The Annual Harvest [Open]

[Cana]

Falona picked up the book. "It is a long dead language. It means, 'Shield of Light'. Ironic, isn't it?" She laughed as she handed the book to him.

[Lion]

His fire kissed the book but did not sear the pages. He caressed the strange runes along the title.  "Shield of light," he repeated.  Tuurning the pages, he inspected the letters inscribed and didn't know whether the text read right left, up or down.  "So how does it go?  I just repeat the words?"  He did repeat the phrase and the fire went out of his hands, but nothing happened.  "Hmmm, perhaps the spell doesn't like me."

[Cana]

Falona rolled her eyes. "You don't chant it like some pagan ritual, you simpleton. You have to feel the words deep inside of you. As your heart beats, and your lungs breathe, the spell must become apart of your body. Let it echo in the rhythms of your footsteps. Let it ripple in the essence of your thoughts. It IS you..." She held the book before him again.

[Lion]

Corvus gave an exhausted sigh and he laughed, taking it lightly.  "Very well!  There's no need for you to get your corset in a tangle, darling," he smirked at her.  But it quickly and he slowly repeated the words on the very edge of his breath.  The whisper was audible at first, until it slowly began to fade into nothing more than the draft of wind that poured through the mountain fortress.

"Aesonem Fulitasem," he said, feeling the power grow inside of him, the word becoming one and he felt his hands becoming light as air.  He lifted his palms and from their poured a reddish light, almost manipulated from his own flames, as they billowed outward and began to spread in a tangible, pulsating light that slightly singed the tips of his fingertips.

[Cana]

Falona watched enthusiastically, smiling. "Yes, that's it! Now, bid it to spread around you. Make it become like your skin, protecting everything inside from the outside."

[Lion]

Though the strange light tingled at his hands and singed his fingertips, Corvus focused further and forced the shield to envelope around him, until it sealed around his back.  It felt suffocating and soothing at the same time and he opened his eyes.  Breathing lightly, he stared at Falona.  "How was that?"

[Cana]

Falona walked in a slow circle around him. "Hmmm..." She suddenly tossed a fireball at him. It dissipated against his chest, no marks visible. "It's superb," She smirked playfully.

[Lion]

It took some getting used to, but the sensation of the flame billowing out and fading away against his chest almost tickled and Corvus peered down to examine the energy that encased him.  "Superb certainly is a choice word!" he said, marveling at the ability.  "Now what else is there to master?  I'm more than certain I can handle it."

[Cana]

Falona picked up the book once more. "Ah, yes..... Hmmm......Now, here's something more difficult. Air Stride. Xaltus Aerotumaniris. It allows you to, for a time, walk in mid air. It is similar to flying, but it can only take you so high. If you attempt to pass the height of a mature tree, the spell falters, and there is a large risk that you may fall to your death." She held the book up, allowing him to see the page.

[Lion]

There was so much to learn and so much time to learn it in, Corvus began to realize when the next spell was presented before him.  A self-levitation spell, he concluded as he stepped forth, took the book and examined the words carefully, letting them roll off his tongue.  He gave it back to her and peered at her once more.  "Should I deactivate the previous spell before conducting this one or can I cast them both simultaneously?  I suppose to a seasoned sorceress such as yourself, you can cast both without much trouble on your part."

[Cana]

She smiled at him. "I'm so glad that you think so highly of me. But yes, you should practice each spell, one at a time. When you get more skilled, then I will teach you how to cast multiple spells at once. For now, one will do." She stood across from him. "This spell requires complete and utter concentration when first learning it. Feel your body. Feel your arms, your legs. Now, imagine that air is absorbing you. It is filling up your abdomen, your limbs, your entire body. You are no longer on the ground. You are floating. You are weightless. You are air."

[Lion]

Corvus felt the energy of the previous spell leave him as he moved his concentration on toward the next set of words he'd gone about memorizing.  He did exactly as she instructed him and relaxed his mind, allowing the only thing within it would be the words of the spell.  He breathed in harshly through his nostrils once he'd centered himself and suddenly he felt as if the very gust of air he'd injested made him as light as it was and suddenly his feet left the ground.  He gasped in exhilaration, and upon losing his concentration, promptly fell back down to the ground.  He groaned in some pain and coughed, feeling as if he was kicked in the gut by a stone golem.

"You weren't kidding about the concentration part."

[Cana]

Falona laughed and walked over to him. "I know I'm ravishingly gorgeous, darling, but if you get distracted like that outside, you might just fall to your death." She smiled devilishly, touching her palm to his chest and subsiding his pain. "There. Feeling better?"

[Lion]

"Honestly, no," Corvus said, rubbing his chest for himself, and managing to climb to his feet.  "This is more difficult than I anticipated.  I've dabbled in minor sorcery before, but nothing like this.  And yet I can only imagine the spells get more and more difficult as we progress, don't they?"

[Cana]

Falona gave him a little smile. "I'm afraid so. But, we don't have to continue. Not if you're afraid of a little hard work and pain...." She looked at him, a gleam of challenge in her eyes.