ASSET CREDITS: wolf head drawing by me a few years ago done on CLIP STUDIO, Morgyn in front of realm drawing is edited using the QMIC GIMP plugin. Snow dust overlay is a free overlay from here.
Morgyn
I still don't feel one hundred percent, but I'm much better after a long sleep and I'm far less achey. The magic still swirls around my veins - it's an odd feeling. It's late at night, or at least it would be in the normal world. I figure I ought to get up and deal with the gnawing hunger.
I open the door and my eyes are nearly burned out by all the Winterfest lights dotted all along the walls. There's an enticing waft of something from the microwave - and someone about my age impatiently staring into the window.
"Oh. Sorry if I woke you up...Hang on - we haven't met. Are you new here?"
His voice is calm and welcoming, but my former excitement at the thought of making friends has turned to deep-seated anxiety within seconds of seeing his face.
"No, it's quite alright. It isn't you, just these lights are a bit of an assault on the senses."
"Oh, come on, have a little Winterfest spirit! You don't look so good, you know," he says through a mouthful of chicken nuggets. "Ascension?"
"Indeed."
"Hey, it won't be so bad after a few days. I'm Darrel, by the way. Darrel Charm."
"Morgyn Ember." I reach out a hand and his palm is rough against mine. "It's a pleasure."
"Nice to have someone else on board. We're all pretty close-knit here, so don't worry, you'll fit right in eventually. Hey, when you get used to your magic, you should join my duelling club."
"Duelling club?"
"Yup! Sometimes we do tournaments, but it's just friendly battles of wits and magic."
"Battles? Oh, heavens, no, I can't do that. I don't want to hurt anyone..."
"Don't be silly, raw magic doesn't hurt! We'll be fine!"
"The past twenty-four hours have suggested otherwise."
"Ah. Yeah, I guess they would. Anyway, why don't you go out onto the balcony? Everyone is hanging out there. You can meet some new people."
Darrel takes me to the balcony, and everyone seems to be having a good time. There's an easel, two people playing chess and others watching a corny scary film on the TV. Darrel's friends are chatting around a table with some snacks, and he introduces me to them. I take a deep breath and try to prepare a personable front for them. The powerful emotions I experienced from the motes and the ascension are starting to wear off, for better or worse...
"I think the Yorier is definitely the best Voidcritter card. It's so cute!"
"It's nothing compared to the Kampos!"
"What about the majestic and rare Arcticorn?"
"I still think my favourite is the Avesu. I have a special silver-foil one of those. Haven't managed to get hold of any for ages, though."
"Remember when you could buy Voidcritters cards so easily in the stores? Now some dumbass goes out and buys up every single pack in the area and is trying to charge you four times as much for them online!"
"Everyone, I have someone I'd like you all to meet - our newest student."
Thankfully, all I get are warm smiles from all of them. That's relieving, at least.
"Morgyn, this here is Emilia, my partner. Then we have Grace, Tomax, and Louis, one of the Viridis siblings, if you've heard of that bloodline. Okay - your turn."
I try to sort in my head what to bring up. What do I tell them about myself?
"Ah, well, I'm Morgyn Ember, sixteen years old, from Willow Creek. I'm hoping to be a dedicated Untamed caster. I was ascended yesterday."
"Oh, you poor thing. How are you feeling? How was it?"
"I'm recovering, but it was...an interesting experience, euphoric but also horrifying."
"Is it really?" Emilia gasps. "Oh, goodness. I'm not ascended yet. I'm just studying arcane history until I can work up the courage!"
"It wasn't so bad for us," Grace adds, looking to Tomax who nods. "We felt a bit tingly after and had a bit of a migraine but that was it."
"Oh. I vomited and fell unconscious. Well, perhaps it isn't so bad for everyone." I feel a little bad for frightening Emilia off. It wasn't my intention...
"Anyhow, Morgyn, it's lovely to meet you. Did you know that I'm a descendant of the first Sage of Mischief Magic, Katlego Anansi?"
"I'm sorry, Morgyn," Tomax adds, with a sigh. "She tells everyone this story straight away."
