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Master of Hearts

Lilen's Lessons Part 3

Lilen picked up Connor and led him into the Depths once again, plunging down the elevator and into the tropical underground paradise, but they bore the weight of excess. Magical supplies they had purchased from the markets above, tools, trinkets, and charms; it was if Connor was shopping to attend a magical school, spells books and bubbling cauldron and all, all that he missed was a wand and he would have had the complete set. Everything was laid flat in the sand in an isolated area of the beach protected by palm fronds that shadowed the beach with soft blissful movements. With their little set up it almost seemed like they were having a yard sale, merchandise cleanly laid out on towels, but it was clearly more than that; Lilen just didn't explain anything until he took a breath when everything was in order. Slumping onto the sand Lilen turned a gray key in between his fingers.

This key was no mere metallic gray, made of steel or metal, this key had no shadow, no shine or reflection it was if he was holding the color gray itself. It was marked with an archaic two thick prongs at the end, and a round head marked with the symbol of the gray god. Lilen hid the key in his fist before waving Connor down to the sand with him, "Last time we met you said you want to try more direct combat spells, which means we have to go to a special place since we don't have an anti-magic environment to train in." Lilen sighed as he opened his hand to expose the key, holding it out for Connor to see as he leaned on his leg. "My master gave this to me as a gift, to train privately. However, it's now probably the only way I can train you properly."

"What is it sir?" Connor asked and Lilen nodded.

"This is an Anmeroch, the name is strange but that's because it was created by a Reaper, an angel of the gray. They give a being access to the spirit world, or a branch of it called the Veneer. Humans have similar legends about what this veneer is, but the best explanation is a reflection, or rather that's the most our mortal minds can conceptualize. These keys aren't mere trinkets they open up a doorway to parts of reality that no mere mortal should travel through unprepared, paths to the underworld, or to heaven, to the spirit world. Places where spiritual beings would consume the unprepared. So this isn't a joke, when I tell you to do something you do it, or you could get trapped in the veneer, do you understand?" Lilen warned firmly staring Connor down until he got the weary response he was demanding.

"For the most part." Connor answered, he understood the seriousness but the talk about other worlds still was a little hard to wrap his mind around. "So, this reflection, why are we going there?"

"Because it's a reflection of the mortal world that we can change without physical or magical consequence. When you crush a stone in the veneer, you're crushing an illusion or a metaphysical image of what your mind understands is a stone. You exist as energy in the veneer, you only feel pain if you want to, and it's a magically rich environment so spells become easier to manifest. So, it's a perfect place to train with out fearing of magical blow back, or at least not as much."

"Ok, but how does it work?"

"It's far simpler than you think." Lilen sighed before looking at Connor. "However the problem is, time. The veneer exists beyond mortal time and space, it exists in the same directional flow of events, but it's disconnected, and malleable, an hour in the mortal world could translate into days, weeks, or even months depending on how much time you want to displace around you. So the real question is, do you want to train following a one to one ratio or do you want to train with a greater displacement in time." Lilen offered leaving Connor uneasy as he remembered the physical training he had dealt with previously and how painful that was.

"I know you said I don't feel pain if I don't want to-" Lilen cut Connor off, "Connor, yes it is true if you don't want to feel pain you won't but you haven't trained to suppress these kind of thoughts. You're mind will most likely react to an illusion of danger as if it was real, which can impose the same painful consequences. If you think you're going to be decapitated in the Veneer, then you'll be decapitated. I've only seen this once really in my time on earth, but do you know the idea, "You die in the dream you die in real life?" Lilen asked, and Connor nodded, "Yeah, of course."

"Well same idea, but with some different rules."

"Well if that's the case then I don't know, I want to learn, but I'd rather not suffer through every lesson." Connor countered and Lilen nodded, "I understand."

"You said we exist as energy in this reflection world, but what about if I need to eat, or piss? Do our physical bodies persist living in the mortal realm or do they dematerialize when we pass into the reflection world?"

