A Deepening Knowledge (A Life of Magic)

by Matthew Mitchell

  I sat there and realized that my whole world was changing. Suzie loved me yet we would never be anything more than friends. Raven was a mystery. She honestly seemed to like me at times, like just now, yet at others there was an aggression that I did not understand. Did she love me? Did I love her? All of this hurt my head. Good thing I will have a few days away from magic practice to have time to think things out.

  Giad walked out, "It is good to see one's work appreciated." He sat down and started stacking bowls and baskets. "I am sorry if I intrude but you my young friend have a problem."

  I looked at him. "Which one are you talking about?"

  He chuckled at that. "That is fair enough. Let's worry about the one that just walked out." He motioned towards where Raven had left. "That young lady loves you if I understand the situation correctly. Yet there is something holding her back. Not Suzie, she has given you up as a lost cause if I understand it rightly." He picked up a roll and took a bite. "Just right, still warm." He looked at me and smiled. "Although I could be mistaken. I am just a cook after all." With that he picked up the dishes and took them into the kitchen.

  I sat there for what felt like hours. I finally realized that I had no more clue than Giad about what was going to happen. Time for bed I guess. I took my things to the kitchen, thanked Giad for the food, and went to bed, which was crowded, all my friends were laying around taking up space. I smiled, moving Mophar and Pat aside I climbed into bed.

  * * *

  "It is too early to be doing magic Stain!" Raven's voice carried through the air. Her tone had a hint of despair.

  "Nonsense. It is always the right time for magic, never too early nor too late." Stain seemed to be in a good mood.

  I rolled over and saw why they were so loud, they were standing outside of my room talking.

  "What time is it?" I asked while sitting up. I had to move Pat's tail and shuffle Mophar aside.

  "Time for you to get out of bed." Stain grinned at me.

  "Dawn. It's dawn." Raven still sounded sleepy.

  Stain looked at Raven and then at me. "We need to do some experiments today. We do not need a lot of people watching us. Dawn is the best time for that. Everyone who is awake is busy." He motioned to me. "Get up. We will eat quickly and then get started. Make sure to bring Mophar, Fiosrach, and Pat with you. Cracklecord is meeting us after breakfast." With that he turned away and walked down the hall.

  Raven stood there with a dark look on her face. "I do not like this. I bet it involves magic." She looked at me and her look softened. "Well good morning Ott. I guess we should be eating." With that she yanked me out of bed and helped me rouse my friends. Pat we had to drag awake and Mophar simply climbed onto my shoulders and went back to sleep there. Fiosrach woke up in a good mood and ready for the day.

  "Time for food." Raven led the way back to the dining area where there was already piles of biscuits, baskets of fruit, platters of meat, and pitchers of cold juice. We all sat at the table and started passing around food. I woke Mophar back up and handed him some fruit. Evidently that woke him up the rest of the way as he moved to the back of a chair.

  "What is going on today?" Pat asked.

  "We have no clue." Raven pointedly stated around a bit of biscuit smothered in jam. "I just know that it involves me, Ott, and magic."

  Everyone looked at her and snickered. She scowled at us and threw another biscuit at Pat, who had been laughing hardest.

  "Yeah well. I dislike magic." She leaned back and crossed her arms. "I am a null so it just causes me problems."

  I thought about that. Why would Stain want to do an experiment using magic and Raven if she was a null.

  "What about when Ott used magic on you?" Fiosrach asked. "I thought you felt it then?"

  Raven looked at him and then at me. "That is true."

  We all sat there eating, thinking about that fact.

  "Oh man." Pat exclaimed. "He is going to have Ott do magic on you!" With that he started laughing and finally fell off the table to the floor.

  Raven just looked at him in disgust. "Laugh it up lizard. He wanted you guys to be there also."

  At that moment Stain walked in. "Pat, I need some help. If you would come with me the rest can join us when they are all done eating."

  Pat looked at Stain and something seemed to pass between the two of them. "Of course." With that he flew up and followed Stain down the hallway.

