27th Day of Glade, 114th Year of Steel
Talon sat within the gardens of the Palace of the First Wind. He was quietly meditating as he contemplated how to approach his task at hand. It had been a little over a year since his teacher, Saris Kore made the decision to leave Kalzasi. This, following an argument that Talon had with his father. Since then, the young Avialae had been left to explore the nuances of his powers in both Semblance and Kinetics on his own. His teacher had left him with a few basic lessons to get him started but the truest lesson was the one he gave in parting.
“Personal magic is exactly that, Talon. It is a journey the wizard alone embarks upon. Your powers are your own. You alone will find your way toward understanding them.”
He missed Saris. The older man’s fatherly advice and warmth had made Talon feel like a person as opposed to nothing more than a successor. That was not to say he did not have love and admiration for his own father. The relationship they shared had always been one of careful observation. The distance between them had lessened in recent times but Talon often found himself unsure of how to approach the man. His father was, first and foremost, Shokaze of Kalzasi. He supposed he had his great uncle to thank for his father’s demeanor.
Jien Novalys had nearly been the downfall of House Novalys. It was a sore subject and one his father was tight lipped about even to this day, decades later.
Talon shook those thoughts from his head. He would get nowhere reminiscing on his family’s legacy. It would only distract him. Taking a deep breath, Talon opened his eyes and saw the world as it was touched by aether. Tendrils of light flowed all around him in wisps that swayed and moved in an ever winding current. That current, was the aether flux. It flowed in and around all things, pervading every aspects of life both on the material plane and others that Talon had no name for.
Reaching out, Talon touched the tips of his fingers to the currents before him. He could feel the energy that made his hands tingle. This state of being that he only felt when letting his own aether flow through the door of Kinetics was exhilirating and terrifying. As he perceived the flux, so too did he perceive how to flow with it, against it and even above it. It was mind boggling to think that all around him was a world that could only be seen through eyes of magic. He tried not to let that thought overwhelm him but his imagination went wild with the possibilities. It took a moment before he could focus once more. The task before him was a simple one, at least he hoped it would be.
Talon focused his attention on the palm sized rock sitting on the round in front of him. He extended both hands with his palms up. As he did so, he joined the flow of his own aether to that of the flux in motion around that of the rock. Instead of allowing it to continue its current movement, Talon began directing that flow to go upwards. He began to feel the strain immediately. The natural flow of the aether resisted his will and intent forcing Talon to concentrate. He tugged at the flux willing it toward his desired motion and finally he watched in satisfaction as the rock began to levitate up off of the grass.
Inch by inch it floated higher and higher until it was eye level. The exertion was requiring the whole of Talon’s focus just to manage. He knew it would be difficult. He simply hadn’t expected it to be this difficult. The flux was not something easily manipulated. Aether was not something easily manipulated. The world had been set and defined by the gods and while mortals could bend the world to their will, such a feat was not easily accomplished. Drawing in a deep breath, Talon kept his concentration on the rock that was wobbling in the air in front of him. He grasped the threads of his aether and sent a wave outward to push against the natural flow of currents that wrapped around the rock. Slowly, the rock wobbled and drifted away from him.
Nodding to himself, Talon reached out to the flux and wove his aether into the flow. This time he felt an increasing amount of resistance as he pulled the currents of the rock toward him. It dropped slightly forcing Talon to redouble his efforts but he managed to get it to stay aloft.
“Okay, Talon. Focus.” Talon was already beginning to sweat. The draw upon his aether was significant to accomplish even this simple task. He was unaccustomed to exerting his will upon the aether flux, not as practiced as he should have been. He believed that this was in part due to the amount of attention his father had demanded he give to his training and education in matters of the royal court. He was almost positive that his father was intentionally forcing him to spend as little time to himself as possible. While it had made him stronger, it had made his mind sharper, it was not what he wanted at least not entirely. The young Avialae unfurled his wings, stretching them and getting more comfortable as he adjusted his sitting position.
Reaching out with his hands he concentrated on the wobbling rock floating in the air in front of him. He curled his fingers into the air as though he could grab the currents of the flux with his hands. The effect saw his aether joining with the flow and he found himself better able to visualize pulling the rock toward his body. It was slow going but eventually he felt the currents of the flux bend to his will and the rock began drifting toward his body. Talon felt a momentary elation that was quickly pushed aside as he focused back on the task of controlling the movement of the rock. Inch by inch it gravitated toward him until finally the rock floated above one of his outstretched hands. Talon released his hold on his aether then allowing the rock to drop and the aether currents to return to their normal flow. As soon as the rock fell into his palm, the Avialae smiled.
He curled his hand around the rock and admired it for a moment. He quietly wished that his teacher, Saris Kore, were present. He missed the old man and his antics. Nevertheless, Talon resolved to at least write the man. From the last communication he’d had with Saris, the wizard had settled in the city of Zaichaer. From what Talon knew, the High City of the Northlands was an incredible place. One that he was resolved to visit when the time came. For the moment, he would simply be satisfied with the fact that he had succeeded in pushing himself with his gift on his own. Rising from where he sat, Talon used his wings to help steady himself as he got to his feet. He could feel his muscles cramping from his use of aether.
In many ways he supposed that the use of personal magic was much like exercising. The more one did it properly, the stronger one became and the easier one’s muscles could handle the challenges placed before them. Stretching, Talon extended his wings and then rolled his shoulders as he got his bearings. He turned around to observe the garden with a sigh. He was sweaty from the toll his magical practice had taken on his body. He needed a bath and while the day was still young he felt it was the perfect time to spend some time studying in the library. His father expected him to be able to recite the history of their house and its role in Kalzasi. He sighed inwardly as he made his way out of the garden. It was going to be a long study session, perhaps if he were lucky he would find Riven rummaging through the books. That thought had him smiling with an amused chuckle as he passed into his rooms and prepared himself to go to the bathing chamber in order to relax.