"Interesting questions, but no, you don't need to eat or piss while you live in the Veneer, and when you enter into the veneer you enter with your whole body, you just live with your soul until you reenter the mortal realm again. So we can't train your physical body in the veneer. We can expand your mind and your soul, but that's about it. That's why I wanted us to get everything we could for your lessons. If you want to train in a time displacement I can teach you Enos and Dragon Dialect, or we can brew potions and learn about alchemical ingredients, spell craft and rune carving. Or we can practice combat, so you can learn the motions, or I could teach you spells. We can train for as long as you want to, I just want to give you as much time as possible before you take your final exam in December." Lilen breathed as he twisted the key in his hand, "I have to teach you the equivalent to several years of magical lecture for you to be prepared for the exam..."

Connor saw the weariness in Lilen and that he was hiding something beneath his tongue, "Lilen, how long does this Master student relationship normally last?"

"I was trained at a young age, but depending on the strength of one's soul, it can last several years or more." Lilen rubbed the side of his head, "I know I'm rushing you Connor, I wouldn't do this if I have the choice, but my master is going to be here in December. She's going to be the one giving the test... I want her to see she didn't train a failure. That I can teach and that I can be a Master of magic too." Lilen explained wearily before glancing at Connor in shame. "I'm sorry, about lying to you."

"Lilen, I get it, but why would your master ever consider you a failure?"

"My master, Suam Walos, is on the Council of Seven, a Master of qire." Lilen exhaled, "As a Master of the Council, I owe her to be the best student I can be. She gave up five years of her life to train me and I don't want to shame her by never becoming a Master. If I never become a master, I shame her teachings, and call her ability into question, so I can't fail. I want to train you so you can be judged by her. I want her to see what her legacy will be in you." Lilen answered, his body tense until he took a breath to let go of the anxiety. "However, this is still your choice. You cannot make a blade in a dead forge."

"Lilen I get it, I'll do what I can... Just don't make me resent magic or you." Connor agreed before patting Lilen's back.

"Well go in slow, maybe just displace the time by a fraction so you can get used to the difference, and we'll build up from there." Lilen agreed with a weary but thankful smile.

"So what do I need to do?" Connor asked and Lilen just shook his head and got up, "Nothing yet, just sit back and watch." Lilen finished before getting up with a sigh of relief before walking to the lapping water, he was silent as he opened his arms and raised his hands pulling up water from the lake and freezing into crystal clear brick columns. They grew to form an archway that solidified with the frozen keystone tying the halves together. Flicking his fingers across the air, dragon dialect runes were carved into the archway giving it a soft gray haze. Taking the key, Lilen put into the archway and the lake violently reacted, it splashed up against the door like waves in a violent storm that hung in place dripping like a veil of foaming water. Pushing open the torrential door, Lilen exposed a fractured hazy reality that mimicked cracked glass. With a flick of the wrist the archway was pulled forward, higher on the beach and Lilen stepped inside, and disappeared from reality, existing solely in the reflection of reality echoed beyond the door.

"Bring in the supplies." Lilen ordered waving Connor forward, before disappearing as he walked to the right and out of sight of the archway. Connor couldn't move fast enough as he packed everything and dragged the bundles of supplies towards the doorway, something that almost didn't feel real. He reached out and felt the seeping cold of the ice and rippling haze of the magical world, it didn't hurt, so he stepped through. Connor dragged the supplies through the sand and towards a small campsite that Lilen was building with his magic. Hanging over a draped tree was a blanket of water that seemed muddied with sand on purpose and anchored to the ground, it rippled with a life of it's own, and there was even a stone circle for a fire pit already in place.

Lilen stretched the tent opening to create privacy flaps that he closed, making a small water fall that folded around the palm tree's trunk. "I thought we weren't going to stay here for long." Connor countered and Lilen smiled and pet Connor's head. "Just trust me and help me set everything up."

