Chapter 105: Practice

Chapter 105: Practice

Tala sat on the wagon top as it trundled towards the trees. The caravan was underway, and Tala had a task before her.

Per Mistress Oderas instructions, she was preparing to activate her active gravity manipulation for the first time. I really should have done this a week ago But there had just been too much else to do. I still havent even started experimenting with spell-forms in my lungs, either No. This took priority.

She placed her palms on her elbows, left arm going above right. She carefully positioned her fingers per Hollys instructions, getting into the very awkward and specific position required for the initial activation. I know we didnt want this to activate on accident, but this is a bit ridiculous.

Even so, she followed the instructions given, closed her eyes, and entered the required mental state.

Control.

Power whipped through her, filling the gold inscriptions in her left breast and radiating outward into the others linked to them. A few of the forms made subtle additions to her mage-sight as well, utilizing the base scripts to give her needed information.

The miniscule copper links placed to kick off this first activation burned away, leaving her with another active draw on her power.

It was a massive drain.

Talas eyes opened, widening in surprise as she felt her reserves begin to steadily, if slowly, empty. With quick, practiced technique, she forged one of her standard void-channels and connected it to her body and the inscriptions there.

The added flow was just enough to satisfy the much greater demand for power. Great Any time she didnt have an active void-channel, she would be losing power. I need to understand this spell-working better. That should increase the efficiency and reduce the draw.

She thought she could hold the single void-channel for most of a day. Even so, it wasnt enough to refill what shed lost. So, she quickly forged a second void-channel and dispersed it a few seconds later when her reserves were refilled.

That done, she opened her eyes, and had to blink back tears.

The entire world seemed to have a uniform, additional color layered overtop both her normal vision and that of her mage-sight. Not quite a color, more an added depth.

She felt her mind hitch at the additional facet of information.

Thankfully, given that the new portion of her sight was directly linked to her mage-sight, it functioned the same. Now that she had taken in the gravity of everything around her, it faded from her sight. Only differences will be highlighted.The origin of this chapter's debut can be traced to N0v3l--B1n.

She glanced down at her hands and was greeted by such a difference. The light of gravity was deeper, coming from her body, the effect seeming to highlight the weight of difference. Tala huffed a chuckle at that. Well, thats exactly what it is, so thats probably why I perceive it that way.

Once shed acclimated to that, her extra perception with regard to her own body faded as well. Only changes will manifest.

Shed picked up a small stone for practice and set it near her feet during the initial activation. As such, she picked it up to hold, focusing on it to bring back the other light that indicated gravitys effect.

She brought her left, middle finger down to press against her left thumb, her other fingers curling naturally into the position shed had Holly lock the ability behind. I cant make changes, unless I have this hand position, for now. It seemed a wise precaution.

Increase. She applied her will and felt a marked uptick in the power drain. She immediately created another void-channel. The light increased minutely, but the increase in weight was much, much too little for her hand to register. All that, for this?

She thought for a long moment. What am I doing, exactly?

She was dumping power into an effect, without considering how it would be accomplished. She remembered her inefficiency with charging the cargo-slots, before shed fully utilized a mental model. She recalled how horrible her skins defenses were before she understood the bio-chemistry behind inter- and intra-cellular bonds.

Yeah, thats whats happening, here. I havent bothered to really understand how this is doing what its supposed to do.

She thought for a moment.

Its exactly like my crush. As soon as the thought entered her mind, solidifying into a mental construct, the new, added drain on her power greatly diminished. The stone got noticeably heavier, if still just minutely.

Thats right. Take that 10% extra weight and crack! She shook her head, a smile tugging at her lips. Hey, its a start.

She bent her will towards increasing it, and over the next hour was able to raise the stones weight by nearly 50%, then slowly return it to normal. It was a colossally glacial process, but Tala thought she could make it faster, in time.

Practice it is, then.

* * *

Tala watched the false twilight landscape around their small caravan.

It had taken her nearly two hours to fully adjust to the dappled green light. Even still, she kept thinking that she saw movement out of the corners of her vision, but it was just the obscuring leaves and branches, high above, swaying in a wind she couldnt see. Or, moving on their own

Now that they were past the forests edge, the massive trees were actually spaced fairly far apart, with few exceptions.

Those exceptions seemed to be growing just too close together to get a wagon through, thus diverting them from their intended course. Whenever they came to such blockages, at least one of the trees was invariably one of the migratory variety. Talas mage-sight told her that the magics within were much more complex than the average specimen of tree. Even so, they lacked the level of complexity of an arcanous creature.

As things would have it, it was always easier to divert to the left, or east, around the barrier. When they tried to go right, or west, the terrain became more difficult, often with great tangles of roots slowing them down or just making the path impossible.