  "Hurry up and finish eating. We have things to do." Stain called over his shoulder.

  Raven rolled her eyes and grabbed some fruit. "I refuse to hurry up. I am hungry."

  I smiled and nodded. "Me also." I grabbed a sausage and put it in a biscuit. Delicious. The juice washed down all of it well.

  Mophar sat there and munched on nuts and fruit. "I do wonder. Why is Stain wanting me to be there? I can do no magic."

  I looked at him and thought about it. "I have no clue. He usually has his reasons."

  Raven looked at me, "What did he say?"

  Sometimes I forgot that Raven could not understand Mophar. "He wondered why he was being asked to join in the experiment, since he has no magic."

  Raven looked at Mophar and grinned, "Perhaps we are both the subjects in this experiment."

  Mophar gave her a dirty look and tossed a small fruit at her, which she caught.

  After a few more minutes we finished eating and cleared our mess, leaving it ready for whoever was up and eating after us.

  "Shall we?" Raven put her arm in mine and Mophar jumped to my shoulders, wrapping his tail around my chest. Fiosrach walked behind us, still munching on some sausage.

  Eventually we located Stain and Pat in a large room, one with no windows or furniture.

  "Well here we are." Raven announced. "Fed and ready to be poked and prodded."

  Stain turned towards us and his expression showed he noticed Raven holding my arm, yet he made no mention of it. "And so we shall. But first things first." I could feel his magic whirling up around us. Suddenly there was a massive shield around the entire room. "Ott. Can you guess what I just did?"

  I thought a moment and focused on the magic. "I think you cast a shield to block out all other magic, sound, and sight."

  Stain smiled, "Very good. Nobody can spy on us while this shield holds. Not through magic, listening, or watching. This room is cut off completely" He looked at Raven. "This should let you know how serious I am about what we are about to do."

  Raven seemed nervous suddenly and her arm tightened around mine before she let go. "I understand Stain."

  Stain nodded and handed Raven a vial. "First, drink this. You are at a disadvantage that I feel should be fixed." He turned to me. "I feel that I am at some fault for you being taken. With being on the river we grew complacent and lax in our awareness of the danger that is aimed at you. From now on you will always have two of your companions with you." He pointed at Mophar. "Mophar is your secret guard. Not many people will realize that he is as aware as a human. Keep him with you anytime you go out in public."

  Mophar sat up at that. "Yeah. On the boat you were busy and we all gave you space." His tail tightened. "Not anymore. Where you go I go."

  I patted his tail. "I understand."

  Stain looked at Fiosrach, "You have a unique bond with Ott. That means no matter what else happens you can not allow yourself to be captured. Even if Ott is captured again you must get free. That way you can help us find him again."

  Fiosrach frowned and nodded. "Very well. I understand." He did not seem happy.

  The sound of Raven gagging broke through. "What was that vile stuff?" She cried.

  Stain grinned. "A special potion to give you a more level ground with Ott. Mophar, could you come here for a moment." Stain motioned to a spot beside himself.

  Mophar hopped down, "Sure Stain."

  Raven's mouth dropped. "I can understand him!"

  I smiled, "That explains the nasty taste. That potion is vile."

  Raven looked at me, a little in shock. "
I have beast tongue?"

  Stain smiled, "I figured with all the time you and Ott will be spending together and Mophar keeping Ott company it was only fair you could be involved in all the conversations. Plus it gives you the same edge of being able to talk to Mophar."

  Raven just stared at Mophar.

  Mophar grinned. "By the way, I will be getting even about the juice back in Haver's Town."

  Raven smiled. "You might regret that my little furry friend."

  "Well now. With that out of the way, let's get a few other things done." Stain motioned us all towards the middle of the room. "Fiosrach, if you would sit on Ott's foot. He will need to cast some very strong earth spells. I do not want him too wore out from all that I will ask him."

  "Sure." Fiosrach walked over and gently sat on my foot. I think he was still munching on a sausage.

