Exploding outwards in a rush of frost and icicles, the collected spell in my hand struck the training dummy, coating it in a layer of rime. Lowering my hand, I collected my breath and looked up expectantly to Alder, who was stroking his chin in thought.
During our post lunch teatime, the topic of magic had come up, and Alder was eager to see my abilities first hand. We’d relocated to a training field behind the mansion, which was dotted with an array of holes in the ground, indicating just how well used it was. As my swirling mana settled, I took a moment to admire the swirl of icy blue particles in my palm. Perhaps it was quite fitting that I possessed an affinity for ice, as I’d always found it to be quite beautiful.
My thoughts were interrupted by the appraising Butler, who nodded his head. “You definitely have a strong affinity for cold manipulation, a talent normally held by people from the Northern Reaches of the Empire. Were your parents from there by chance?”
I shrugged my shoulders and looked to the side. “I never knew them.”
Alder’s eyes widened, and he cleared his throat. “My apologies then Iris, one shouldn’t assume such things to be the case.”
A soft smile spread on my lips, and I quietly shook my head. “It’s all right. Hard to miss what you didn’t know, right?” That was only half the story really, but I didn’t want to drag down the mood of our training session with my problems.
The old butler’s gaze softened, then he nodded. “Quite. Regardless, the form of your spells are well defined. You seem to have a good grasp of gathering mana to yourself, as well as the visualization needed to shape it into what you desire.”
My mouth couldn’t help curling up into a shy smile at the praise. No one at the academy had given me praise like that, apart from Calix, and unlike that snake, I knew Alder was being honest with me.
“That said, I have a few points I’d like to critique, in order for you to continue your growth as a mage.”
I figured that he would. Criticism came often at the academy, and I would often take the harsh critique of the other mages as a motivation to keep refining myself. And I trusted his input on my abilities far more than most.
I winced at the critique, and turned my head down. That one hurt. “How do you mean?”
Alder gently placed a hand on my head, and I looked up to him to see his calm smile. “Confidence is something you’ll gain as you continue to train and practice, it will just take some time. Once you’ve gotten more practice in, your spell will be less scattered and more focused.”
He gestured to the training dummy, which had frost not only around its surface, but in the areas surrounding it.
“I see what you mean.” My body ramped up, as it prepared to cast another spell and prove what I could do to Alder. His hand didn’t leave my head though, and he shook his head.
“No need to practice right now, you’re meant to rest today after all. I merely wish to see
the basis of your abilities.”
Nodding my head, I exhaled as the gathering swirl dissipated, and I allowed myself to relax fully.
“That’s better. We could take a bit of time to tour the gardens, or I could take stock of your martial capabilities.”
I bit down on my lip and looked to the side again, as my mind raced back to the numerous times I’d spent on the training fields, before the instructors finally gave up on teaching me any swordsmanship. “I don’t really have any expertise in that field. The instructors kept putting a sword in my hand and expecting me to learn how to use it.”
Alder’s eyes narrowed and he quietly shook his head. “Honestly, the Academy was dreadful even in my time, but it seems to have only gotten worse over time.”
I awkwardly rubbed the side of my face and gave a nervous smile. “I guess so? I think those instructors just wanted an excuse to pick on me though. My uncle wasn’t very popular in the Court.”
The butler blinked. “Forgive me for asking, you know who your Uncle is but not your parents? That seems a little unusual to me.”
“Ahh, I understand perfectly now.” Alder nodded his head. “He seems like he was an extraordinary fellow.”
Smiling sadly, I looked up to the blue sky and nodded my head. “He spent a lot of his time ensuring that other members of the Imperial Court didn’t break rules, or engage in open hostility. It didn’t win him many friends, and that wore down on him. When he took me in, I did whatever I could to make him proud, and support him in his endeavors.” The butler kept his gaze fixed on me as I spoke of things I’d not spilled with anyone before. Somehow, it felt like the most natural thing in the world to do right now.
“He died three months ago. Even with his unpopular reputation, he kept me safe from the absolute worst happenings at the Court. I guess that’s how I ended up being sent on this mission in the first place, where they likely expected me to die. I guess all things considered, I’m happy with how things turned out.”
By the time I finished my story, I caught a hint of something in Alder’s impassive face, the gleam of a tear. Fetching a handkerchief from his pocket, he removed his glasses and dabbed at his eyes. “I am truly glad that you found us, Iris.”
Another urge came over me, to do something that my Uncle had only accepted on rare occasions. Rushing forward, I wrapped my arms around Alder, and laid my head against his chest. It was really unfair just how much taller than me he was, but I could still manage this for him. After a few moment’s hesitation, his own arms wrapped around me.
And for a few moments, we stood there in the garden, wrapped up in a hug. An aching hole in my chest felt filled in that moment, one that had been gone for the past few months, but now fit like a missing piece in a puzzle.
It felt like I had my Uncle again.