Connor still wasn't sure what to say, but he unfolded the towels and started to set up everything as Lilen dictated, the cauldron over the firepit, textbooks and spell books, journals and writing utensils were laid out on a clay table Lilen made with dirt and water near the side of the tent. Then he also made a clay wall across from the table.

"This for most of our training is where we'll be doing our lessons, and right now time is at one point five the normal speed. So, in six real world hours well have spent nine hours in here. I can also change the ratio at any time so if you want to spend more time training, we can do that." Lilen pushed as Connor sat down behind the table, before testing the durability of the hard clay table in front of him with a hard downwards push. It didn't crack or budge, it was if it was made of stone.

"Strong table."

"I know, just don't try and break it on purpose. It's not impervious to damage." Lilen agreed before sitting down across from Connor. "So what's the first lesson?"

"You already know a lot about different elements and the basics of magic, because of your college courses, but now were going to review two primary topics of magical casting. The seven levels of magic, and intention magic which can be described as the most fundamental part of magic." Lilen explained as he flicked his fingers in the air, and as he did so words started to pour down the clay wall behind him describing the lesson plan for the day.

Connor leaned back and adjusted himself, somewhat confused by the statement, "If it's so fundamental then why didn't I learn about it in school?"

"Because it's also one of the most dangerous fundamental lessons. Right now humans are steadily understanding the basics of their new magical abilities, and right now its important that they learn self-control rather than things that empower them. By not teaching these lessons we prevent humans from hurting themselves and others by overexertion." Lilen explained as he crossed his hands in front of him, as he leaned on the table. "I am teaching now, you should probably be writing this down." Lilen pressed as he nodded to the journals to the side.

Connor nodded, "Yes sir," before slipping a note book in front of him and clicking a mechanical pen till lead was exposed, and took down the summary of their conversation so far. Looking up when he was finished Connor asked another question, "So you mean, that you don't teach these lessons because it prevents them from soul bursting?"

"That's a simple answer, with intention magic it is easy to overexert one's magical abilities beyond one's control. However, magic is tied to the soul, so it reacts emotionally anyways, so it's possible to soul burst in moments of extreme tension regardless. The primary reason we don't teach these lessons to humans is because it makes humans more unpredictable in combat and dangerous. Because intention magic uses one's emotions to amplify magical abilities. So fanatics could use their anger to fuel their fire, which we both know would make them even greater threats." Lilen lectured with soft nods, his fingers dancing across the clay table, writing definitions on the board behind him and emphasizing comments he wanted distinctly copied.

Connor followed along writing as he continued to question the lesson, "IF what you're saying is true, and magic can be empowered by one's emotions then why do you teach emotional regulation, or rather how isn't this more a problem in the first place? With such intense emotions why isn't a fanatics magic being empowered in the first place?"

Lilen tapped the air and smiled, "that is a very good question and it has one very simple answer."

"And that is?" Connor asked only to draw the question out of Lilen's fanged maw.

"Direction." Lilen answered, and Connor crooked his brow in confusion.

"Direction? What's that supposed to mean?"

Lilen turned his focus to the table in front of them and drew an acute triangle into the table with his finger, the clay particles sinking into the cut grooves rather than flying away with the sweeping of his hand. Lilen pointed to the flat base of the triangle. "Imagine this line represents a magic caster, and this point at the top of the triangle, the target. The reason this lesson is important is because of one simple thing. Direction, not of attention but focus. Most untrained mages just direct their anger forward with their line of sight, they see an enemy and direct their energy through their eyes, which for the most part does absolutely nothing." Lilen explained as he labeled the left side of the triangle as "line of sight" before tapping his finger on the right line.