The tree trunks were colossal, as befitted their height. If Tala was estimating correctly, the larger trees, past the leading edge of the forest, were close to nine hundred feet tall, and approaching two hundred feet across. In general, the trees grew around that far apart, making it a very dense forest, relatively speaking, while still having a lot of clear ground for them to traverse.

Thus, any given diversion took them only around four hundred feet out of their way, but it was still quite inconvenient, as the arrangement of the trees made it difficult to tell where paths through were, until they drew close.

The whole scale of this place twists the mind. She assumed that the trees got as much of their needs from the magic, which they were drawing up from the earth, as from sunlight, and that made the closer crowding less of an issue.

Every step draws me closer to where I want to be. She knew that her future progress would be slower, but it wouldnt stop any time soon.

Their camp that night was in a slightly larger-than-average gap between several trees. Shed asked Mistress Odera if there was any danger of being fully surrounded and blocked in during the night, and the woman had simply said that it rarely happened. So, not never

Still the older woman didnt seem concerned, so Tala had returned to her practice.

As Tala walked across the wagon-top, thinking about her progress gave her an idea, and she decided to reduce her weight by ten percent, just to see what it would be like. The magic affected her easily. As it originated within her, her iron salve didnt block it.

She tripped immediatelyon the smooth wagon top. Seriously?

Her every movement felt wrong. Even so, she gritted her teeth and went through her exercises with the altered gravity, forcing herself to adjust. Alright, then. I need to practice under as many different levels of gravity as possible.

She didnt really know how, exactly, it would be useful, but she didnt like that she was so incompetent with such a minor variation.

But should I practice large variations first, or subtle ones? She had no idea. I should ask someone

It was too bad that everyone was busy with their evening duties. Rane walked in a wide circle around the wagons, checking for any hidden lairs or traps.

Mistress Odera and the guards seemed to be thoroughly checking the ground between and immediately around their campsite in much greater detail than Rane could hope to achieve with his wide sweep.

I should go ask if I can help. She sighed, dropping off the side of the wagon.

She slammed into the ground, fracturing the already frozen soil. She ground her teeth, feeling how much ending-berry power had been required to absorb the blow. Ok. Im calling it. I can always put it back on, now that my active manipulation is up and running.

As Terry appeared on her shoulder, Tala brought middle finger and thumb together, and she began dumping power into reducing gravitys effect on her. It took every void-channel she had and nearly a minute to reach a normal weight, or close enough to be irrelevant.

She was able to watch her hand and compare that to her sleeve as a way of matching the gravity light from each, nearly perfectly.

Yeah I should have released that ages ago She hadnt really considered how easily she could place the effect back on, if she wanted. Im a bit foolish, sometimes

She approached Mistress Odera, a literal spring in her step. Thankfully, she got used to her lightness before stopping beside the other woman. Is there anything I can do to assist?

I dont think at the moment, Mistress, but thank you for checking in. Mistress Odera glanced to Terry. Now, you, good avian, would you be willing to do a sweep of the surroundings? You can move faster than all but a horseman and will draw less attention than one of the mounted guards.

Terry cocked his head, then glanced towards Tala.

Tala smiled at her friend. If you want, might be nice to stretch your legs? Hed been a bit lazier that day, not really leaving Talas side very often.

He bobbed and vanished.

In less than an hour, the camp was as secure as they could easily make it, and dinner was being served.

Tala and Rane sparred once again, to the delight of the others in the caravan.

Tala was having a bit more trouble, today, given her normal weight.

She was a bit faster on sideways and upward movements than before, but she couldnt anchor against Ranes blows as easily, and the result was that she was flung about much more often.

It was a stark lesson in humility, and plainly showed just how complacent shed already become in accepting certain hits. I should probably practice with even less than normal gravitybut not today. In truth, she should wait until she could match Rane before pushing further, but she doubted she would have the patience. Well see.

After a particularly brutal bout, Tala was taking a break to drink deeply from her water incorporator when she felt something bump her shoulder.

Tala turned to see Terry, the size of a small horse, looking at her.

A silence had fallen over those watching. They seemed to be curious more than anything else, as theyd all seen the bird in his smaller form, and the guards knew he could get bigger. Many had even seen him at this size, over the last few days.

Whats up, Terry?

The bird bobbed to her, then tapped Flow with his nose and flicked his head towards where she and Rane had been sparring.

You want me to fight some more?

He bobbed, then shuffled that way.

Her eyes widened. You want me to spar with you?

He bobbed again, seeming much more excited.

Tala swallowed, though her mouth had been empty. Well, I suppose it could be good practice What under the stars am I agreeing to?

Terry did a happy little shuffle, then appeared in the cleared area, crouched and ready.

Well, alright then. Lets see what we can do.