章 39: Chapter 30.3: Magic Experimentation
Orion breathed in slowly, his eyes closed as he sat at his family's old dinner table in Emberflit Alley. Everything had been going well. He'd been running jobs for C and Silco while assisting Caitlyn and Vander. Over five months, he had saved up six silvers- which was pretty damned good for someone of his status.
Monetary concerns were no longer on his mind, so he continued to breathe in and out slowly, focusing on his mana.
When Orion first began using magic, he visualized magic as countless rivers flowing harmoniously in a single direction, bundled together like a rope of thin threads. Unable to discern the types of magic, he would pluck one at random, experiencing varying results depending on how he used it.
This inconsistency persisted until he finally discovered that each thread, or river, of magic, possessed unique traits. Some were grey and formless- the most versatile but weakest, while others held darker or more brilliant colors. Some emitted violent, aggressive energies while others radiated more gentle, warm energies. These differentiations became clearer the longer he used magic, whereas before they had all blended together without individual identity.
Orion exhaled, his focus narrowing on two threads that he had begun to master. One was a deep blue with subtle undertones of red, like blood swirling in water, shimmering and trembling with untapped potential. The other shared the same arcane blue as rune magic, but it radiated a calm, protective sheen.
He chose to start with the safer-looking magic, imbued with protective qualities. As he channeled it, Orion discovered magic, regardless of the type, flowed more easily through his blood vessels. This was a double-edged sword, however, as losing control often brought intense pain, sudden bursts of blood, or dark discoloration of his skin- injuries he would have to mend hastily with healing magic.
Still, on some instinctive level, Orion understood that even in its chaotic nature, this magic was fortifying his body. To test it, he started punching the metallic wall. At first, his strikes were light due to his nervousness but by the end, Orion was striking with full force yet not feeling pain, nor was there bruising or damage to his body. His offensive power, however, showed no noticeable improvement.
Another feature he discovered with this thread was the ability to channel it beyond his body in close proximity. With focus, Orion shaped the energy into a shield- a shimmering, archaic barrier of blue-hued mana. From an outside perspective, it looked like waves crashing and bending around an unyielding rock, with that being Orion himself, hands outstretched as he channeled it.
Cutting the channel, Orion expelled the remaining mana out of his body before turning his attention to the more unstable thread. His instincts, sharpened after so long studying these two threads, told him this one served the opposite purpose.
Opening his eyes, Orion glanced at the same section of metallic wall where he'd first tested this volatile magic. There was a clear dent where his fist struck, marking a significant increase in his offensive power. Yet, despite his efforts, and after testing it elsewhere, he couldn't amplify it further without his body protesting under the strain.
Issues with these magics plagued Orion.
'It takes too long to drain one mana thread and switch to the other,' Orion mused internally. 'I can't maintain offensive and defensive traits at the same time...'
The thought of channeling both threads simultaneously had crossed his mind more than once, but Orion's instincts warned him against it.
Orion stood up, reducing the channel to a faint drizzle as he approached the dented wall. Nervous, his instincts screamed at him to stop, but he chose to ignore it. He pushed the hesitation aside and reasoned to himself: 'You can't progress if you don't try.'
Still, he hesitated again, cocking his arm, ready to punch if he succeeded. 'Just a light punch', Orion nervously thought.
The channel opened. The protective, archaic blue defensive thread flowed into his body, intertwining with the reddish-hued dark blue offensive thread. He could see it, he could feel it- the two threads twisting and winding through his veins like coiling serpents, straining his body.
Everything felt tense, and he was able to control it initially.
ZzzT-ZZZT
When Orion started to direct the offensive magic to his fist, independent of the defensive magic he tried to keep circulating internally, a sharp pain erupted from his arm. Deep blue, tinged with a sickly mix of red, purple, and black, jutted out violently, spraying blood across the floor.
"AAA!" Orion screamed in intense pain. Trying not to panic, he felt more violent surges sparking inside of him, causing him to cough up blood. It splattered the wall, not as normal red, but tinged with purple and black goop.
'Together, TOGETHER!' Orion screamed mentally, forcing the defensive thread to catch up and re-intertwine with the offensive one before pushing it out through his fist. Such a small amount of mana, yet it caused tremendous pain and agony the entire way.
ZZZZZZT
A brilliant flash of light erupted upon impact. Orion shouted in pain and fear as massive jaws exploded from the point of impact on the wall. A loud, snarling growl filled the room, accompanied by the snapping of teeth as the beast lunged toward his neck.
The shockwave and the wolf's sudden appearance sent Orion flying backward, crashing to the floor. His breaths came in short, painful rasps, the room now looking like a crime scene- blood and foreign substances everywhere.
Orion's vision was blurred, sitting up slightly as he looked up at the wall. There, faint but unmistakable, was the outline of a black wolf's head. Its eyes were blackened orbs, swirling like galaxies, radiating unfathomable energy. Its voice was a mixture of beastly snarls and something disturbingly human. Yet, oddly, there was no scent.
"It struggles! Keep struggling!" The wolf spoke with a mixed snarl and twisted glee. Its massive figure prowled out from the wall, its steps deliberate and menacing, and its figure twice the size of any human.
Between rasping breaths, Orion could feel his heartbeat quickening. He knew what this creature was, and knew what was coming.
"Kindred," Orion croaked.
Orion did what he could only hope would work, taking the risk to channel a gentler, light green thread of magic- filled with warmth- attempting to heal his insides. Through all the pain and internal chaos, Orion's fearful gaze remained fixed on the wolf.
Contrasting the deep, beastlike tone of the wolf, a light, feminine voice echoed from behind it, though it felt closer to Orion. "It is not its time, dear wolf."
A faint shimmer rippled above the wolf. A black, pristine, and otherworldly mask emerged and tilted its head, "This soul has two faces. Strange- one is not ours."
The wolf chuckled darkly and slowly, the two faded into a mist.
Orion stopped channeling, gasping for air again as he collapsed completely onto his back. Where his head had been, upon glancing back at the wall over of the surreal experience, a sharp corrupted arcane spike jutted out from the wall.
"Y-yeah...I'm not doing that again," Orion coughed weakly before losing consciousness.
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