"No need to be sorry. That's rather fascinating, Grace. I'm not descended from anyone pleasant."
"Also, Tomax and I are in a personal competition to see who can get to Virtuoso rank the quickest. Even the Sages are in on it. Whoever wins is going to get some sort of prize. It'll take us years, but it'll keep us motivated, and if we're lucky, we'll still be best friends by the end of it!"
Tomax chuckles and puts a hand on her shoulder. It seems quite a healthy rivalry...so far.
"That's all really good, but come to think of it, I don't know a single dedicated caster at this school, do any of you?" Louis says. "Look, Morgyn, I will warn you that the Untamed school is considered the most difficult in terms of the spellcasting disciplines. It's also a lot more taxing on the mind and body. I don't know how it will affect you, being an ascended caster. Just make sure you pace yourself, okay?"
"And make sure you join the duelling club after you've done enough lessons with Sage Ó Sé, okay?"
"We'll see, Darrel. And I'll be careful, Louis. Thank you all for your kindness. I'm sorry I cannot be better company...my mind is still hazy."
I take my leave and lean on the railing, looking out over the Magic Realm. Purple and blue swirl around the 'sky', and I see more rocky debris seemingly not moving at all, like the broken bridge.
"Beautiful, isn't it? I used to just sit and watch the sky for hours. Helped me cool down after duels and before examinations...Are you okay? You look kind of mad."
"Oh. Never mind that. That's just my concentration face."
"Darrel, do you know why everything seems to be breaking apart?" It would be a shame to know I arrived right as the realm itself was dying.
"I'm not sure myself, Morgyn. If it's any consolation, nothing ever actually falls out of the sky, so you don't have to keep looking up. It just floats there. Oh - look down there."
Darrel points to the waterfalls on one of the islands, and the water's flow seems to slow to a crawl right to the bottom, where it stops entirely.
"How peculiar. It makes me wonder how much time has passed outside of this place whilst I've been here."
"It's easy to lose track sometimes. That said, the Sages force breaks from the Magic Realm for a certain amount of time two days a week. Might be a nice time to go back and visit family, or you can hang out with us. We tend to go places as a group and usually get food."
I've been here for about two days and already these people have treated me with more respect than my own flesh and blood have in sixteen years.
"I'd enjoy getting to know you and your friends a little better."
"I mean, sure! So long as it doesn't get in the way of family stuff."
"Never worry about that, Darrel. I've spent a good chunk of my life homeschooled; I need to get used to being amongst groups of strangers, and it'd be nice to have a chance of making friends with some of them."
Darrel gives me a gentle pat on the back. "If it makes you feel better, it's pretty drama-free around these parts."
Áine
It has been four days since some of our newest arrivals were ascended. Those who are feeling up to the task are practicing using raw magic in today's lesson - including bloodline caster Gemma Charm, whose difficult-to-please mother insist she start with the basics.
Many have bought wands from Caster's Way, the island with the shops, as recommended by me. Wands have always been an assistive measure for spellcasters, concentrating their bodily magic into a smaller surface area to expend less magical energy as well as having a stronger, more concentrated beam of magic. Not everyone sticks with a wand, and sometimes, those that do only do it for the witchy aesthetics or the beauty of the craftsmanship. Those that don't find it easier with just their hands.
"Now, intent is the biggest component of any spell - if you do not have confidence in your abilities, if you panic, if you are enraged, the result will not be what you intended and it can have disastrous consequences. You must try to cast with a clear mind."
Of course, everyone is far too busy admiring their shiny new toys...
"As you practice, more and more aspects of magic and spellcasting will become second nature to you. Regardless of magical origin, every spellcaster develops their skills at different rates, so don't be disheartened if you are not at the same 'level' as your fellow classmates. Spellcasting and the education of magic is a journey unique to all of us. At first, you will need to say the names of the spells as you cast them, as a verbal component can be beneficial in that it influences your spellcasting intent - but for raw magic, all you need is a tight focus."