"This Line represents the attack, bow, sword, magical blast; whatever, it doesn't matter, it just has to involve magic. If the magic user's anger for the target is direct through the actual attack it's power is amplified, you can fuel the attack with your own emotions thus leaving a greater impact. Most people don't understand this, so they miss out on the advantage. That's why the most basic level of magic is called intention magic, its emotional magic, it's based on the caster's desire to do certain actions. The stronger the caster's intention the greater the effect, it's such a crucial lesson that between two perfectly even casters, the one that uses intention magic is bound to always be the winner." Lilen explained as he labeled the right angel as "Attack."

"What I'm going to teach you today is to focus your intention, your emotions into attacks and defensive barriers."

"You can use anger to create defensive barriers?" Connor asked and Lilen slapped the table with a nod, "Yes of course Connor, there is no true one side to everything Connor. Anger isn't about attacking, it's an emotional response to an enemy, and you can use your anger to live in spite of your enemy's actions. Anger isn't evil, it's how one uses that anger that makes them evil." Lilen corrected, before falling silent to let Connor write his notes, but once he was finished. Lilen stood up, "Come with me it's time for the demonstration."

Connor followed along obediently as Lilen continued his lecture, "Intention magic is the fundamental use of magic, so it can be used to emphasize other levels of magic. Including Movement and Vocal magical casting."

"Movement and Vocal?" Connor asked as he kept a fair distance away from the shore line, mainly because Lilen had drawn a Line in the sand in front of him.

Lilen took a breath and turned around clapping his hands, "I might as well explain what each of the seven levels of magic are... Connor there should never not be a notebook in your hand when I'm teaching." He chastised before waiting patiently for Connor to get the notebook from the table to keep writing notes.

"Alright, the seven levels of magic are as follows, Intention, Movement, Vocal, Runic, Alchemical, Manifestation, Alca-magic. Intention is amplification through emotional control. Movement is an amplification of magic through action, and Vocal is amplification through directional commands."

"Directional commands? You mean like spells?" Connor asked as he tried to follow along.

"Yes, spells are written with a purpose and intention. You might struggle to understand this but magic is a conscious energy, it lives in everything. When you're casting a spell your telling magic to act in a certain way." Lilen explained before he turned around to face the lake, before sweeping his hands into and up his chest, water rolled up the shore and lifted into the air creating three walls of ice, each one just a couple feet away from each other.

"What I just did was movement magic by the way, through the motions of the body I directed the actions of magic, and told it what to do not only with my body, but my mind and soul. I projected my soul out of my body and into the world to impose my will on nature. To tell it to lift and freeze." Lilen explained glancing over his shoulder before walking to the first wall on the far left.

"Now this second part of the lesson is especially important because it combines the first three levels of magic. Intention, movement and Vocal. But before I do anything I want you to understand this. Magic isn't Mincridarn, magic is entirely its own entity. Just because I say a spell in Enos, Dragon Dialect and so on doesn't mean it'll change how it works, magic is far more intelligent than you think, and language means nothing to it. All magic cares about is what you're telling it to do." Lilen explained before jutting to the side and turning around to slam his fist through the ice wall, "Don-qire-vancu,"

The ice wall detonated out like a claymore, sending out shards of ice like shrapnel that dotted the lake with colossal impact, sending up geysers of water that rained down from the sky. Connor had to create a barrier around himself to keep his notes dry. Lilen shook the residual ice and water from his fist before looking back at Connor, "All the water within my domain, shatter. That is what the spell I just said translates into. It's a basic three part spell, Don represent the domain, or the area of influence I want to change or control. Qire is an attribute in the domain that I want to change, and Vancu is the final command word telling how the attributes are meant to act. In this case, shatter. It's a basic three part spell, but it can be shortened even further." Lilen explained as he moved to the next wall.

"I'm sure you understand that the spell I used was in Dragon Dialect. This next one won't be and yet it will have a similar effect... Tatakiwaru." Lilen commanded as he punched the wall, and just like he said the wall shattered like glass, shredding the water just beyond the beach.

Lilen dusted his knuckles and looked back at Connor, "Do you know what language that was in?"