  "Earth magic?" I asked.

  "Why yes. I will explain in a moment. But first let me get the rest of the group arranged." With that he put Raven across from me just beyond arms length. Pat flew to land beside her. Stain motioned Mophar to his shoulders, "I think you should ride with me my friend, at least for a moment."

  Stain pulled a paper from his pocket. "This is a pure earth spell. I will cast it first and then Ott. It is a simple spell that basically makes any earth based material glow. This works on rocks, dirt, even creatures to some extent." Suddenly he cast the spell and Mophar started glowing. Mophar jumped and then laughed. "Now this spell takes a lot of energy to cast." The light winked out. "The reason I wish to use this spell is I have noticed a few things about young Raven here." He put his hand on her shoulder. "She is supposedly a null. So magic should not directly impact her. Just the physical interactions of magic affect her. Like the wind from you spell back in Haver's Town. It blew her hair around. Also the water spell. She got wet. But these were the result of magic, not magic itself."

  We all nodded. This had been explained before.

  Stain grinned. "But a true null can not feel magic."

  Raven frowned. "Then how could I feel when Ott put a shield around me?"

  "That is what I hope to figure out today." He stepped back. "This spell does work on people. But it depends on their magical standing." He cast the spell again, but on me this time. Everyone yelled and covered their eyes. The magic cut off suddenly. "Ott has a lot of earth magic, so when I cast the spell on him he lights up like a bonfire." He grinned and seemed to be enjoying himself. "Now, with Raven being a true null, the spell should not effect her in any way. No glow at all." I could feel him cast the spell. Raven stood there with no glow.

  "Well?" Raven put her hands on her hips. "Cast the spell already."

  Stain grinned. "I did."

  Raven looked at me. I nodded. "I could feel him cast it at you."

  "So that makes me a null." Raven stated.

  "Well, in the traditional sense." Stain commented. "Now I want to try something else." He handed me the spell. "Look at that for a moment and then I want to make sure you can cast it well."

  I looked at the spell. It was fairly simple. It basically called forth a small amount of earth energy and made that energy express as light.

  "Fiosrach, if you could make some earth wads." Stain pointed between Raven and myself.

  Fiosrach grinned and I could feel some magic reach out into the room. Suddenly dirt and dust flew from every surface and into three piles that then turned into three solid wads of dirt. "There you go."

  Stain nodded. "Ott, see if you can make them glow. One at a time please."

  I looked at the wads and focused. I could see the spell in my mind and then cast out earth magic. The first wad lit up like the sun.

  "Remember that Fiosrach is going to amplify your efforts." Stain stated clearly. "Now let's see what happened."

  I stopped the spell and looked at the wad. It had melted into a glass like substance.

  Stain grinned. "Too much magic. The energy caused extreme heat instead of just light." He pointed to the second wad. "Now try just a gentle glow, as little magic as you can."

  I nodded and focused again. This time the wad glowed gently. Stain knelt down and picked it up. "Good, no heat." He motioned to the third wad. "Now, while holding the second one at this brightness I want you to make the third one glow brightly without heat."

  Okay, I could do this. I focused and cast the spell on the third wad, but the second wad's light went out.

  "Ott, I want both to glow at different levels. That is when I know you have the spell worked out." Stain stated. "Raven, go ahead and do some exercises with your blades. I have a feeling you might want to stay loose for a few minutes."

  I spent almost all morning trying to get the two wads to glow at the same time and at different levels. Finally I could do it without any problem.

  Stain patted me on the shoulder, "Good Ott. This is a difficult thing to do. Not every mage could do it, even after practice. Take a break while I talk to Raven." He walked over to where she had been practicing her knife juggling.

  I sat down. "Thanks Fiosrach for lending me so much magic. I would have passed out from exhaustion without you."

  He smiled and nodded. "No problem Ott. I enjoy getting to help you. Plus I am having fun. I get to watch the magic while you work."

  Pat spoke up, "I am enjoying it too. It has been a while since I saw you work this hard at learning something." He grinned. "It should help you build plenty of character as well as skill."

