Cyber Mortality

Chapter 23:

"DizMay, we've gotta go faster!" Rocky cries out, casting a wary glance over his shoulder.

"I'm going as fast as I can," I snarl.

He pulls something out of his green jacket and tosses it behind us. The thing explodes and rocks tumble down the canyon behind us.

"That doesn't seem like the smartest idea!" I shout as a shard of rock nicks my forehead, drawing blood.

"Well it's risk the rocks, or risk the trolls!" he glares at me with his green eyes flashing. "Remind me again why I got stuck luring these trolls with you?"

"You volunteered," I roll my eyes and pump my legs faster. The sound of our pursuers thuds behind us.

"Well, you're the one that said you'd lead a hoard of trolls away from the village!"

I couldn't just say no to that nice lady!" I scowl and cast a wary glance over my shoulder again.

"Sure you could have! We are supposed to be training for the tournament!" Rocky's arm shoots out like a viper and wraps around my arm, dragging me around a corner right as the hoard of trolls skids past. This action pushes me against his chest in the tiny slot canyon and his arm shoots protectively around my shoulder.

"Will they actually just keep going?" I glance toward the rock valley as the sound of the trolls echoes farther and farther away.

"I hope so," he mutters and releases his hold on me. "We led them ten miles away from the village. Hopefully, they will get distracted by something else and leave the village alone."

"Bro!" a voice calls from above us. We crane our necks up and a tuft of blue hair from DeNyle's head sticks out like a weird bush. "You two alright?"

"We're fine," Rocky calls up and turns his green gray eyes on me one last time before starting to climb the rock wall. I purse my lips and glance down at my time amulet. 11:45.

"I've gotta meet Zephyr," I call to them and pull out the small pocket watch terminal DeNyle tossed my way this morning.

"It's for fast traveling between worlds," he grinned proudly. "With it, you can travel to any portal point you have been to or the terminal station."

I slide my finger across the screen until the portal to Madam Zemia's Magic School appears.

"Alright! Be safe!" DeNyle calls from above just as I tap the center button to travel. The world blurs and the falling sensation takes over until my feet press into the soft dirt outside the school.

"You're late," an annoyed voice calls from the tree above me.

"Am not," I glare up toward my new teacher, Zephyr. "I'm five minutes early."

His mint green eyes return my glare and he hops down from the tree, landing gracefully with a puff of air beneath his feet. His Persian style cotton pants billow out for a moment before resting against his skinny legs.

"Is this what you will be wearing for training?" Zephyr inquires, taking a moment to walk a circle around me.

"Is there something wrong with what I am wearing?" I purse my lips in annoyance. He reaches out his left hand, activating his menu, before a set of clothes similar to his own materialize into his hand.

"These are more suited for training," he tosses the cream-colored cotton pants and tunic my way. "For you to become adept with wielding air magic you must make yourself lighter as well."

"Are you calling me fat?" I snort and rub a finger across the smooth fabric.

His lips twirk on either side before returning to their permanent scowl.

"You may believe whatever you wish to believe," he replies and turns his back. "Now put on those clothes."

"Out here in the open?" I raise an eyebrow.

"Just put them in your inventory and quick-equip them," Zephyr sighs.

 I do as requested and after a moment I am standing in the soft cotton clothes which are loose on my body, yet don't feel extra baggy.

"Alright, where do we begin?" I inquire.

"Take a seat," Zephyr gestures to the dirt at his feet. I do as instructed and plop down in the dirt. He sits across from me. "Now, with elbows still bent, bring your hands up and close together. Make your fingertips almost touch but not quite. Now close your eyes. Take a deep breath and release it slowly. Do you feel the air inside you and around you?"

"I do," I nod and smile as the gentle breeze stirs my black and purple hair against my neck.

"For simple air magic, you only need to direct it where you want it to go. For example, when I leapt out of the tree I directed the wind to cushion my landing. For more advanced magic you will need to use incantations. For the most part, people simply use manipulation of the elements for their magic. Not many will use incantations because they take time and a lot of magic to perform." Zephyr explains.

"What can the incantations do that normal manipulation cannot?" I ask.

"Incantations are mainly used for large scale manipulation of an element. One example is the wind barrier that was formed during the battle of Kapsis. My teacher and I came together to create an impenetrable barrier to keep the enemies and their projectiles out of the city." Zephyr sighs at the thought. "Not many can handle that kind of magic though. Some die from the strain and when they re-spawn give up on the idea of more than manipulation. Has Jez taught you anything about magic?"

I peek my eye open to glare at his peaceful floating form.

"How the freak are you floating?" I gasp, which causes his lip to twirk up again.

"Magic, DizMay," Zephyr sighs and lowers himself back onto the ground. "If you concentrate you will be able to do this too."

"You can just call me, May," I sigh.

"No," Zephyr shakes his head. "Now close your eyes. You need to feel the air around you..."