Sareesa, Age Seventeen
It was the next day. . . her first full day knowing that she was magic given flesh and blood. As she ate surrounded by the other recruits, she wondered if she perceived things differently than they did. Did these eggs only taste like eggs because it was what she expected, or did other experience them exactly the same as she did? Sareesa sighed, putting more food in her mouth. She missed Sentinel already, he always seemed to know what to say.
She was walking into the bathroom to check her outfit one last time, make sure it was spotless for today's inspection when a scuffle broke out behind her between two boys. She sighed and turned around, prepared to break up the quarrel, but took a step back when she saw. They were two that she knew from her magical training... a chance to see magic used against other magic users, a chance to see spells and counter-spells in more than just illustrations and demonstrations against dummies. Nobody else was around and she knew she should step in to break it up, but she couldn't, she wanted so much to see just how everything worked. Somewhere in a dark corner of her mind, she filed this moment away as part of the proof that she was more magical being than human.
(It is important to note, during the time frame of this story the only type of magic used is holy magic, elemental magic was discovered by Sareesa and taught to many during her time, as she saw it as a way to see to the well-being of all mortals of the world. More magic is more safety and a higher standard of living in her opinion.)
The boys, older than Sareesa but not yet fully inducted into the Zealots, stood about ten meters apart. One had cropped sandy blond hair, the other a scruffy red-head who was long overdue his appointment to the barber. The air was tense, and felt moist with raw energy to Sareesa. Then, in a moment both started casting. She examined their movements, mentally taking notes on form and strategy. The red haired boy was clearly the more aggressive as he started with a blast of holy light, hoping to force the other to quit before it had even begun, but the blonde had anticipated this and countered the spell, absorbing it's left over essence and preparing his own attack.
After a few similar exchanges, neither boy moved. Sareesa took the moment to size up the fighters in her own mind.
The Blond haired boy is definitely the less skilled of the two, he depends on tricks and tactical advantage to help make up for his lack of skill, that's why he counter-spells so much, he is skilled in that one particular area and not much else, it affords him room to make mistakes with his own casting if his opponent doesn't have enough mana to capitalize on it. The red-haired boy was aggressive and loose, relaxed, the perfect frame of mind and body to cast truly devastating spells, but he would second-guess himself occasionally allowing his opponent to more easily counter him. If I had to pick a winner I would go with the red-head, tactics only can last you so long until you are backed up against a wall. Sareesa watched with eat anticipation in her eyes, but at last, someone came and broke the fight up. The teacher scowled at her as she walked both of the boys to disciplinary, but she didn't much care, she had got to witness a rue fight, see magic weave itself across the physical world in a perfect spell and counter-spell. That was all that mattered to her now.
She got to the bathroom and finished inspecting herself. She sighed and went to report for inspection. At least her hair looked perfect in the tight bun behind her head now since she had it cut she idly thought to her self before walking off for another day of learning.
((I'm working on getting a quick next turn out right now, expect it in 10-15 minutes.))
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Topic: Zealots and Demons, The Fall of a God, Turn 122: A Standoff (Read 136611 times)