Raw magic was largely harmless, and if hit by it, it would leave nothing more than a short sting at worst. It's what the students use whilst duelling...though in my time, I have had to break up some rather heated duels - and I am speaking literally.
"So - who wants to be the first to try it out?"
Gemma shrugs at me, and the rest of the students turn to Morgyn, who at first is too busy staring into their wand that they do not notice.
"You there, Blondie - you get up there."
I notice Morgyn's hand quivering in anticipation, and their wand flickers with the light of magical sparks. Why are they holding back?
"Sage Ó Sé doesn't bite! Go on - trust me, once you start casting magic, you'll never look back."
Morgyn's expression seems apprehensive, but their body language seems excitable.
"Very well. Sage Ó Sé, I will be the first to demonstrate."
They make their way into the center of the magic circle, eyeing all the other students with concern.
"Never fear, Morgyn - their magical studies are in their infancy, just the way yours is. Now, what is the key to casting a successful spell?"
"Clear intent, confidence, and a clear mind."
"Wonderful. So, give it a try. If it helps, visualise the magic within you. Immerse yourself within your own magic and that of the veil, and you will get what you desire."
Morgyn closes their eyes and takes a deep breath. They thrust their wand forward, but nothing happens. They look to me, and back to the wand, moving back and trying again - but nothing.
"You cannot let anything cloud your mind, Morgyn. Relax, and be patient with yourself."
The frustration is getting to them. They grab both ends of their wand as if trying to snap it in half. "Why won't it work?!"
"You're rushing, child. If you rush, then-"
A collective yelp erupts from the entire class as a beam of raw magic shoots from the wand into the glass doors. Thank the Sun and Moon for magic-proof glass, and thank goodness raw magic is harmless.
They gaze into their wand, bug-eyed, and towards the class. They let out jovial laughter and throw their arms up, dropping their wand to the floor.
"For a first ever spell, that was...certainly vigorous."
I ought to urge them not to cast from strong emotions, like I said earlier to the entire class - but the only trouble is that Untamed magic is often powered by them, sometimes almost entirely so. One of the reasons it is considered one of the most dangerous schools of magic is not solely because of the wielding of nature - and the antithesis of nature - at one's fingertips. It is also because the Dragon feeds off of the fervor of its casters.
Whereas some corners of modern life encourage self-care and self-betterment, the way of the Untamed caster is not about becoming less intense - it is about about reining those intensities in when needed and unleashing them when needed. The Dragon is capable of razing an entire city with his flames, but he knows when to exercise his power and when not to.
"I can't believe it! My first spell! I cast my first spell! Oh, this is wonderful - I really am a spellcaster!"
Everyone gives them applause, even if some of it is a little awkward. Some of the students even look a little on-edge.
"Was that right? Did I do that right, Sage Ó Sé?" they ask, their hands clasped together.
"Yes, Morgyn. For your first spell, that was excellent. Now - does anyone else volunteer to give it a try?"
Hands fly up. It seems the first spark of their magic has ignited a spark in the rest of the class. It seems they will fit in well in this academy.
Morgyn
Today is a mandatory break day that recommends we spend at least five hours outside of the Magic Realm. The cold air strikes my skin like lightning, and the transition between worlds is uncomfortable and is making me feel rather unwell. Something feels heavier in the air here. The real world has become the fabricated one for a moment, with my mind so tied to the Magic Realm...I can't let that happen in the long term. The low humming of the Magic Realm is replaced with whimsical birdsong and the white noise of the rushing waterfall.
I wonder how often the Sages leave, if they ever do?
It is easy to forget the beauty of the real world, especially Glimmerbrook, its colourful arcane history blanketed in white snow.
The majesty and fantasy of the Magic Realm is an incredible sight at first, but over time, it will likely wear off as magic becomes more and more of a normality to me. Do the sages ever get tired of having naught but three or four small islands to visit? Nowhere like this to go for a stroll amongst real nature?
