. Deepening his focus Tony imagines the magic bullet hitting one of the dummies. As he exerts his will Tony sees his mana falling with ten percent when he releases the spell.
Crack! Tony jumps as the one dummy's head explodes in a shower of splinters and straw.
"What in the holy hell did you do?" Tanya shouts as she runs to stand next to Tony. Staring dumbfounded at the dummy she turns to Tony licking her lips nervously. "Can you that again? With less power?" Smiling Tony turns back to the targets. Creating one bullet Tony only puts four percent power into the spell. As the bullet flies it strikes a dummy in the torso with a solid thud.
Let's show her how a "worm" does it...
Turning back to Tanya he says, "Yippee-ki-yay..." Lifting his hand Tony imagines ten magic bullets flying from his hand and striking the dummies. With a whoosh of displaced air, the bullets start crashing into the dummies.
"Motherf-" Tanya jumps onto Tony kissing his lips hungrily. Surprised Tony falls flat on his back with Tanya still trying to eat him tongue first.
She body is so soft...
Coming up for air her lips turn up at the bemused expression on Tony's face.
"We are not doomed, you, my dear master, are badass!" Gushing Tanya hugs Tony. Feeling awkward Tony pats her back hesitantly. "Thanx." Disentangling Tanya from himself, Tony stands up and sees his mana bar has refilled back to eighty-five-percent already.
"Can we return to the real world now? I think I have a solution for those lions now." Looking at the hole-ridden dummies Tanya nods her head quickly.
Opening his eyes Tony finds himself on his hands and knees on the grass. Seeing the other trainees all frozen from fear he builds his bullets again. Rethinking how to explain his magic he changes the bullets to boxing gloves. Looking around quickly Tony sees no one paying attention to him. Exerting his will he sends the force punches through the ankle high grass to impact the Lions on their stomach and chests. With a yowl the lions all hunch up with a meaty thud sound, turning around they scamper back into the forest. Hiding his grin Tony picks up his dropped bag and follows the shaken trainees up the steps to the meeting hall.