"it sound like Japanese." Connor answered and Lilen nodded.

"That's because it was, like I said before there isn't one primal language that Magic solely obeys. There is no language of the gods, or divine tongue. Magic exists to be manipulated by everyone and everything, regardless of origin, it's for everyone strong enough to give it direction." Lilen explained before moving to the final wall.

"Now this final one, I'm going to infuse intention into my strike, I'm sorry if I scare you, please know that I have no intention to harm you." Lilen assured as he reached out and stroked the edge of the wall of ice as if to say sorry, before closing his eyes and taking a breath. He exhaled with a excited rhythm, and each breath seemed to burn in his chest as his lips cringed in pain, and twitched into a rage. Whimpered tears trailed down his eyes, and little by little Lilen's body started to glow with an erratic blue aura that lashed out and robbed Connor of his breath, as a primal fear made his entire body shake.

Lilen's eyes burst open exposing the gray veils of blind rage, and Lilen roared in trauma, "FUCKING DIE!" The words echoed down into his fist as it struck the wall, and at the moment of impact the ice just detonated, it a fragmented explosion that would rival any claymore, or missile blast. The wall turned to shards of ice and mist that reached the ceiling and almost halfway across the lake. The Cavern shook and silver line crystals in the ceiling cracked and fell to the lake, broken from the pressure wave, that wrapped back around and blew up a gale of sand and mist knocking Connor onto his ass.

Connor couldn't help but cower against the tent as Lilen's gray gaze turned to him, his panting chest exhaled a frozen mist as if smoke from a dragon's muzzle. Whoever was in front of him wasn't his teacher or friend but a terrifying monster that made Connor want to piss himself in terror. Connor whimpered breaking down into tears as Lilen so much as dared to step closer to him and threw up his arms in feeble pursuit to protect himself.

The tension faded and Lilen sighed an apology before leaning down to hold Connors' wrists and pull them apart so they could look at one another again, "Connor, it's ok, I'm sorry I scared you." Lilen added as Connor dared to look up at him, and seeing the face of his friend, part of his heart broke. He felt pathetic, Lilen wasn't a monster, he was a friend trying to help him learn, and yet he was so weak willed that the moment he saw Lilen express his true ability he crumpled like wet paper. He wrapped his arms around Lilen's neck, "It's ok... I'm sorry."

Lilen pulled Connor into his chest and into his lap before rocking the human lightly, "I didn't mean to scare you like that. My master always said I looked like a demon when I was angry. I just wanted to show you how much of a difference using one's emotions can make. Of course, I had years to work on it, but..."Lilen's words just collapsed as he realized how little his calm explanation was working, and instead just kept rocking Connor back and forth until he stopped shaking.

When the tension finally subsided between them, and Connor breathed in relief they watched the waves together in silence; Lilen saying nothing so Connor could process the lesson and the destruction Lilen had created. "Are you ok Lilen?" Connor asked brushing Lilen's knuckles when the quiet had lasted long enough.

"I'll be fine, are you ok? I didn't hurt you in the pressure wave?" Lilen asked, examining his own knuckles and stretching his fingers to prove his point before holding Connor's hand and weaving his fingers between Connor's.

"I'm fine... I just don't understand how all that happened... why was I suddenly so scared of you? I thought you might kill me; I know you wouldn't but-" Lilen silence Connor by cupping his lips with his hand, nodding with a weary smile. "It's ok, I know what you mean, just let me explain." Lilen's hand fell away and he leaned back until he was resting on his elbows and looking up at the ceiling. "It's a magical effect, a byproduct of using intention magic. When you strike with your emotions you leave your heart bare for everyone around you to see. Depending on the magical attack, and how powerful the emotion is, it can cause the unprepared or weaker individuals to feel everything." Lilen raised a hand to pet Connor's head, "You're actually stronger than I thought you were, I thought with that attack you'd pass out. But your still conscious, I'm very proud of you... you're stronger than you realize." Lilen complimented with soft words that seeped deep into Connor's cheeks leaving him blushing under the warmth of his cool hand.

