Authors: Christopher George
“What did you want anyway?” she asked after a few seconds of silence as we both observed the display below.
“Actually, I wanted to talk. I’ve been having some trouble and I wanted to ask you for help.”
“What kind of trouble?”
I didn’t know what to start with. “I almost killed one of the jerks at my school this afternoon. He punched me and I just lost it. I can’t seem to keep a handle on my temper,” I explained tentatively.
“Killed? How?”
“Mana thread,” I concluded grimly. “Fortunately I had some friends that held me back. I was just overcome with this rage. I couldn’t control it, is there some trick mages use in dealing with it?”
“That’s not a mage thing,” Renee replied gently, placing a hand on my shoulder. “That’s a teenager thing.”
“Mana doesn’t affect your personality, at least not directly,” Renee continued. “It doesn’t make you more unbalanced or out of control – that’s just normal teenage hormones.”
Renee had just lied to me. I didn’t know it then and to be fair she probably didn’t either. Everything she had just said was a lie. Power, any power, is corrupting, and absolute power such as the power given by mana is absolutely corrupting, there is no escaping that universal fact. Those with power become changed by it, and those without it crave it once they become aware of it. It’s unavoidable, it’s human nature.
“No, what you’ve got is standard run-of-the-mill teenage pent-up aggression and mood swings,” Renee finished with a mild grin. “Do you want my advice?”
“Sure.” I nodded tentatively. This really wasn’t what I wanted to hear.
“Write some angsty poetry, eat a lot of junk food and hate your parents. That seems to be the way most teenagers deal with the problem.”
Renee flashed a cheeky grin at me.
“That’s not a lot of help,” I concluded. “What do I do if I get into another fight at school?”
“Don’t,” she advised gruffly.
”It’s not like I’m starting them,” I sighed. “The problem is I can’t keep wanting to telekinetically smack anyone who chooses to start something with me. I need to learn some restraint.”
“Actually, from what you’ve told me you’ve already shown a lot of restraint with your powers,” Renee said, then glanced to the slightly glowing city surrounding us.
“Tonight aside,” she amended with a slight chuckle as she gestured towards the city still in the arcane grip of my mana charge.
“You know what I mean,” I pressed.
“Okay,” Renee continued. “Sounds to me like you simply just need a response other than telekinetic assault.”
“I’m listening.” I was a little unsure of where she was going with this.
“Okay, what I’m about to show you is a little more advanced, so if you get lost stop me and we’ll go over it again slower.”
I nodded eagerly.
“Right, so you know about mana threads and mana charges. I don’t think the stuff I gave you from my grandfather mentioned mana fields at all did it?”
I shook my head. “What’s a mana field?”
“Pretty much what it sounds like,” Renee stated. “It’s drawing the mana into a field around you. It’s a pretty useful technique.”
“Okay, show me.”
“Alright, what I’m about to do is create a mana field around me. It won’t do anything, but it will give you the basis to see how it’s done.”
Renee took a deep breath and flexed the fingers on both hands. The mana slid from her centre and began to form into a strange pattern.
This was far different from the pattern that was formed when you built a thread. The mana began to swirl into tight loops around each other. They were almost forming small links of mana that were sliding across her body. The mana spread down from her chest, across her breasts and down her legs and arms before it completely enveloped her.
“Done,” she concluded with a degree of satisfaction. “I’ve never tried to do that so slowly before. It was more challenging than I thought it would be.”
I walked around her fascinated as I inspected the effect. Each mana link had looped around several of its companions and had formed a rough weave of mana. The whole field pulsated slightly across her flesh as it moved.
“This is what I saw you doing when you made yourself invisible at the casino,” I guessed eagerly.
“Yep.” Renee nodded.
I took several circles around her before I asked, “Okay, how do I do it?”
“You know how to form a mana thread,” Renee explained. “It’s like that, only smaller and with less strength.”
“Less strength?” I asked, not quite understanding.
“Yeah, the power comes from the unity of the whole field, not the strength of the individual links,” she continued. “Okay, now you try it.”
I concentrated and felt the heady rush as mana rushed down my arms and slowly pulsated in my unclenched fist. It took me several seconds before I could force the mana into the swirling pattern that I’d seen Renee use.
“No, too much – think smaller,” Renee interjected critically.
I immediately discarded that attempt and tried again, this time using less power. A small thread of mana appeared in my palm. It didn’t appear to be doing anything.
“Okay, that’s serviceable.” Renee nodded. “Now try forcing the thread back down upon itself forming a small circle.”
