Post by Vitsheep on Jun 3, 2021 18:07:03 GMT -5
Everyone
The professors have made a list of who to send where based on your sign-ups for what spells to learn. They all lead you off to a hallway deeper in the school, splitting off into smaller rooms hidden behind large doors. The first few seem to be offices, and the professors each point out theirs as you pass them. And then on to their classrooms...
Flash
Quentin
Alice, Darius, Ray, Rishan
Quentin leads you into a room lined with shields, swords, and other bits of armor and weapons along the walls. A short, ring-shaped wall in the center of the room, closed with a wooden gate, creates a small arena. A board on one side is covered in a few large scratches. Benches around it give room for spectators to watch. Quentin motions at the benches, then hops the fence into the center of the room. "Right, then... Listen up, rookies. You've never cast magic before, so today's a very important day. Learn the basics or you're not going to get very far. Not to put too much pressure on you, but if you can't even get this spell right, you're better off heading the headmistress' office and dropping out. For your own sake. Now-"
Alice leans forward in her seat. She lets out a soft, excited squeak. Quentin turns toward her, expression hidden behind his helmet. Alice smiles, a slight blush on her cheeks. "Um, sorry! I'm just so excited!"
Darius hesitates, then pats her on the shoulder.
"...Anyway. One or two Flashes won't harm you, but we don't want to harm anyone's eyes during training doing it over and over. There's goggles for each of you." He hands out some glasses with darkened lenses, then turns his attention to the board. "This is the big secret to magic. No going back after this." He starts making marks on the board. It slowly takes a complicated shape. "This is a rune. It's how we focus our magical energies into a useful form. Focus on it. Understand it. Feel it. And then let your power surge through the image in your mind and out into the world. It is a difficult feeling to explain. Much easier to learn from experience. The important part is to not resist the feeling, but not fully give in to it, either. Don't worry, screwing up with a spell of this caliber won't hurt. Much."
"OK, Professor!" Alice hops up, staring intently at the board.
Darius joins her, tracing the pattern in the air. "I... think I-"
He's interrupted as Alice suddenly jolts to the side with a small burst of flame. "Ow..."
Quentin looks over Alice quickly, then shakes his head. "You're fine. Envision the rune floating just in front of you."
A small light glows in front of Darius, then sputters out. "I... did I... do it?" he asks.
"No. Stop fighting it. Let it flow."
Rishan manages to envision the rune, feeling a pulsating sensation in his chest. A stabbing sensation shoots through his head, but a dim light shines in the air as he falls against the wall.
Quentin nods. "Close. Catch your breath. Then do it again."
Ray feels a weak pounding in his head as the rune he pictures in the air shines brighter and brighter. Then it bursts in a bright flash of light. He's knocked back from what feels like a quick punch in the face.
Summon
Niamh
Selfless, Balthazar, Hero, Rachael
Niamh hobbles down the hall into the closest classroom. It looks almost like the classes you'd expect to see in any normal school, if it weren't for the sigils and symbols on the walls. Rows of desks face a small lectern, which Niamh takes her spot at. She takes out a large book, and flips to a bookmarked page. "Summon... Flutterlight... Yes, yes. It is a simple spell, you shouldn't have much difficulty learning it as your first. Though I imagine you have no idea where even to start... As you shouldn't. We keep a tight control of magic for a reason. A reason you may not fully grasp through words alone. Oh, yes, you will come to truly understand the dangers in time. If any of you have doubts..."
Hero stands up from his seat. "No, ma'am!"
Balthazar sits and stares quietly.
"No...? Very well, then." She turns to a chalk board, scratching out a series of strokes into a strange symbol. "This is a rune. By concentrating on this shape, you're able to direct and manipulate the magical energy lying latent in yourself... For Summoning magic, things are a mite more complex. But Flutterlights are not dangerous, so we can worry about things like control after we create them. The important part of today is to manage to manifest your magical power successfully. Once you picture the rune over your shoulder, you will feel the power begin to manifest. Then, just calmly let it out."