  I grinned. "Very true. I gained a lot of water magic experience, but most of it did not challenge me."

  Stain had come back. "That is one thing we will be changing. I had not been challenging you enough, I feel." His grin grew mischievous. "You will be tired more often but your skill will grow much faster."

  Raven walked back to stand across from me.

  "Now, the real challenge today and the reason we are here." Stain motioned to Raven. "As we have discussed, we believe Raven is a null. Yet she can feel Ott's magic. So this test should work to help provide some answers." Stain pulled me up to stand across from Raven. "Ott, I want you to cast the same glowing spell on Raven. Not her clothes, we know those will glow. But on her person. If she is a true null then there should be no reaction."

  I looked at Raven, she smiled nervously. "Just make sure you do not use too much magic, I do not want to melt."

  I smiled. "I will be careful." Looking at Stain I nodded. "That is why you demanded me to completely master this spell. So as not to cause any harm to Raven."

  Stain nodded and beamed. "Correct. With having mastered the spell there is no risk of hurting her. You should be able to cast the spell at just the right level to make her glow, if she was not a null. Now, let's see what happens. Remember, her body, not her clothes." With that Stain stepped back and motioned for me to cast the spell.

  I looked at Raven and could see the nervousness still there, yet she also seemed excited. I smiled and focused. I would get this right. My magic wafted out gently and wrapped around Raven. It sank past her clothes and settled gently into her skin. Suddenly she started glowing. She gasped and stared at her hands. I increased the energy and the glow intensified. I could start to see the glow through the stitching of her outfit.

  Stain moved forward. "Okay Ott. I do believe we have an answer." He shook his head and grinned.

  I stopped the spell and Raven stopped glowing. She had a smile on her face.

  "I could feel Ott's magic. It tingled." Raven stated quietly.

  "So what does this mean?" I asked Stain.

  Stain looked at Raven. "Well I can only guess one thing. Raven is not a null. She is actually a harmonic mage."

  "A what?" Raven cried. "A mage?"

  Stain put his hand on her shoulder. "Calm down. Yes, a mage. But a very unique kind of mage. Let me explain." He took a deep breath. "I have never met a harmonic mage, even my teacher had never met one. Not that we know of. They are as rare as a mage who can handle all four magics." He looked at me. "Ott will understand some of th
at, now that he has all the stored knowledge.

  He was right, I was remembering information that I had never learned.

  "Okay, before I explain what a harmonic mage is I want to make sure everyone understands some basic magic principles." Stain sat down. "What is magic and where does it come from?"

  Pat answered him, "Magic is energy and it surrounds us all."

  Stain nodded, "Very good. Now, what makes a mage?"

  I answered that one, "A mage is simply someone who can harness that energy and use it."

  Stain nodded again. "Technically correct. However there is a little bit more to it than that. A mage's body actually generates more of this energy than other peoples bodies do. This is where the personal store of magical energy comes from. It also explains why some mages can work specific families of magic. Their body creates a majority of that specific magic."

  Everyone nodded. This made sense to me.

  Stain took another deep breath, "Now, a normal non-mage has some magic in their bodies but can not control it. That is why magic affects them. A null actually simply does not have any magical energy inside of their body. This is what I thought was happening with Raven. It seemed as if the magic flowed around her like water off of a duck. But that is not the case," He pointed at Raven's hand. "as we have seen. If she was a null she would not have glowed. This means she is a harmonic mage."

  Raven sighed, "But what is a harmonic mage?" I could hear the nervousness in her voice.

  Stain smiled and patted her hand, "Well my dear, basically you are a mage with a few unique problems. You can not control the magic your body creates. You do create more magic than a normal person, yet you can not tap into it. This magical energy is unique though. It does not react to other magic, unless it is from a mage who harmonizes with you. This provides a buffer, if you will, against most other magics. Which is why it seemed like you were a null. When a spell was cast at you it simply flowed around you."