CONTENT WARNING: Fire
CREDITS: the name Azrion Voidwalker was from one of those DnD name generators. The Lairs and Llamas game is by valhallansim and can be downloaded here.
Morgyn
The first rule of spellcasting according to Sage Ó Sé is to keep your mind and intent clear. You cannot allow yourself to be clouded by doubt, ire or panic.
It has been two weeks since I first arrived in the Magic Realm. I have finally gotten most of the rang of channelling the power of raw magic, though sometimes my parents' words echo in my mind and the magic flickers into nothing. Every now and again, when I think I have finally mastered it, I'm reminded of their complete lack of confidence in me in every corner of my life - and then I begin to take their lack of confidence in myself on as my own.
I had passed an initial examination in Arcane History with flying colours. It's the only part I'm particularly excelling in at the moment, having read the entirety of A Brief History of the Occult. Sage Ó Sé explains the history with such an intense fervor that it sometimes feels as if she's recounting events she personally witnessed herself.
The Magic Realm has an odd 'experience' points system to measure spellcaster rank. It is a way to accommodate for the wide variety of learning here, with many learning many things at once and others dedicating themselves to one or two disciplines. Having passed the initial Arcane History exam, if I learn one Untamed spell, it will net me enough points to earn my first certificate and become the Neophyte rank.
The trouble is, learning a spell is quite difficult. Raw magic is one thing, but a specific spell is a whole other. Once you get good enough with them, you don't even have to speak as you cast, but no matter what I do Inferniate seems to be beyond my reach. I'm lucky if smoke comes out of my palm.
The first rule of alchemy, according to First Sage of Alchemy Dr. Owen Annorin, is to decode the cryptic words of the alchemists of old before delving into practical. The Viridis family's animal symbol, a lion eating the sun, is from an old alchemical cipher, in fact. The first rule of Sage Ethren Reyes, however, is to not worry about any of that and just follow the more modern alchemical recipe books.
Alchemy classes are a mixed bag. It's interesting, but the smells burn your nose and linger on your clothes and in your nostrils all day and night, and it can be quite tricky to get it right. At least if you put too much flour in a cake, you just end up with a stodgy cake. Deviate even slightly from an alchemical recipe and you can end up with completely different effects ranging from embarassing to lethal.
I was not thinking straight when I decided to put twenty grams of mandrake flower into this energy-boosting solution of 'plentiful needs' instead of two.
It ended up being embarassing for Safiya, who offered to see if the potion worked...and instead of feeling energised, ended up temporarily green and warty.
It nearly ended up being lethal for me, however, until Sage Ó Sé managed to remove the curse with a powerful spell.
For the past week and a half, Darrel has been organising a campaign for a tabletop roleplaying game, Lairs and Llamas, in which you create a character and go on adventures with a party, solving puzzles and defeating monsters along the way. Losing yourself in roleplay might be the best feeling I've experienced, and not far off losing yourself in a fantasy book. My character is a sorcerer named Azrion Voidwalker, a person with immense skill and power who is slowly losing themselves to conceit.
"So that's a crit, and... Okay, Morgyn. How do you choose to kill the minotaur?"
"With Azrion's wand still burning white-hot from their flame spell, they impale the minotaur in his eye and keep going until it reaches his brain."
"That's horrific. Remind me to never get on your bad side, Morgyn," Louis says, shuddering.
"Yeah, and maybe never join Darrel's duelling club either," Miles adds. "I like my eyeballs."
"You know, I have mostly gotten the hang of raw magic. It'd be fun to try out - and don't worry, Miles. No-one's eyeballs will be at risk."
"I've been hoping you'd say that for two weeks, Morgyn. We can head on over to the duelling grounds after this if you want? I'd be happy to show you the ropes."
Darrel lays out some rules before we begin.
"Okay, so the first rule of duelling club is-"
"Don't talk about duelling club?"
"What? No, of course you're allowed to talk about it. Spread the word! The more the merrier. The first rule is to have fun. Second rule - raw magic only, no physical touching or actual spells. Third rule - when your opponent is lying on the floor or says they submit, then that ends the duel. Fourth rule, you help your opponent to their feet and you both treat each other with respect. Sound good?"
"Sounds good to me."
Darrel shows me a few different attacks and positions, as well as defensive measures, including how to create a raw magic shield of sorts.
I manage to land a few hits on him with sparks of magic before he gets his revenge. Duelling is rather exhausting, but exhilarating at the same time.
"Come on! You're doing really well for your first duel. Don't give up just yet!"
I lift myself to my feet and hold my own against Darrel until, by some miracle, I manage to land a blow of raw magic so powerful it knocks him to the floor.
The joy of victory is short-lived. Almost immediately, I pull him to his feet and throw my arms around him, bawling onto his shoulder and apologising over and over.
"You don't need to cry, Morgyn. I'm not hurt."
"I feel awful! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-"
"Morgyn, I'm fine, plus we agreed to this."