Although I cannot imagine living in it permanently, the Magic Realm is beautiful beyond belief, and I cannot imagine what sort of physical and mental toll it took to create it- but one must wonder if magic does not always keep the wonder it initially has for people. Do bloodline casters find it any less wondrous since they've been surrounded by magic all their lives, I wonder? I pray to whoever is listening - or not listening - that the wonder of it all will never become lost on me.
Sage Ó Sé writes in A Brief History of the Occult that time and space are like 'lovers, in an eternal dance' with one another. In the Magic Realm, time and space are warped entirely - the floating debris and the cessation of the waterfall deep in the purple void near the 'bottom'. If they are in an eternal dance there, then they must have had a few glasses of wine before doing so.
Glimmerbrook's gorgeous winter scenery is promptly ruined by my violent vomiting in the bushes. Perhaps the crisp, cold air will clear my head and settle my stomach.
I have decided to take my sketchbook out and try and get back into my artwork. Mother and Father deem most of the arts a 'pointless' endeavour, and almost all of my finished sketchbooks have been binned as a result. I believe another aspect of their hatred of the arts is because it is the perfect escape for many creatives, and the last thing terrible parents want is an escape for their captive. I kept this one hidden from them. With any luck, I can keep it in the long term. I ought to start taking photos of them, just in case.
I attempt a sketch of my first foray into magic as a keepsake of sorts - though the rustling is a little distracting. What could it be, I wonder - a deer? A fox?
A wolf?
One moment -
Oh, good heavens! It is a wolf! I yelp and panic and make myself look a fool in front of one of nature's greatest predators... I try to gather myself and make myself appear larger and stronger than I actually am, but it does nothing to deter the beast...Oh, please, if I am going to die young, don't make it be to a wild animal, and don't make it be before I even have my Neophyte certificate!
To my surprise, the wolf lowers its tail and head at me, and makes a sort of whimper. It seems more afraid of me than I am of it - but perhaps it's a ruse. It starts walking around me, possibly seeing how good a meal I'd make...
The look it gives me is hardly threatening. It keeps its tail and head low and paces around me, eventually laying in the snow besides me and staring. It's possible it was just assessing whether or not I am a threat. I try to speak to it calmly.
"You have a very unique coat," I tell the wolf. "It seems both of us look best in black and silver."
It lets out a grunt. If I didn't know any better, I'd think it was its attempt at a cackle. Its deep blue eyes are unusually bright, almost glowing. I could have sworn wolves died out in this country countless centuries ago. Maybe they were reintroduced to deal with deer? Maybe it just got separated from its pack, but it doesn't seem stressed at all.
It sniffs at my sketchbook and bumps it with its nose.
"Oh? Well, I've finished one drawing. I think you'd make a fine subject for my next piece..."
The wolf watches intently as I study its features, looking at my phone for more photos so I can attempt an accurate portrayal of its majestic visage. I have always preferred the company of animals. They do not judge, and they are honest. An animal does not attack out of spite- only to defend itself.
I always wanted a pet growing up - preferably a dog, or maybe a horse, but I never got one. My parents thought them unclean creatures and a waste of money and time. However, that limitation is gone! Now I can get one - as a familiar. Any animal within reason is allowed as a familiar, and a familiar is bound by a certain magical spell that will fail if the animal is unwilling. Familiars also come in orbs, usually sealed into them by ancient spellcasters to be used as servants, though nowadays they are valued partners. They say it is possible to telepathically speak with a bound familiar.
"You know, there's a local legend about a creature like you. The Black Wolf of Glimmerbrook, protector of the village for hundreds of years." The wolf tilts its head.
At last, I am done. Let's see what the subject thinks.
The wolf gives a little whimper and pants at me. I assume that's a sound of approval.
"You'd better get back to your pack - unless you're a lone wolf, like myself. My pack were no good to me, but I think I may have found a new one. Isn't that wonderful, Wolf?"
The wolf gets to its feet and stands proud, giving me a more 'serious' look.
It growls, perking back up and darting off down the path the other way kicking up a storm of snow in its wake.
I hope I might see more of that wolf. It was a quiet and appreciated companion - and an obedient artistic subject.