The brown haired girl with amber colored eyes sat alone on the soft bed. She had been trying to process everything. It has been a couple minutes since I calmed down. I truly feel that a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. Like Suzieen said, I no longer have to bear the weight of my family’s heavy expectations, instead I have freedom. Suzieen offered to help teach me more about magic to potentially figure out my unique magic and also to help under magic in general. Suzieen had called Vel outside so she got out of the bed, as she could move again. After going through the door and exiting the cottage. A beautiful view on a mountaintop stared back at Vel. The sun was shining, the plants and trees were a healthy green. Vel runs over to the low wooden fence that prevents one from falling off the mountain to take in the view and breeze. Suzieen then called Vel over, to behind the cottage to teach Vel about magic.
“Alright, so magic is really the power of imagination, most are taught a couple spells and incantations. For example, let’s say someone is from a family of fire mages they will be told to visualize a fire in an empty space in their mind and say an incantation. Because they are taught to basically memorize spells and spit them out they don’t experiment.” Suzieen explained. “In reality most mages can use any type of magic with a few exceptions like your family’s spatial magic or time magic. Which has to do with the soul of the caster. Some souls have a key on them that lets mages use unique magic.” She manifests water and fire on each hand without chanting. “These two are opposite elements that by the known logic of this world should not be able to be casted by one person at the same time let alone without chanting.” She juggled the two elemental balls and then dissipated them. “Although based on what you told me on how you were taught to perform spatial magic. Where you imagine a portal appearing at a location you already have the right technique for wordless casting.” “That’s right, the extremely simple key to chantless casting is to imagine what you want to happen. Instead of imagining an empty area and generating the element in there. You want to imagine where you wish for the element to target.” She was happily explaining magic. “First you start by closing your eyes then you imagine where you want it to go like that tree. After you have pictured that tree, keep it in your mind. Then picture a water javelin puncturing the tree.” Vel pictured all of the steps in her mind and then she opened her eyes and it fired at the tree going exactly as imagined.
“A very nice looking javelin as I thought you have a good affinity for magic, and a sizable mana pool considering you opened a portal to another dimension.” Suzieen praised Vel’s spell and clapped. “It fires automatically when the spell finishes forming. However, you can also just imagine it in your hand, and then if you establish that it is something to wield it won’t target you.” Vel foolishly attempts this and ends up piercing her hand which causes her to panic. The spear went cleanly through two of her fingers leaving bloody stumps with visible bone showing.
“I’m so sorry, I should’ve warned you that it isn’t easy to convince your brain to make it target nothing my bad. Here you go” she apologized and heals Vel with advanced healing magic. “That might be too hard to visualize so you can use the classic method of imagining generating the element in an empty space to have it not launch automatically. Then imagine the element being grabbed then grab hold of it. The problem with this method is that there is a bit of a delay when you go to grab it which an enemy can exploit.” She demonstrated using the classic method to show the delay. After grabbing hold of it she spins it then dissipates it. “Alternatively, you can exploit that small gap as well. Also if you are the one with the gap you can use it as bait then cancel the magic and go for an attack. ” She smirked. “Using the old method you can choose to chant if you need a starter to help you visualize.” She said, then Vel attempted to summon a water spear in a blank area and she opened her eyes. In front of her was the spear.
Imagine myself grabbing it before actually grabbing it. Vel then grabs the spear and it worked which made Suzieen let out a relieved sigh.
“What’s more advanced, is that you can imagine a time to delay it like imagining 2 seconds on top of your imagined element will delay it by 2 seconds. It is difficult though so you’ll have to learn it in due time.” Suzieen said. She then summoned many spears of ice and then she walked away. The spears fired one after another, one every second. “I almost forgot to do this.” She said as she ran back into her home and retrieved a crystal ball looking item. “I forgot to find out what your elemental affinities are. With this little magic item here, we can!” She excitedly shows the crystal ball thing. “Now, place your hand on the crystal ball, and when you feel a sort of tugging feeling don’t resist as it will sap some mana. It will glow a color based on what element you are strongest with outside of special ones.” She explained while pointing at it. Vel rests her palm on the ball, and after a moment she begins to feel the tugging. It's a little uncomfortable. The ball begins to glow a light green color.
“Ah you have a knack for wind huh. You really represent freedom in the magic world; you have both wind and portal magic.”
“Alright little bird, are you ready to practice more magic?”
“Little bird?” Vel asks, confused.
“Well you have the capability to be free, but you just need to grow those wings of yours hehe.” Suzieen warmly smiles. “And this great old witch is gonna help you do that.” She proudly states. After trying repeatedly Vel finally got a grip on chantless casting that isn’t portal magic, as she still hasn’t figured that out. “It’s getting late, let's have some dinner!” Suzieen cheerfully said, leading Vel into the house. Vel sat down on the hardwood chair at the dinner table across from Suzieen. She then brought out two nice wooden bowls. Then placed the bowls on her counter. She had a pot cooking above a flame which she grabbed and placed it on a wooden board. After it had cooled down a little bit she used a ladle to pour the soup into the bowls.
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“I must have talked your head off, sorry for talking for so long.” Suzieen apologies.