A contest of wills began as the thread didn’t appear to want to turn in upon itself. I didn’t really know how to do it properly, but after what seemed like several minutes of effort I finally managed to get the mana thread in a U-shaped configuration.
“Okay, that’s almost it,” Renee confirmed. She moved forward and brought her own mana field down as she moved into a sitting position in front of me. She took my hand in hers and pulled me to the ground. We sat facing each other cross legged with my hands in hers.
“Okay,” she said, bringing one of her hands across mine.
“Do as I do,” she commanded, and I felt the strange draw as we both worked mana together. A small mana thread formed on her outstretched palm. She looked up at me expectantly and then smiled as I duplicated the effort.
This part was easy.
“Now look closely,” Renee ordered.
I peered down at her palm as I watched the mana thread slowly turn on itself. Now that it had been pointed out I noted that the thread didn’t appear to be actually bending but reforming into the new shape.
I nodded with understanding. My thread was too solid, too much like a telekinetic thread. I tried again and nodded with satisfaction as my mana easily turned into a link, a small circle of power rotating lazily on my palm.
“Good, very good.” Renee nodded. “That’s better than you have any right to be. Now for the hard part.”
“That wasn’t the hard part?” I muttered.
“Not even close, now pay attention,” Renee said. “Repeat the process while maintaining the original thread.”
I watched with fascination as Renee slightly flexed her fingers and two more threads appeared to loop around themselves and link into the original field. It took me several tries before I was able to duplicate this feat. On my first attempt my original thread dissipated but on my third attempt I was able to have three mana threads looped around each other.
“That’s it,” Renee encouraged with a smile and a squeeze of my hand.
“This barely covered my palm,” I objected with a grumble. “How many links would I require to cover my whole body?”
“No idea.” Renee smiled back. “You’re thinking too much on the individual activity. Remember it’s not the thread, it’s the pattern.”
With those simple words understanding came crashing down very quickly. In many ways Renee was quite a skilled teacher. With one simple sentence she’d explained the entire process.
It wasn’t the actual creation of the threads that was the key. It was like in a dance routine, once you understand the basic steps you don’t need to concentrate on the individual movements. You just focused on the pattern. I attempted to draw upon my newfound understanding and found that once I’d started I couldn’t seem to stop. Links upon links were forming across my palm and then arcing up my arms, across my chest and down my torso. I felt a slight shudder as the field completely enveloped me.
“Wow,” Renee gasped. “I didn’t expect you to be able to do that.”
“Then why teach me in the first place?” I grumbled.
“You don’t tell a student that you think they’ll fail,” Renee retorted. “You’re good! You’ve never done this before?” Her eyes narrowed in suspicion.
“No,” I reassured her. “This feels funny having this field around me.”
“Yeah, I like that slinky feeling on your skin.” Renee replied.
“Kind of like a wetsuit.” I agreed. “But without the constriction.”
“Yeah, damn that’s impressive,” she said, admiring the mana field around me. “It took me six months to get something even remotely close to that, you’ve even closed off the threads.”
“How did I do that?”
“You don’t know?”
“I just did as you did!” I retorted.
“Well, you did it right then,” Renee concluded.
“Great, now what do I do with it?”
“Okay.” Renee released my hands and stood up. “You can let down the field now, as I seriously doubt you’ll be able to do what’s required next with the field up.”
“Done,” I announced as I got to my feet.
She moved to stand about five or six metres away from me and with a quick flick of her wrist brought a mana field up around her. This field was a little different though.
“Wow,” I uttered, moving in to inspect the field. The links were arranged in a more clustered fashion. “Okay, that’s pretty, but what’s the difference?”
“Attack me with a mana thread,” Renee ordered. “As hard as you can.”
I shook my head vigorously from side to side.
“I seriously doubt you’ll be able to hurt me with this up. It’s the strongest I can make.” She gestured to the field around her.
“Okay,” I conceded grudgingly. “But for the record, I think this is a bad idea.”
I drew forth a mana thread and held it before us, before nodding and whispering, “Ready?”
Renee nodded the affirmative and I quickly struck, bringing the mana thread down into a vicious downward strike.
The mana thread impacted, eliciting a slight gasp from Renee. The field around Renee did its work in lessening the force of the blow but she staggered and was forced down onto one knee.
“Are you okay?” I rushed forward to assist her.
Renee seemed okay and had regained her footing by the time I got there.
“Sorry! I didn’t mean for that to happen!” I said, taking her arm.
“Holy fuck, you’re strong! I don’t think I could have summoned a more powerful thread,” she whispered as she gazed at me. “Neat field huh? Without it I’d be dead now.”