"Do you want to try?" Lilen asked sitting up and warping his hands loosely around Connor's hips.

"I want too, but I don't know how." Connor admitted timidly, turning away to look back at the ocean. Lilen nodded, and pulled Connor to his feet, "Well you'll never learn by doing nothing. So, come on let's take a walk."

"A walk?" Connor questioned as Lilen started to walk down along side the shore. Lilen glanced over his shoulder and though he smiled he looked tired, almost sad, as he nodded for Connor to follow. "We need to talk before you do anything."

Connor stepped quickly to keep pace with the shark, "About what?" Connor asked and Lilen exhaled a long hard breath.

"Pain... Intention magic is based in emotion, so you have to understand what hurts the most, because the greatest power comes from understanding peace in destruction, the love in death. We need to talk about your greatest tragedy." Lilen explained and Connor realized how deep the conversation was going to go and his heart ached under the tension, but he nodded following along in both step and thought.

"Connor, what hurts?" Lilen asked as he leaned back and wrapped his fingers together behind his back, looking down he watched Connor lose his heart and fall silent.

"I don't know..." Connor answered, but Lilen shook his head and stopped walking and reached out to hold Connor's shoulder. "Don't lie to yourself, just let your mind flow, your answer is there on the tip of your tongue just let your soul speak." Lilen's words were soft, and quiet, only spoken for him in the isolated environment, with winds that blew in and softened their clothes in the misted wind.

Connor looked up at Lilen and saw the pain in his eyes, he knew this topic was painful, but it was too important to avoid; it was necessary. Lilen didn't want to stir up the darkest parts of his life and hurt him, he wasn't doing anything to tease or abuse him, it was all part of the lesson. So Connor looked down at the sand and answered, "My dad," Connor admitted before looking up at Lilen with tears in his eyes as he finally exposed his heart; "I love him... I still love him, even though he beat me, even though he made me feel like I was living my life on his whim. And it hurts, it always hurts, because I love him... I hate him... and I still want him to hug me." Connor cried, his eyes starting to burn as he retained his tears.

Lilen's hand tightened on Connor's shoulder, to comfort him and hold him close, but all it did was cause Connor to cower behind his hands and break down, crumpling to the sand as he cried. "I don't know what to do... I'm getting married and I still want him to be there. I know he'll hate it, and that he'd rather die, kill me rather than go, but it feels so wrong." Connor cowered in the sand, his fingers digging into the soft wet warmth. Lilen settled onto the sand and sat beside Connor and pet his back, and though it felt good it also hurt, like a knife to the back, a comfort he didn't deserve.

"Why does it feel wrong to love him?" Lilen asked, and the perplexing question caused Connor to pause and look up at Lilen trying to figure out if he was serious or not. "Because he beats me, he disowned me-"

"And yet you don't want to let him go? Why?" Lilen whispered as he retracted his hand and leaned on his knees. Connor's tears collapsed as his mind reeled under the question, pulled back into darkness that he couldn't drag any answers out of, "I don't know."

"I've heard a lot of bad things from the lips of others about how monstrous your father is, how he left you for dead on the side of the street, disowned and traumatized you. But yet you love him, why? If you hate him so much why do you still want to be around him?" Lilen asked but Connor's mind was still a blank abyss, his mind was numb to answers as he stared at the beach to avoid looking at Lilen as he leaned on his knees to hide.

Lilen exhaled a heavy breath, "The answer is there Connor, you just have to let yourself say it-"

"What do you think about when you use intention magic?" Connor cut in looking at Lilen for the moment before turning his attention to the waves, as Lilen nodded and followed the line of sight, adjusting himself as he settled on the sand.