“No it was nice, I never had anyone teach me before. I could tell that you genuinely cared unlike my own family.” Vel disagreed, and returned a warm smile.
“A smile suits you much better. This soup has lots of freshly grown veggies, so it is very good for your body. It’s important to stay healthy after all.” She said this as she grabbed some alcohol in a bottle and brought out a fancy glass. She poured herself some alcohol into the fancy glass.
“Staying healthy huh…” Vel glared at the alcohol.
“Well, alcohol is the greatest concoction that mankind has produced no potion nor medicine can compare to it.” Suzieen proudly shows off the bottle. “When you are a bit older let’s have a drink together. I’ll even treat you to this one.” She grabs a bottle and holds it up to show Vel. “It’s my favorite but it’s also quite expensive and rare, so I only drink it on special occasions.” She smiles. After putting away the bottle they begin to eat their food. Vel slurped up the soup and started crying.
“Uh, is it good?” Suzieen panics.
“It’s amazing! But why is it so much better than anything I’ve had in my old world?” Vel sobs.
“Based on what you’ve said I believe it’s the lack of one simple ingredient.” Suzieen responded
“What’s that?” Vel asks, attempting to wipe away her tears.
“Love. I know that I will never truly replace your mother, but I’ll try to make the time you spend here some of the best times of your life.” Suzieen says, wiping Vel’s tears.
“Why would you go through so much trouble?” Vel asks.
“You see little bird, because I am feared around the world. I've never been able to make a genuine lasting connection with anyone before. I’ve always wanted an apprentice as well as a child. I don’t want to force you. I'll even train you to use your portal magic, and you’ll never have to see me again. However, if you will accept me as your adoptive mother then I would be eternally grateful. I promise to care for you, as much as this old heart can. I shall train you to spread your wings and fly and when you do decide to leave just know there will always be a place here for you. I know this is a lot to ask of you considering we met not too long ago, but if you wish to drop this then I will never speak of this again.” Suzieen laid everything out.
“You’re right, I haven’t known you long. However, in this small amount of time you’ve shown me more care and love than my own blood related family has. I accept your proposal mom.” Vel lets out a big smile. Suzieen runs in for a hug and Vel returns the hug.
“Thank you Vel, I’ll do my best.” Suzieen tells Vel. Their warm embrace seemed to go on forever; both are the happiest they’ve ever been. Suzieen cried tears of joy while hugging her child. Both Vel and Suzieen went to sleep very happy. Vel was happy, she had a mother who actually seemed to care, and wouldn’t abandon her at a moment’s notice.
The next morning Vel awoke to the delicious smell of freshly toasted bread. Upon the bread lay a square of butter partially melted into the bread.
“Good morning little bird.” Suzieen sweetly said with a warm smile. She had been cooking breakfast for the two. Along with the toast were some scrambled eggs and a banana. “Alrighty then dig in.” Suzieen was in a very good mood. While they were eating Suzieen asked. “What do you want to do today? Do you want to explore Valentis? Or do you want to practice some magic? Also if you have any questions feel free to ask.” She awaited a response but couldn’t contain her excitement.
“How about practicing some wind magic to learn how to fly then explore the world.” Vel responded.
“Sounds wonderful, and even if you can’t fly very long on your own I’ll support you so you can still explore.” Suzieen replied with a smile. “After your stomach settles, we’ll go!” She cheered.
“Yeah!” Vel cheered as well. Like promised, once their stomachs settled they went out to practice.
“In order to fly using wind magic. You must first trust the wind first. I want you to fall backwards and I’ll catch you with my wind magic so you can get a feeling of what it feels like.” Suzieen explained and waited for Vel.
“Okay.” Vel said, immediately fall back and just as Suzieen said, she caught her. The feeling of the wind carrying her was nice and pleasant, almost like laying on a soft pillow.
“I was expecting a little bit of hesitation.” Suzieen was surprised by the lack of hesitation.
“I trust you.” Vel said with a smile.
“Awww thank you.” Suzieen gave a big smile, her heart melting from cuteness. “Too precious.” She whispered. “Ahem, so as I was saying you must get used to the feeling of being carried by wind. This level of wind you are feeling is how strong your wind must be.” Suzieen cleared her throat and continued her explanation. Vel stood back up and attempted to lift her feet by visualizing wind. The wind began to generate beneath her and it lifted her but also flipped her over. Before she could fall on her back Suzieen lifted her with wind back to her feet. Vel continued to practice and failed, unable to properly get herself up.
“Well that’s enough practice, we’re burning daylight. I want to give you a chance to explore the world. So you’ll have to settle with flying with mama.” Suzieen called off the practice session, wanting to give Vel some time to explore. “Up we go!” Wind built up below both of them and they flew up with great speed. “Time to enjoy the world in a way few have the privilege to do.” Suzieen explicitly shouts while Suzieen and Vel fly away from the house. They flew through the air Suzieen’s magic helped prevent any bugs or debris from flying into their face as they flew. As they flew enjoying the sites Suzieen saw Vel looking around with a joyous grin. “A smile really does suit you better.” Suzieen muttered.