24: The Flying Walnut

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Daarith looked at the sky. "It is getting late in the evening. Soon night will be upon us. I think it is best we find a safe place to camp in case there are Shadows lurking about."

"Agreed," said Martha as she produced bread and cheese from her sack. "Here, Hope, eat some food. You look famished. I will cook us a proper supper when we are settled."

"Thank you," I said gratefully accepting the food.

"And you, Owen," said Martha dissolving the rope around his wrists, "I may not trust you, but I can't keep Hope's guardian tied up. Just do not attempt to flee. Or else."

"Not at all," said Owen rubbing his wrists. "If your magic is as strong as those knots, I wouldn't dare."

"Speaking of magic," I said with a mouthful of food.

"Chew before you speak, Hope," said Martha with a stiff finger raised in the air. "You are going to be judged by the Council, remember? They will expect a well mannered Mirrorbender, so please swallow then talk." I swallowed.

"So speaking of magic," I repeated.

"Yes," said Martha. She took a small polite bite of food.

"Now that I know I am from a long line of powerful Mirrorbenders and kinda sorta understand the gist of this place's history, what I haven't learned yet is exactly what I can do. Like what are my powers? Can I do magic?"

"Ahh," said Martha. "What a good topic to end the day on. This one is much easier to grasp than the whole soul connection part."

"Thank goodness," I said as I consumed the rest of my bread and cheese.

"Magic," said Martha, "In its most basic form can be used to by anyone born in Tartarus. It's source though widely disputed by scholars is believed to dwell deep in the soil and the hearts of mountains where the energy of all the world originates."

"So magic comes from nature?" I interrupted.

"Yes, but unlike your world it is a tangible force." Martha continued. "Magic comes in four forms: Elemental magic, the power to create fire, ice, lightning, water, and so forth; enchantment magic, the power to add enhancements to an object or make a change in a person's mental or physical state; summoning magic, the power of bringing something physical or ethereal across plains of existence; and finally, alchemical magic, the power of exchanging energy and matter to create something else. Magic has certain degrees of power as well. These degrees are labeled through the magic's color. The lowest level of magic appears red, the second is yellow, then green, then blue, then indigo or 'dark/black magic' as some call it, then violet, and finally the strongest is white magic. Think of it as a rainbow, a spectrum. Red to white. With each level of magic comes greater power but also greater risks.

For example, a normal person who has very little to no magical training can pick up a WEAK enchanted with red summoning magic and bring forth a simple weapon. The more complex the weapon is or the more skill it takes to wield requires a higher grade of magic. In the case for Owen, level two yellow magic is required for his small daggers, while Daarith here uses a higher level three green magic and a special elemental core crystal to summon his fiery broadsword. As for me being a Sage, blue is a level up.

To tap into magic one must expel one's own energy. Too much untrained use of a higher level magic could cause the unskilled wielder to collapse in battle or even die from this loss of energy. While the color changes as one advances in magical knowledge and experience, blue magic is typically only attainable when one attains a familiar and becomes a sage, although some people prove to be more gifted than others and exceptions to the rules have been noted.

A sage who becomes corrupted through murder or evil deeds gains indigo or black magic. While it is more powerful than blue magic, it distorts the body and shortens the wielder's life. Next you have the most corrupted of all the magic users and they are the Half-Lives who use violet magic as seen through the violet color their eyes obtain."

"Alright," I said. "So what magic am I?"

"You are a special kind of magic called White Magic. The only ones who can perform this type of magic are Mirrorbenders and sometimes the Vestel of Vetra. It is the most powerful form of magic there is but it also comes at the highest risk to oneself and others. You already know that your power comes from your connection with Owen. The closer your bond to him the more powerful your magic becomes.

White Magic can be broken down into four types. These include: scrying, healing, weapon summoning, and the very dangerous spirit summoning. Scrying falls under three subcategories. The first being Travel Scrying, the second being Dream Scrying, and the final being Spirit Scrying.

Travel Scrying is the most notable and easiest of all the powers a Mirrorbender can possess as it is essential to have in order to arrive in Tartarus in the first place. You, Hope have already demonstrated two examples of your ability to use Travel Scrying. Describe to me the first time you scryed beyond the mirror. What did you see?" I thought back to when I first fell into Tartarus.