We separated, and I gave him a smile, which he returned in kind. “Do not worry Iris, we take care of each other here, and I’m honored to count you as one of us.”
That brought tears to my own eyes, though I could not fully comprehend why. Alder passed me another handkerchief, which I gratefully accepted and blew my nose. Emotions I didn’t even know I’d buried for years poured out of me in the form of tears, unburdening me from their weight. At the same time, the euphoria I felt from being in the clothes I liked, being called by the name I liked, and being who I wanted to be, felt intensely magnified. It filled my body like energy, swelling in my chest.
And then I felt it.
Something shifted in me, and I felt the surge of mana around myself
even more strongly than I ever had. I could feel every particle in the area swirling like a current, and I was a weighted anchor in their midst. As I released my emotions, the anchor weighing me down lessened in its strength, leaving me to float freely amidst the chaos of the swirling mana.I didn’t feel afraid, only possessed of a clarity in purpose as I let go of my pain. Backing away from Alder, I turned my attention to the training dummy, determined to make use of this new clarity. Gathering the chaotic swirls of mana into my body, they collected and infused my body with raw power. I could feel the surge in power whirling around myself, until it reached a fever pitch and my eyes snapped open.
No words, or utterances came from my mouth, instead I thrust my open palm outward, and the surging mana unleashed itself in a frigid blast of cold, freezing Everything in its path until it finally stopped at the target. The sheer cold of the effect froze the target solid, and the rush of force shattered it into pieces, which fell to the ground in scattered icicles.
As the surging mana faded, I blinked, and looked at my outstretched palm in confusion.
What… what did I just do?
The sound of clapping echoed from my left, and I turned to face Alder, who wore a pleased expression on his face. “Oh well done, well done indeed Iris. I had not expected you to grasp that so quickly.”
Confusion whirled in my mind as a plethora of questions formed in my mind. “What, but I… how did…I just cast a spell without a keyphrase!”
Alder nodded his head, and smiled. “Indeed you did. Magic is not limited to the usage of a language, dear Iris. It comes from around us, and inside of us. The world is full of mana, and you are its conduit.”
Come to think of it, when I panic fired my spell at Alder earlier, he’d deflected it without saying a single keyphrase. How had I not noticed that before? “But then, why does the Academy teach the usage of the Keyphrases?”
The somewhat lengthy explanation did make sense to me, but it also opened up the door for so many possibilities. Why, if magic was tied not to the usage of language, and carefully constructed spells, then-
I blinked again, as I felt something odd inside of me. Normally after casting a spell, the mana would dissipate from my body. This time though, it seemed to linger, settling into my nooks and crevices. While I didn’t feel that euphoric surge from before, I still felt more energy than I’d had in a long time.
“There are some side effects to casting magic like this, as I’m sure you’re now noticing. Whereas the Academy’s magic is designed to control magic, this kind of magic uses you as its conduit, which means the mana will stay in your body.” He smirked. “It might cause some… other changes as well, but I’m sure you’ll quite like them. I know I did.”
My mind stewed on that for a bit, and then a piece clicked into place. Indeed, the lingering mana had settled into a few select areas of my body, which brought a blush to my cheeks. My chest felt a bit tingly now, along with my hips, and my rear end.
Alder ruffled my hair again. “When I was young, I also struggled greatly with expressing my magic. After I came out as a man, it became much easier for me to do so. I suspect the same is true for you, Iris. You’ve found yourself, and your mana will help you along that journey.
The thought was extremely comforting to me, and I gave him a smile. As unfamiliar as all of this was, I knew that I could trust him, and Lilia, and Azalea. They’d been more kind to me than anyone I had ever met. And if this was all a trick, then I’d at least be happy throughout it.
Alder retrieved a pocket watch from his breast pocket and popped it open. “Goodness how time flies, it’s almost time for us to meet back up with Lilia and my Lady, so why don’t we head back to the office?”
I knew
exactly what I was going to tell the Lady Azalea.
I absolutely love this story
Good chapter, it seems like the Academy was actually hindering Iris and likely a number of its other students as well in the name of control.
I like that healthy emotions are having a positive effect on Iris's magic.
As for smut let it enter the story when the story is ready for it.
Aww
Very cute
this is really good!
He died three months ago
In chapter one it was just a month ago that he died. When she arrived at the manor.
D= Thank you for pointing that out. It's three months. I'll fix chapter 1.
@Violet_Velvet welcome ^-^
Hmm... Well, that's a "yes, Mistress, i accept your offer" if I ever heard one... the lady will be pleased.
As for the Smut tag... A slow build up to it is far better than Smut in the first five minutes, like SOME stories. I just assumed wed get a "bonus lilia chapter" describing her "punishment" eventually... And the main character would be uninvolved in Smutty Developments for a while, until she's Nice and Settled... Because that's Good Pacing.
Looks like the real magic was self acceptance all along
Oooo i love the chapter.
So glad you enjoyed it!
@Violet_Velvet I'm enjoying the whole story.