Hero stares at the marks on board, making a few grunts before a small ball of light shines beside him, then bursts. He leaps out of his seat again, this time in a panic, and dives under the desk beside him.
Niamh shakes her head. "There's no need to panic, nothing short of a truly anomalous disaster would cause a problem with this exercise."
Balthazar stays silent for a few moments, then closes his eyes. A ball of light appears beside him, then fades again. He lets out a sharp gasp.
Selfless feels like he's shaking as the muscles in his arms and chest twitch. A ball of light appears then fades away, then reappears, then fades again, flickering in and out before it seems to solidify. His muscles go slack with exhaustion and she thuds face-first onto her desk.
But Rachael feels a buzzing sensation in her gut. It seems to shift up her chest and out to the side. A moment later a floating, glowing orb is hovering beside her. She pants with fatigue and takes a moment to catch her breath.
Knock
Oscar
Colette, Iora, Fenian, Indy
You proceed into a well-lit chamber lined with torches. Long tables against the wall are covered in various experiments. Flasks, beakers, and samples of plants and minerals sit in various states. Stools are scattered around the room as seats. Oscar walks up to a desk at the front of the room and slides some tools around to make space for a small book. "Ah, yes, just take a seat anywhere. So today... will be your first magic lesson. A big moment! But of course there's the question of how to even begin. And the answer is simpler than you might think." He walks around the room, placing 4 medium-sized block weights, one near each of you. "These are your targets."
Colette takes a seat near the back of the room, while Iora takes the very first seat inside the door. Fenian looks around the room with apprehension, staring at some of the plants and parts that look like they might come from animals or beasts. He settles for dragging a stool a bit away from some of the desks.
Oscar returns to his desk, adjusts his glasses, and looks around the room for a moment, then seems to realize something. "Oh, right, yes... Hm. It should be fine for today, but in the future please tie back long hair Miss Colette, Mr. Fenian. And wear boots instead of sandals Miss Iora."
Colette and Fenian nod, but Iora cocks her head. "Don't ha-a-a-ave any," she says.
Oscar grimaces, then moves on. "We'll find you some. Now... back to the matter at hand. Yes, right, where was I... Runes." He turns to a board on the wall and begins making a complicated inscription. "They all carry instructions and you can learn how to manipulate them, guess their function, things like that. But, ah, you don't need to worry about advanced runetheory today. Just focus on this shape. Try to picture it on the target. Once you manage to envision it well enough, you'll feel your magical energy inside of your starting to circulate. It's a strange sensation the first few times, but until you get used to it just remember: don't panic and let go. You'll be fine even if something goes wrong with this spell."
Fenian concentrates on his weight intently, occasionally looking back to the rune on the board. After a few minutes, he lets out an exasperated sigh. "It is... difficult to concentrate in this room."
Iora stares at the board, a look of unusual concentration on her face. After a moment, she turns to the weight with a scowl. She points. "Ha!" and the weight shudders, falling to the side. She jumps back and falls off her seat.
"Ah...!" Oscar calls out, running over. He picks her up, then nods when he's sure she's fine. "Yes, this... is why we wear boots instead of sandals in case we knock something over, Miss Iora."
"Ka-a-a-ay..." she mutters, shakily.
Colette seems to have the easiest time of anyone. With a few moments of staring at the board, she glares at the weight at her feet and sends it shaking with a sharp crack.
Indy struggles, feeling his hands begin to shake. As he pictures the rune, a ringing in his ears pulses, louder and softer, until it's all he can hear. Then the ringing is not in his head, but in the weight instead. Shifting and ringing out with a loud Knock. Indy struggles to stay on his seat, the world spinning. Oh, this is why she fell. Everything is shifting and bouncing.