"I saw nothing at first," I said. "It was like I was falling through an emptiness then I fell to a vast sea. From there I found myself sucked into a tight tube until I was blasted out into Tartarus."

"Yes," said Martha nodding. "Many Mirrorbenders have described what you have experienced. The sensation is called, Falling. Falling is a term used when a Mirrorbender falls into the Ether."

"I know you've probably explained it before but what exactly is the Ether?"

"The Ether," explained Martha, "has never been fully understood as no one but the Mirrorbenders have ever traveled across it. It is simply described in most writings as the gap, the empty sea, the barrier, or the void between Earth and Tartarus. Nothing there exists but the leftover energy from the beginning of the universe. Some stories say it is a passageway to other points in time and other realities, yet none of this has ever been proven. It is unnavigable."

"So it's like a wormhole that moves you through time and space." I smiled. "Wow! That's so cool! But why if there is nothing in the Eather did a glowing bug fly into my eye?" I rubbed my eye. It had been sore ever since. Even now it hurt.

"I am not sure," said Martha. She leaned over to see into my eye. "There should be nothing there. Perhaps you had an eyelash fall into it."

"Perhaps you're right," I said. "Now why was the Ether different the second time I went through?"

"You saw images of other places the second time, I suppose," said Martha.

"Yeah," interjected Owen, "it was like seeing through every window of every place."

"Well," said Martha, "That is kinda exactly what it is, a series of windows or doorways into different parts of Tartarus."

"But why was it so different the second time?"

"Because, Hope, the first time was between worlds. The second time was between places in that world. That in-between place with the many windows is called the Mirror Passages. Imagine opening a door to a hallway of many doors. That is the core understanding of Travel Scrying."

"So each one of those images was a portal to another place? A reflection on a mirror?" I asked.

"Yes," said Martha. "Another place cast as a reflection. Like a water puddle on the street or a shiny golden goblet in someone's hand. Anything reflective creates a doorway that a Mirrorbender can enter and exit. Now here is where the danger comes in." Martha pulled from her satchel an old spotted mirror. "When a Mirrorbender travels, the size of the reflective surface does not matter. What matters is if that reflective surface is clear and calm. There exists a popular tale of 95th Mirrorbender Daphne who was a performer in life.

She would travel from town to town wowing the crowds with great displays of travel scrying. Every show she performed, people would bring reflective objects from their homes so she could dazzle them with her power. Typically she did so while juggling fire sticks. A natural performer she was. But scrying is dangerous and one day the worst happened.

One afternoon the crowd offered Daphne a real challenge by bringing only silver spoons which they held up into the air. This proved to be no struggle for Daphne. She amazed them with an incredible dance of fire and light hopping from one spoon to another. The crowd roared and cheered. People described it as the greatest show they had ever seen until tragedy struck. In her cockiness and pride Mirrrorbender Daphne failed to see the one tarnished silver spoon in the crowd. When she leaped from its depths, she lost her left leg in the Mirror Passages. The sages jumped to her side and managed to heal her, but she would never perform again. This event is remembered and reenacted every year in the town of Ora during the Festival of Spoons.

Water can also be used as a substitute for a mirror but only if its surface is undisturbed and unchanging. A spotted mirror like this one is no good and should never be attempted. Using such as an exit or entry point could leave things behind such as clothing, trinkets, or in worst case scenarios like in Mirrorbender Daphne's story, parts of the body. Another point to make is that the mirror you scry into cannot be brought with you. A Mirrorbender must be resourceful and wise." Martha placed the dingy mirror back into her satchel. "Another point to remember is that a mirror reflects light. A mirror in darkness becomes useless to a Mirrorbender and cannot be used for travel."

"I thought you said this was not complex," I said looking worried.