"Hyderia, my mate." Lilen exhaled with a staggered breath, "I... I think about the day she died. How beautiful was... how stunning the light was in her eyes when she died in my arms." Lilen answered his words caught in his throat as he restrained his own tears, his body fidgeting under the traumatic memories. "I think about how pathetic I was, about letting her die... about everything I regret doing that day. It's why I become such a monster... I don't ever want to live through that again." He heaved, his breath catching in his chest, as he wiped the tears from his eyes.

Connor saw the pain of the lesson etched in Lilen's face as he watched the sea with a desperate longing, before turning away from the rippling to look at the sand that washed ashore. "Doesn't it feel wrong to fight with her memory?"

Lilen glanced at Connor with his steely eyes before nodding, "Sometimes...sometimes it feels wrong; but most of the time I use that memory to protect others. I use it so other people don't have to feel the same way.... So they don't have to loose someone they love like I did." Lilen scooped up sand in his hand and watched it form into a mountain beneath his hand, when the peak was formed with the last grain he looked up at Connor, "Is that you're problem? Do you think it's wrong to use the memory of your dad to fight?"

"A little," Connor agreed, "He beat me, tortured me... I don't know, it feels like... He made home feel like a prison; I didn't have a life, I couldn't do anything I wanted and I was scared to even speak my mind around him. I had to be the good boy, sit still, shut up, and take the shot." Connor mimicked holding a rifle in his hands, and reacting to improvised recoil that dislodged the illusion from his hands as they crumpled back to his legs, pulling the limbs tighter in an embrace. "So I feel like if I use magic with him in mind, the pain of who he is now, and love I had for him when I was a kid... It's like giving him another thing to hold over me. To tie me down and beat me with... that everything I can do is because of him... I just want to be free to live my own life."

"And yet you want to be a slave to Banavi?" Lilen countered with a small laugh. "Doesn't that feel a little Ironic? Free yourself of one pair of shackles to slap a new pair on your own wrists."

"I didn't choose my dad... I didn't choose how he beat me, how he trained me. I didn't have a choice, but even though I want to be a slave under Banavi. I've had more freedom living with him then I've had my entire life... So I don't want to use my dad's memories like that... it feels like a pit I'll never climb out of if I use them." Connor explained as Lilen nodded, before picking up another pile of sand only to watch it fade in the breeze.

"That's because the intention behind why you're using it is wrong. You see it as a pit, because all you see is the pain, and the glorification of power. But if you look at the pain he caused you as a way to stand above everything he did, every punch, every bullet he forced you to fire, becomes a brick in a tower that just raises you up. You have a good heart, you want to protect people, and after years of abuse you still smile and choose to live. Use your past to spite your father, to show him that he'll never control you again, by growing stronger and more capable as a mage." Lilen counseled as he leaned on his knees.

"I get what your saying, but it doesn't feel that easy." Connor objected as he glanced at Lilen who breathed nodding, "It's not, but it is that simple. I was trapped by the same thoughts long ago. After Hyderia died I lost most of my ability to control my magic, it was volatile, erratic. But my master, Suam, she showed me how to rise above my anger and self-loathing and use Hyderia to make a stand. But just because someone shows you how to change doesn't mean its easy, it's a choice that you accept and work towards. I struggled for several months to let go; but I did, and now... I'm all the stronger for it. So I know this is something you can do, but it is your choice." Lilen explained as he stood up and brushed the sand from his ass. "You know how intention magic works, but how about we actually start practicing magic."

"Can we try that anti-fire spell we talked about last time?" Connor asked with a heavy breath as Lilen nodded, smiling he waved Connor forward, "Of course." Connor staggered to his feet hearing the agreement and Lilen wrapped a single arm over his shoulders and pulled him into a hug. Though his chest was cold, Connor still felt the sincere warmth in his touch, and it helped his heart settle his aching heart.

As they walked back to the camp, holding each other Lilen was the first to let go and wave his hand to summon pillars of ice, targets at varying positions. Crossing his arms he took a breath and tried to regain his composure before beginning his next lesson.