Spark
Phoebe
Erin, Gwen, Misha, Cantrelle
Phoebe loudly slams the door, then turns to you with her hands on her hips and a big smile. The room is large, carved from the stone, and covered in scorch marks, chips, cracks, and other damage. A chimney rises up and disappears into the ceiling's gloom. A small bench on the back wall and a stool leave most of the room wide open. "Alright, everyone! Welcome to Magical Girl Phoebe's Spark 101! By the time you're done, you'll all be Spark masters! You'll be able to cast in in your sleep! But don't actually do that, we don't need you all lighting your beds on fire." She points to a stack of wood in the corner. "Everyone grab some wood and get ready to burn! Now, I know you're all complete neophytes that have never cast a single spell in their lives, but don't worry. We'll get you going right up to speed."
"Hmph. How hard can this be?" Gwen says, snatching a stick in her talon and flapping over to a corner.
"Uh-huh, easy." It's not so easy to tell whether Erin is being serious or mocking Gwen.
The harpy doesn't seem to even pick up on the possibility. "So? How do I make the fire?"
"It's easier than you'd think!" Pheobe walks over to a damaged board on the wall and makes what looks like a crazy scribble. "Now, this is the secret to magic. Runes! OK. Look at this pattern very carefully. It's relatively simple, even if it doesn't look like it. Now, close your eyes and see it. If you're having trouble imagining it perfectly, then look again and try again and again! Envision it right on your fingertip. And once you have the rune perfectly in your head, you should feel a... pulse! It'll feel like it's trying to eat you, but don't try to fight it! Just let it gobble you up, nom nom nom, and...!" Phoebe flicks her finger and lets a Spark burst out. "OK, now you all try!"
Gwen looks confused, swinging her arm and flicking her wrist slightly.
Erin meanwhile focuses on the board intently for a few minutes, then holds out a finger. A blask much larger than Phoebe's erupts. "Ah!" she yells, falling over in surprise.
"OK, so here we have too much and not enough! Keep trying, and really focus on the rune!"
You both concentrate, trying to picture the rune. After a few moments, you start to feel a strange sensation.
A small spark appears on Misha's finger, fading just as quickly. She feels the breath leave her lungs before realizing she's on her knees.
Cantrelle feels her finger start to burn, then a small ball of flame pops off of it. And then everything grows blurry and fades as her heart skips a beat. Pheobe grabs her shoulder and stops her from falling over.
The professors have made a list of who to send where based on your sign-ups for what spells to learn. They all lead you off to a hallway deeper in the school, splitting off into smaller rooms hidden behind large doors. The first few seem to be offices, and the professors each point out theirs as you pass them. And then on to their classrooms...
Flash
Quentin
Alice, Darius, Ray, Rishan
Quentin leads you into a room lined with shields, swords, and other bits of armor and weapons along the walls. A short, ring-shaped wall in the center of the room, closed with a wooden gate, creates a small arena. A board on one side is covered in a few large scratches. Benches around it give room for spectators to watch. Quentin motions at the benches, then hops the fence into the center of the room. "Right, then... Listen up, rookies. You've never cast magic before, so today's a very important day. Learn the basics or you're not going to get very far. Not to put too much pressure on you, but if you can't even get this spell right, you're better off heading the headmistress' office and dropping out. For your own sake. Now-"
Alice leans forward in her seat. She lets out a soft, excited squeak. Quentin turns toward her, expression hidden behind his helmet. Alice smiles, a slight blush on her cheeks. "Um, sorry! I'm just so excited!"
Darius hesitates, then pats her on the shoulder.
"...Anyway. One or two Flashes won't harm you, but we don't want to harm anyone's eyes during training doing it over and over. There's goggles for each of you." He hands out some glasses with darkened lenses, then turns his attention to the board. "This is the big secret to magic. No going back after this." He starts making marks on the board. It slowly takes a complicated shape. "This is a rune. It's how we focus our magical energies into a useful form. Focus on it. Understand it. Feel it. And then let your power surge through the image in your mind and out into the world. It is a difficult feeling to explain. Much easier to learn from experience. The important part is to not resist the feeling, but not fully give in to it, either. Don't worry, screwing up with a spell of this caliber won't hurt. Much."
"OK, Professor!" Alice hops up, staring intently at the board.
Darius joins her, tracing the pattern in the air. "I... think I-"
He's interrupted as Alice suddenly jolts to the side with a small burst of flame. "Ow..."