"So far most of this should be common sense," said Martha. "Dirty and dark mirrors are bad. Clean mirrors are good." She began digging through her satchel. She produced a clean mirror. "The last and final danger to travel scrying is the distance you scry. The further the distance a Mirrorbender moves through the Mirror Passages, the more energy will be consumed. Traveling too far can lead to the same results as overusing magic. It becomes extremely important for a Mirrorbender to be calm and focused when entering the Mirror Passages. You must retain a clear vision in your mind as to where you wish to go. Not all places have reflective surfaces or are in an area with enough light to travel to. A Mirrorbender must always have a back up place to go to if this ever were to occur. As such most Mirrorbenders start out with short travels until they learn their limitations and what places make the safest destination points." Martha placed the mirror on her lap. "You must also have visited the place before you may travel to it. Which is why we are traveling on foot to Vetra since you, Hope, have never been and cannot travel there yet. Because of this, many Mirrorbenders were required to be well traveled and knowledgeable about Tartarus's regions. It takes many years to fully develop this skill."

"But how did I travel so far the second time and not feel tired afterward?" I asked. "I moved Owen and I all the way from the Vaulted River to the Plains of Penia. I didn't even know where I was going nor had I been there previously."

"There exists a safety measure for travel scrying," said Martha looking at the sky. "When a Mirrorbender is in trouble or finds themselves in danger, an exception or exchange is made. In your case, Hope, you were fleeing a Half-Life. Your heart was racing. You were afraid and unfocused, but your body knew to flee. For such instances, a Mirrorbender becomes able to travel a far distance without expelling energy. The exchange for such travel comes at the cost of assurance. The destination will be unpredictable and you may end up anywhere in the world. This cautionary measure may save the Mirrorbender's life, but it must only be used as a last resort."

"So that's what happened," I said. "Well I'm glad I found you and Daarith, otherwise Owen and I would be in the clutches of Desire. I got lucky."

"Certain things I believe happen for a reason." Martha smiled. "I am glad fate sent you our way."

"How about scrying other people and objects?"

"Alright," said Martha removing a walnut from her satchel. "Let's practice. This walnut, Hope, will be your first real lesson in Mirrorbender magic. Catch." She tossed the walnut to me. "A Mirrorbender can scry not just themselves but people and objects as well. Let us start with something simple. The movement of a walnut from one mirror to the other." Martha pointed to the mirror on her lap and the small one in mine. "Now, Hope, for your first test send that walnut from your lap to mine through the Mirror Passages. You need not to even touch the mirror to complete this task. Just keep a clear focus on where you wish the walnut to go. Otherwise it may get lost along the way, and I don't have that many walnuts."

"Okay," I said positioning the walnut on the mirror. I paused and thought of the mirror on Martha's lap. Nothing happened. "Why isn't it working?"

"To send an object you must imagine the mirror not as a solid surface but as an opening. A door if you wish or a basin of water. Let it sink into the void." Martha smiled. "You can do it. Open the path." Owen and Daarith were watching eagerly. Their eyes remained fixated on the walnut. I tried again.

"Come on," said Owen. "It's just a little walnut. You moved me across the passages so you got this."

Still nothing. I tried again this time closing my eyes and imagining the mirror on Martha's lap. "Come on," I whispered. "Move walnut, move!" When I opened my eyes, I expected it to be gone, but there it remained right where I had left it. Nothing had changed except my confidence. "Why can't I do it?" I cried feeling frustrated. "Why can't I send this stupid nut to Martha's la—" Suddenly the surface of the small mirror changed and like a puddle of water the walnut sank inside.

"Ah ha!" cried Martha joyfully as the walnut shot from the mirror in her lap and soared into the open sky. Everyone stopped their horses and stared upward. "Look at it go! I knew you could do it."

"Damn!" cried Daarith squinting his eyes to see. "How far do you think it's going to go?"

"It's coming back down!" cried Martha.

"I got it!" yelled Owen. He reached out his hand caught the walnut just before it could hit Martha in the arm.

I sat wide eyed on my horse. My mouth open in astonishment and excitement. I could not believe it. "I don't know what I did? What made it go shooting up in the air like that?" Martha turned to me.

"You can't just want magic to happen, you have to will it to happen. Magic is a strange force to learn especially for Mirrorbenders. Much like cracking a walnut. You can want what's inside, but a walnut will not yield its contents unless you give it some force. Magic works the same way. It requires power of the heart, mind, and soul, a determination to succeed." Martha turned the walnut over in her hands. "And judging by how high that walnut flew, I have to say, Mirrorbender Hope, there is a lot of power inside you."

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