Tondra sat in the cave, awaiting his return. It had already been twelve hours since he left. Her eyelids felt heavy, I suppose he lied, he must have been really uncomfortable in my presence. She nodded off, finally getting some sleep.
~
She yawned, rolling her head to look to the ceiling. "Did you have a goodnight's rest, miss?"
"I did—thank you for asking," she opened her eyes only to see him looking down at her. She lay on his lap. Upon realization, she sat up, "I am sorry! I really messed up….it must have been really uncomfortable for you."
"It wasn't. You don't need to worry about it. I found you had already fallen asleep. You looked uncomfortable so I picked you up." His whole body was covered in bandages, down to every finger, up to his neck. Only his face was exposed. The cave whistled, a gentle breeze blowing by.
"But, didn't it hurt? My spiritual vibrations are intense. Just standing next to me should be unbearable." She clenched her fist, reclining against the cave wall.
He let out a sigh, "You flatter yourself—it didn't hurt. I told you, I only needed to adjust." She isn't wrong though …..her vibrations are something special. I have never felt anything this unbearable. The black fog that coated his eyes dissipated, returning them to their blue glow. Finally, I am numb to it. He got up, moving deeper into the cave before grabbing a bag. He dragged it back to her before asking, "Are you hungry? Let's eat something before it is time for your training to commence."
~
"There is a multitude of fruit… wait, where did you even get the sweet potatoes or even the goat for that matter? That is incredible." He looked on, watching her eat. "Stop staring, its making me feel weird." He lay down before replying, "I can't help it, you look happy." He stared at the ceiling.
"At home I often eat alone. Why aren't you eating?" She questioned, returning some the food into the bag, particularly the meat. Tondra was none too big on meat, she was a heavy fan of vegetables as well as fruit.
"I am satisfied," his surroundings glitched before he recalled. Someone lay on the ground, his blue crystalline blade plunged deep into his chest, pinning him to the ground. I suppose that feeling is plenty sustenance for me. "Just focus on eating, you will need the energy."
~
No sooner had she finished eating than the briefing began. "Miss, how much—.."
"Tondra— I want you to call me by your name. I will do the same as well. Asim."
"I have never mentioned my name before if memory serves."
"I am aware, you were about to give it to me so I saw it before the current you could utter even a word. It may sound weird to you but—" she took a deep breath, "My mind projects itself in the fourth dimension….that is, non-linear space and time ever so often. They are like a bunch of parallel lines before they meet me and a bunch of parallel lines after they leave.
I am the intersection point. My father told me it is my unique ability."
Kano smiled before saying, "Anemone would have a field day with your ability. She would analyze it like a mad man. Anyway, how much do you know about Magic? Just tell me as much as you were taught."
"Well, I was taught that magic is simply the ability to impose a change on reality's otherwise equilibrium state. The change imposed abides by certain rules, call them conditions, each of which ensures reality's balance. It involves translating or representing the state of consciousness as a unit of energy (joule) which can further be translated into mass both real and unreal based on plain alignment. That is, physical and none physical.
This state of consciousness or living, is known as the soul and it produces specific vibrations based on the soul's nature. Those vibration, carry energy which can be converted into mass by the nodes. The nodes are basically just points where the non physical, the soul, meets the physical, the body—.."
"When you say it, magic theory is starting to sound super complicated," Kano interrupted, "but anyway, proceed."
"The conditions are known as theorems. The first being the Energy deficit theorem." She took yet another deep breath, "The emotional energy deficit theorem states; if an emotion, or state of consciousness was represented as a unit of energy(joule), the amount obtained is directly proportional to the number of alterations made manifest in reality's order. That is, consciousness dictates change on the imaginary plain which translates to the real one. Hence, the alterations made cannot exceed the total deficit as the equation would fall flat and become undefined. That is, with no adherence to equilibrium, it would be erased to counter the change imposed."
"okay, stop. That was where I wanted you to stop." When she explains, magic theory takes the form of a science. But when Anemone explained it, it felt more mathematical. Is this the difference in how authors who document magic theory perceive it? It feels mathematical yet scientific. "According to the theorem, the level of arts you can fabricate depends on the strength of your spiritual vibrations. The easiest way to understand this is by analyzing magic release. Magic release is a state of spontaneous node activation. That is, all nodes activated at the same time. The spontaneous release of magic alters regulations of the body, affecting metabolism, perception among others. So that is the first thing we learn, bodily enhancements." Thank you Anemone, if you really hadn't forced me to study this, her knowledge would have walked circles around me.
"Do you know how to use magic release yet, Tondra?"
"I am sorry, but I don't know how to do that right. Each time I do, my spiritual vibrations, or is it magic now, rampages and destroys everything."
"Can you show me, Tondra?"
"I am sorry….but there is a chance you will get caught up in it. I can't put you through that."
"It will be fine. I will run away if that will happen…."
~
They headed toward the volcanic region which was roughly 10Km from the cave where they had spent the night. The bubbling volcanos, now dormant. Cooled lava formed solid bedrock. Strong extrusive igneous rock.
"Honestly, 300m is a bit much in the way of distance. Does she really think releasing her magic will cause that much damage." He stood, watching from afar when she raised her hand. "I suppose she is ready now."
Meanwhile;
Tondra, felt anxious, her understanding of her current ability proving to be the source of all her fear. From all her past attempts at magic release, she often generated a dome of magic, whose radius often varied. She had no way of knowing what size it would turn out.
She looked at her long sleeves before taking another deep breath. Suppress me as you usually do. The purple line that ran through the center of her iris lengthened, outlining it as a whole. Flashes of lightning appeared each time her fingers twitched. She recalled;
"Hey Mounif, how do you enter magic release?" It was a time long forgotten, though she held it dear still. A time when the bond with her brother was still something she could perceive as more of a blessing.
"If I want to do it, I clear my mind—submit to my senses. If you do it right, you will feel all the nodes in your body. Direct the feel of your soul through them, and with that, you should enter that state." He smiled as he responded, "Don't worry Ton, you can do it."
She exhaled, feeling her spiritual vibrations violently pushing against her nodes. A white aura coated her body, lightning pouring from her like waves. Lightning rampaged, phasing through the ground as it poured out. Her breath ran short, her body aching from the repulsion of charges present in her body. I can't hold it anymore. Lightning rampaged, a colossal storm breaking out, easily 200m diameter.
He looked on, watching the Lightning rampage. Considering the fact that there is no damage to the environment, that is non-physical magic. Why is it so intense? The rocks are beginning to tear now. A black fog coated his body before he dashed forward, I am tantalizing darkness, a shadow that nests in the depth of light…..darken and grow darker and darker still. A pulse of fog was released like sonar when he blitzed through the storm.
At its eye, Tondra stood paralyzed as tears ran down her face. Purple seals throughout her body. Forgive me for this. The lightning burnt against him, his flesh, never eroding yet he screamed in pain with each step he took. The fog that coated his hand darkened before a blue rod materialized. Darkness wrapped itself around it as it began revolving. He lunged, allowing the rod to clash against her body before phasing through it. Her eyes widened before she fell unconscious in his arms. Her body, scorched to the touch, yet she remained unharmed.
He panted, gasping for air, as a black and blue fog emerged from his body. 'That was much too reckless Asi—…'
"Your timing could not have been any better. My other conscious now lays dormant yet, his restraints remain still. Release the limiters."
'So you cause harm to everything. Just worry about that girl. She is yet to be of use to you.' The fog dissipated when he looked to the sky. Since when do you talk back to me. He sighed, But if she is what you wish then I will get it done. Why do I always spoil you?