Quentin looks over Alice quickly, then shakes his head. "You're fine. Envision the rune floating just in front of you."
A small light glows in front of Darius, then sputters out. "I... did I... do it?" he asks.
"No. Stop fighting it. Let it flow."
Rishan manages to envision the rune, feeling a pulsating sensation in his chest. A stabbing sensation shoots through his head, but a dim light shines in the air as he falls against the wall.
Quentin nods. "Close. Catch your breath. Then do it again."
Ray feels a weak pounding in his head as the rune he pictures in the air shines brighter and brighter. Then it bursts in a bright flash of light. He's knocked back from what feels like a quick punch in the face.
Summon
Niamh
Selfless, Balthazar, Hero, Rachael
Niamh hobbles down the hall into the closest classroom. It looks almost like the classes you'd expect to see in any normal school, if it weren't for the sigils and symbols on the walls. Rows of desks face a small lectern, which Niamh takes her spot at. She takes out a large book, and flips to a bookmarked page. "Summon... Flutterlight... Yes, yes. It is a simple spell, you shouldn't have much difficulty learning it as your first. Though I imagine you have no idea where even to start... As you shouldn't. We keep a tight control of magic for a reason. A reason you may not fully grasp through words alone. Oh, yes, you will come to truly understand the dangers in time. If any of you have doubts..."
Hero stands up from his seat. "No, ma'am!"
Balthazar sits and stares quietly.
"No...? Very well, then." She turns to a chalk board, scratching out a series of strokes into a strange symbol. "This is a rune. By concentrating on this shape, you're able to direct and manipulate the magical energy lying latent in yourself... For Summoning magic, things are a mite more complex. But Flutterlights are not dangerous, so we can worry about things like control after we create them. The important part of today is to manage to manifest your magical power successfully. Once you picture the rune over your shoulder, you will feel the power begin to manifest. Then, just calmly let it out."
Hero stares at the marks on board, making a few grunts before a small ball of light shines beside him, then bursts. He leaps out of his seat again, this time in a panic, and dives under the desk beside him.
Niamh shakes her head. "There's no need to panic, nothing short of a truly anomalous disaster would cause a problem with this exercise."
Balthazar stays silent for a few moments, then closes his eyes. A ball of light appears beside him, then fades again. He lets out a sharp gasp.
Selfless feels like he's shaking as the muscles in his arms and chest twitch. A ball of light appears then fades away, then reappears, then fades again, flickering in and out before it seems to solidify. His muscles go slack with exhaustion and she thuds face-first onto her desk.
But Rachael feels a buzzing sensation in her gut. It seems to shift up her chest and out to the side. A moment later a floating, glowing orb is hovering beside her. She pants with fatigue and takes a moment to catch her breath.
Knock
Oscar
Colette, Iora, Fenian, Indy
You proceed into a well-lit chamber lined with torches. Long tables against the wall are covered in various experiments. Flasks, beakers, and samples of plants and minerals sit in various states. Stools are scattered around the room as seats. Oscar walks up to a desk at the front of the room and slides some tools around to make space for a small book. "Ah, yes, just take a seat anywhere. So today... will be your first magic lesson. A big moment! But of course there's the question of how to even begin. And the answer is simpler than you might think." He walks around the room, placing 4 medium-sized block weights, one near each of you. "These are your targets."
Colette takes a seat near the back of the room, while Iora takes the very first seat inside the door. Fenian looks around the room with apprehension, staring at some of the plants and parts that look like they might come from animals or beasts. He settles for dragging a stool a bit away from some of the desks.
Oscar returns to his desk, adjusts his glasses, and looks around the room for a moment, then seems to realize something. "Oh, right, yes... Hm. It should be fine for today, but in the future please tie back long hair Miss Colette, Mr. Fenian. And wear boots instead of sandals Miss Iora."
Colette and Fenian nod, but Iora cocks her head. "Don't ha-a-a-ave any," she says.