"So, this next spell is called, Qivas, or in english, Force of Water; it uses compression waves caused by controlled detonations of steam to send out shockwaves of wind to smother fires." Lilen explained as he flexed his hand to pull of transparent sphere of mist around his right hand. While Connor did what he could to take notes, though his hands still felt distinctly stiff with tension.

"When using this type of magic it's best to assume a strong stance, until you learn how to control the force and direction of the blast, you'll tend to get a lot of power that blows back into your arm and shoulder. It's likely to knock you off your feet if your not careful. After assuming a strong stance, you want to relax, steady your mind and focus on the direction of the blast." Lilen continued to lecture. "In order to help focus the attack, you should say "Qivas" during the attack movement... Like this... Qivas!" Lilen punched his fist forward and extending out from the blow a visual pressure wave burst forward like a shot gun blast and shattered one of the ice pillars just off shore, it reformed with a rotation of his left wrist.

"Also one thing I should mention about intention magic, it's one of the primary reasons why we can talk about magical spells, with out causing the spell itself from triggering. There has to be intention to actually use it. So as long as your just talking about it, then you don't need to worry about saying anything that might cause a spell to go off. That is important to know, most early mage tests ask why spells don't go off in conversation, and another thing you should specifically remember is the focus triangle, and how it works. Some teachers would normally require you to write essays on the topic." Lilen noted before stepping to the side and gesturing Connor forward.

After staring the set notes, the notebook was tossed to the sand and Connor stepped up with a bit of enthusiasm, he loved learning new spells, and though his body was still tense he tried to shake the past from his limbs and settle into position on the sand. Mimicking Lilen's stance and physical motions. "This is actually a good beginner level spell to learn, because it teaches focus, and magical projection and combat stances. So take a breath and relax, we have all the time in creation to practice this, and if I need to distort time further I will." Lilen assured as he fixed Connor's stance and striking motion.

"So how do I actually create the spell?" Connor asked as Lilen settled back into position beside him.

"When you rotate your wrist think about creating a veil of water around your hand, an orb of mist that surrounds it. Stabilize it and give it a rigid shape without freezing it. This is actually important, because this spell is explosive, distortions in the orb's shape can cause uneven and unpredictable detonations." Lilen explained as he rotated his wrist with a clean motion pulling moisture from the air into a sphere around his hand.

Connor copied the motion and for the most part mimicked Lilen, but it was clear that his orb was thicker and spotted with varying densities. "Good first try, but that right there is a dangerous spell. It's not a clean orb, it's too uneven. Even varying thickness in the veil of water itself can change the effects of the blast, what you have there is more akin to a shotgun blast. It'll hit, and it'll hurt, but its not even, and your enemy can evade the dense portion of the attack and defend against the weakest thus taking minimal damage. So try again." Lilen lectured as he repeated the motion which Connor mimicked to create a new orb, it came out much the same.

"Sorry, I don't know why I can't get it." Connor apologized, but Lilen shook his head and chuckled and came up behind Connor and took hold of his hand, "It's your second time using the spell, by no means am I expecting you to master this spell in a single day. Right now, were just going to focus on perfecting your sphere, then we'll work on projection. You just need to figure out the best way for you to create the image in your mind. So here, why don't you slow down, and instead of focusing on making a thin veil of mist like mine, make something thicker, like a bedsheet, or a thin blanket... and go slow, don't just flick your wrist. There is no need to just try and form it, your not in any danger right now." Lilen taught with a soft and smooth tone and demonstrations.

However as good as Lilen was as a teacher, it took Connor countless summoning's and hours of practice to even get an orb that came close to being solid enough for the next part of the lesson; but by that time, he was already fatigued, and the mere formation of the sphere caused him to nearly faint from magical exhaustion. Lilen caught him at the last second and laid Connor out on the sand so he could rest and meditate; but he just ended up passing out after just a few seconds.