I try to quell my sniffling. "Very well. Then I apologise for the ridiculous outburst instead."
"You're okay, I promise. Your spellcasting was really good for someone who was only ascended two weeks ago. Most spellcasters take about a month to get used to raw magic."
"Ah. What can I say, Darrel? I'm a dedicated spellcaster in more ways than one."
Darrel chuckles. "That you are."
"Speaking of spellcasting, Darrel - do you know any Untamed magic?"
"I know a bit," he replies. "Why's that?"
"Ah. You see, I'm struggling with it. I'm trying to learn Inferniate, and it's just not working. I don't know if it's just because I can't shut out the self-doubt or what. I wondered if you might be able to give me any advice?"
"Sure. First couple of times, you have to try and get your stance right. The only way I can describe it is you have to get your body in the mood for the spell. You'll know what I mean once you get it right the first time..."
I decide to take a stroll late at night in quiet Glimmerbrook. The transition from the Magic Realm to the real world is becoming slightly easier since I've been taking regular breaks from the realm, and neither world feels alien to me at this point. The chilly winter air is grounding, and the stars and the moon light my way along with the streetlights.
However, Glimmerbrook isn't as quiet as usual tonight. I can hear yelling up ahead - a boy yelling at a girl.
From what I can gather, it's because she found someone and he wanted to be in a relationship with her. A typical situation. He asks if it's because he's not a spellcaster - I don't even think that would make a wretch like him worth it.
I'm not going to let this slide. The modern world is devoid of repercussions; it's about time we re-introduced them.
"Leave her be."
The teenage boy turns to me with rage in his eyes and weakness in his heart.
"What are you doing? Don't get involved in other people's discussions."
"I wouldn't call not taking no for an answer a simple 'discussion', would you?"
The boy balls his fists and tries to appear bigger and tougher than he actually is, like a frilled lizard.
"If you don't piss off, then I'll have to make you."
A defensive rage overcomes me, and bright orange light erupts from-
I try and shake away the surplus flames, and the sudden heat is a jarring change from the bitter cold. The light of the flames is blinding at first. I ought to try and stifle my rage, but I don't - I let it build, and the flames build with it.
The first rule of magic is that the strongest fuel for a spell other than magic itself is your intent. Magic is as emotional as many people tend to be, and it will respond accordingly.
The fear in his eyes lights another fire in my chest. It's beautiful. I am not apologising, I am not fawning. When the boy tries to run, I merely laugh at him. He eventually trips over a rock and falls straight into the snow, but even the snow wouldn't save him from the power of an arcane flame...
I can't stop laughing. They have no idea how to handle it, do they? People are so used to the lawless world they live in that they don't know how to cope with their own terrible attitudes catching up to them. They meet so many people who hide and make themselves small and think being the bigger person involves letting everyone trod on them...and then people like this make the mistake of thinking everyone is so timid.
"Please! Don't kill me!"
"Run, then. Run far from here, and if I see you again, I might not give you a chance to."
He clambers to his feet and dashes off screaming, and I steady my breathing. That's the most fun I've had in ages Excitement wells up in my stomach to the point that it's making me nauseous. A crueller part of me considered throwing the fireball at him, but another part of me stopped myself. My first rule I am setting myself is that I must not misuse my gift. I cannot let my power get ahead of me too much. The symbol of Untamed Magic is the ruthless Dragon - and to the Dragon, sometimes the fear of his power is all he needs to assert his dominance.
"That was amazing! But I really didn't want you to get hurt or in trouble."
"Don't you worry about me. I'm fine. Are you?"
"I am now, thanks to you. I have magic myself, but I'm no good with it. I fell in love with a spellcaster boy, and he thought I owed him instead. Thank you for what you did. I've got no doubt he won't trouble me again. Are you from the Magic Realm?"
"I am," I tell her. "I'm a fairly new student."
"Do you know Leo, Louis or Miles Viridis?"
"I know Miles and Louis, but not Leo."
"Okay. I'm going to tell Leo what you did for me tonight. Make sure you try and find him and I'm sure he'll reward you somehow. You can't miss him - green hair, green lion tattoo sleeve. Loud. Very loud. I'm Cecilia, by the way. And you are?"
"Morgyn. Do you need me to walk you home?"
"I'll be alright. I'm just around the corner. Please, take care of yourself, Morgyn. Thank you again."
"And you, Cecilia."
I couldn't just do nothing. After years of being moulded and shaped and pushed around by Wilhelmina and Spencer, I have decided nobody is going to do it to me or anyone else ever again, if I can help it.
Tonight was not only the first time I managed to cast a proper spell, but my first taste of being in charge of a situation. The first time someone has been genuinely afraid of me...what a feeling it is. My palms are still warm from the flames, and the snow has melted to slush around my feet - but I'm completely unscathed.
As a dedicated spellcaster of the Untamed, I refuse to be controlled. I refuse to be pigeon-holed.
I will tame the untameable.