Oscar grimaces, then moves on. "We'll find you some. Now... back to the matter at hand. Yes, right, where was I... Runes." He turns to a board on the wall and begins making a complicated inscription. "They all carry instructions and you can learn how to manipulate them, guess their function, things like that. But, ah, you don't need to worry about advanced runetheory today. Just focus on this shape. Try to picture it on the target. Once you manage to envision it well enough, you'll feel your magical energy inside of your starting to circulate. It's a strange sensation the first few times, but until you get used to it just remember: don't panic and let go. You'll be fine even if something goes wrong with this spell."
Fenian concentrates on his weight intently, occasionally looking back to the rune on the board. After a few minutes, he lets out an exasperated sigh. "It is... difficult to concentrate in this room."
Iora stares at the board, a look of unusual concentration on her face. After a moment, she turns to the weight with a scowl. She points. "Ha!" and the weight shudders, falling to the side. She jumps back and falls off her seat.
"Ah...!" Oscar calls out, running over. He picks her up, then nods when he's sure she's fine. "Yes, this... is why we wear boots instead of sandals in case we knock something over, Miss Iora."
"Ka-a-a-ay..." she mutters, shakily.
Colette seems to have the easiest time of anyone. With a few moments of staring at the board, she glares at the weight at her feet and sends it shaking with a sharp crack.
Indy struggles, feeling his hands begin to shake. As he pictures the rune, a ringing in his ears pulses, louder and softer, until it's all he can hear. Then the ringing is not in his head, but in the weight instead. Shifting and ringing out with a loud Knock. Indy struggles to stay on his seat, the world spinning. Oh, this is why she fell. Everything is shifting and bouncing.
Spark
Phoebe
Erin, Gwen, Misha, Cantrelle
Phoebe loudly slams the door, then turns to you with her hands on her hips and a big smile. The room is large, carved from the stone, and covered in scorch marks, chips, cracks, and other damage. A chimney rises up and disappears into the ceiling's gloom. A small bench on the back wall and a stool leave most of the room wide open. "Alright, everyone! Welcome to Magical Girl Phoebe's Spark 101! By the time you're done, you'll all be Spark masters! You'll be able to cast in in your sleep! But don't actually do that, we don't need you all lighting your beds on fire." She points to a stack of wood in the corner. "Everyone grab some wood and get ready to burn! Now, I know you're all complete neophytes that have never cast a single spell in their lives, but don't worry. We'll get you going right up to speed."
"Hmph. How hard can this be?" Gwen says, snatching a stick in her talon and flapping over to a corner.
"Uh-huh, easy." It's not so easy to tell whether Erin is being serious or mocking Gwen.
The harpy doesn't seem to even pick up on the possibility. "So? How do I make the fire?"
"It's easier than you'd think!" Pheobe walks over to a damaged board on the wall and makes what looks like a crazy scribble. "Now, this is the secret to magic. Runes! OK. Look at this pattern very carefully. It's relatively simple, even if it doesn't look like it. Now, close your eyes and see it. If you're having trouble imagining it perfectly, then look again and try again and again! Envision it right on your fingertip. And once you have the rune perfectly in your head, you should feel a... pulse! It'll feel like it's trying to eat you, but don't try to fight it! Just let it gobble you up, nom nom nom, and...!" Phoebe flicks her finger and lets a Spark burst out. "OK, now you all try!"
Gwen looks confused, swinging her arm and flicking her wrist slightly.
Erin meanwhile focuses on the board intently for a few minutes, then holds out a finger. A blask much larger than Phoebe's erupts. "Ah!" she yells, falling over in surprise.
"OK, so here we have too much and not enough! Keep trying, and really focus on the rune!"
You both concentrate, trying to picture the rune. After a few moments, you start to feel a strange sensation.
A small spark appears on Misha's finger, fading just as quickly. She feels the breath leave her lungs before realizing she's on her knees.
Cantrelle feels her finger start to burn, then a small ball of flame pops off of it. And then everything grows blurry and fades as her heart skips a beat. Pheobe grabs her shoulder and stops her from falling over.