I agreed breathlessly, impressed despite myself. “That didn’t hurt at all?”
“A little,” she admitted ruefully, waving me off before I could apologise again. “Think you’re ready to try it yourself?”
I nodded wordlessly, still a little unsure myself. Renee walked around me, twice inspecting the field I raised before reaching out gently and slapping me. Her slap went straight through my field and caused bright sparkly explosions as the field dissipated. Her palm connected and left a stinging sensation on the left side of my face. Why was it always the left side of the face? It was feeling quite abused.
“Okay,” she snapped. “What did we do wrong?”
“I’m not sure – I think that was exactly how yours looked.”
“That field of yours would have worked fine against a mana thread, but that wasn’t what I did,” she announced gruffly. “Look again and pay closer attention,” she ordered as she raised her shield again, far quicker this time.
I inspected the field again, this time looking for subtle differences in the pattern. It only took me a few seconds to notice what I had done wrong and raise another shield using the correct pattern. I’d obviously gotten it right as Renee gave a quick smile to indicate her approval and whispered, “Ready?”
I nodded and watched as Renee calmly took several steps back and flicked her palm in my direction sending a powerful mana thread in my direction. I couldn’t help but to flinch as the impact slammed against my shield. True to my predictions the field held, but the impact forced me to take several steps backwards.
“Good enough.” Renee smiled as she approached. “You’ll need to watch your speed though. You’re raising your shield far too slowly for it to be of much use if you’re taken by surprise.”
It was hard to argue with that.
“I must admit.” She continued. “That shielding isn’t really my preferred use of this theory. I much prefer invisibility.”
“That did look pretty cool,” I said.
“It is.” She replied simply. “Do you think you’re ready to try something different? Maybe test that speed of yours a little?”
“What did you have in mind?”
“Okay, stand forward with your shield down. I’m going to punch you in the face and if you can’t get the shield up in time, you’re going to get whacked,” Renee announced.
“This is because I made you fall down earlier isn’t it?” I smirked.
“You got it.” Renee winked.
“Why does everyone I know want to punch me in the face?” I groaned.
“Just your charming personality,” Renee grinned.
“You do realise that if I do get the shield up in time you’ll probably break your wrist?”
“I hadn’t considered that,” Renee agreed ruefully.
“Thus, the student becomes the master?” I murmured cheekily.
“Oh? Is that so?” Renee replied in mock outrage, “Then defend yourself master!”
She was still smirking as she launched a mana thread at me, catching me off guard. I was barely able to get the mana field up in time as her first thread belted into the side of my shield. The impact knocked me over, sweeping my feet out from under me as I slid across the rooftop. I rallied quickly, jumping back to my feet and rushing at her. Renee was merciless, and with a quick sideways slash she swept my knees out from underneath me again and brought me crashing back down onto my back.
“Don’t get too cocky.” Renee smirked.
This had all happened before I could even consider launching a counter attack.
“Okay, okay,” I protested, getting the point. I was seriously outclassed here. Renee was still grinning at me as she walked over to me and offered me her hand.
I gratefully took her hand and felt the electricity of her touch as I always did. I let her pull me to my feet. With a quick pull I found myself in her arms as she wrapped her body around mine and leaned in to kiss me. I wanted nothing more but something made me pull away. This was wrong, I scolded myself. I was with Tina now. I couldn’t kiss Renee like this. As much as I wanted to kiss her I couldn’t, and I really, really wanted to. Renee immediately tensed up and I felt her question before it came.
“What’s wrong?”
“I have a girlfriend now,” I whispered back, wishing I didn’t. “It wouldn’t be right.”
I saw a multitude of expressions cross her face. It was the look of hurt rejection that surprised me the most. The expression flicked across her face and was just as quickly replaced by cynical detachment and then finally a look of friendly affection.
Renee delicately extracted herself from my arms with a cheeky grin on her face.
“So? Lil’ Twitch is getting some now then, eh?” she teased in her usual impish fashion. She laughed as I flinched at her accusation and then ruefully grinned back.
“Can we still be friends?”
“Of course.” Renee smiled and leaned forward to kiss me on the cheek. “For what it’s worth, I appreciate the honesty. Besides,” she said, “you’re still far too young for me. I’d ruin you for other women.”
“Can I have your phone number at least? It’d be easier than setting off a mana charge and freaking out the city every time I want to talk to you.”
“Sheesh, you know where I live, what more do you want?” Renee laughed.
“Hey! There are a lot of apartments in that building block. I can’t remember who lives where.”
“Fine,” she grumbled with mock gruffness. “Get out your phone.”