Finishing the Promise

Subject: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:39 am

August stood there with the water dripping off of him making a puddle at his feet. He was fully healed, freshly showered, and now appeared to be ready for whatever came next. The mage woman nodded to him with a smile as she spoke. “Thank you, August, we are finished

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:39 am

with you now, your debt to this institution is paid in full and you are free to go. Stop by the central station on your way downstairs, the mages there will find you some dry clothes for your journey home.” I stood there, my mouth hanging slightly agape. We were

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:39 am

done with him for the day? I thought there was still another lesson to be learned. While I was paying attention to my thoughts, the man walked over to me and offered his damp hand. “Thank you for your time Lady Nicole, perhaps we will meet again one day.” Taking

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:40 am

his hand I smile to him feeling the warmth rise to my cheeks. “Please, you have no reason to thank me. I thank you for your time today, I couldn’t have learned any of this without your help. I won’t forget you and will make sure that we see each

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:40 am

other again very soon.” Now it was his turn to blush as he nodded and turned to head for the door. The mage woman spoke once the doors closed behind him and he was safely on his way home. “While August is done here for today, you, my lady, are not

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:41 am

We still have another lesson to see to, one that August could not help us with. In fact, our other helper would have stood in for this one but since he’s been gone for some time now I will have to take his place yet again.” There she went again,

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:42 am

would she ever let my releasing the mage helper go? I was beginning to doubt that this woman knew what forgiveness even was. Before I could speak to defend my actions or apologize for them yet again, she went on and continued speaking. “Our final lesson for today is

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:42 am

to teach you to master the art of magic backlash. It is by far the strongest spell in the arsenal of a light mage. This technique calls for you to take damage from my attacks so we will wait for a backup healer to arrive to make sure there is

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:43 am

enough power in this room to heal whatever comes your way.” That’s just great. Not only will she be attacking me directly, but I will be taking damage, enough damage to call for an extra healer just in case. This last lesson was shaping up to be the hardest yet.

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:43 am

“Alright, while we’re waiting you could go ahead and tell me about this magic backlash thing, like how does it work?” The mage woman gave a laugh, evidently I had said something funny without realizing it. Motioning for me to take a seat on the nearest bale of hay, she

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:44 am

took the one beside it and began to speak again. “Well, with this ability, I will be firing attacks at you. At first they will probably hit you doing full damage. Once you master the spell they will begin to do half their normal damage and the attack itself will

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:45 am

be redirected back to me at a slightly stronger level than I cast it. To keep the damage dealt to you at a survivable level, I will only be casting the attacks at the median strength. That way they will be strong enough to warrant redirection but not strong enough

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:46 am

to seriously harm you each and every time. Once you learn the ability, you should be able to make it work with any type of magic sent your way, but to begin with I will only direct attacks of pure energy toward you. This should make it less confusing than

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:47 am

using elements you aren’t familiar with.” Just before the mage woman fell silent again, the backup healer entered the training room and took a seat by the door. She knew she was only here to lend assistance if needed and wouldn’t be involved in the actual training at all. The

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:47 am

mage woman and I rose to our feet and took our positions roughly twenty feet apart in the middle of the room. I knew I was about to feel some pain, but I resisted the urge to boost my defensive capabilities. I would need the pain to inspire my mastery

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:48 am

of the technique, use the pain, isn’t that what the gurus all say? Taking my stance, a more defensive rather than offensive pose, I tilt my head in a slight nod to the let the woman know I was ready. I watched as she rubbed her palms together, I assumed

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:49 am

she was warming up the magic for some reason or another. I was ready for the attack, as ready as I could be, but I had no clue how to handle the redirecting part of it. As far as I knew it involved absorbing the magic and damage of the

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:49 am

attack then sending it back to where it had come form. That was at least a jumping off point, somewhere from which I could begin learning. In the second it took for the ancient words to cross her lips, I could feel the surge of magic energy rushing across the expanse between us.

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:50 am

She was casting pulse, not just casting it but casting it at the middle level which was the strongest form I currently knew. I knew this was going to hurt, I’d seen the pained looks that my lowest level of the spell caused in my victims. When it hit all

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:51 am

breath was knocked from my lungs by the sheer force of power. My feet stumbled as I shuffled backwards to avoid falling to the ground. I thought I’d absorbed the magic well enough so I pushed what I thought was her attack back at her. When it hit her she

Subject: Re: Finishing the Promise Sat Feb 07, 2009 2:52 am

glared at me after righting herself on her feet. “What the hell was that? I only sent it to you at the mid level, you were supposed to send it back only a little bit stronger, not a whole damn level. Are you trying to kill me here?” A whole level stronger? I couldn’t even cast the spell that strongly, much less redirect it with that much added power.
Light Mage Mastery – Pulse (A)

» Finishing the Promise, pt2
» Finishing out the Week
» Getting Tired of this Promise
» Tired of the Promise, pt2
» Tired of the Promise, pt3