A Slave to Magic (20 page)

“Exactly,” she said. “This is something that comes
with practice. In time, you will be able to cast spells while moving without
losing your focus. It’s a matter of discipline. For now, the potion will help.”

“How long will it
take to train my mind?” he wondered.

Sighing, Seela
replied, “You are an impatient young man.” She shook her head. “In time you
will cast two or even three spells at once. You will not need to look at your
opponent to strike him, and you will be able to hold a spell despite
interruptions.” She squeezed his hand. “You must learn patience, though. This
is not an easy task, and you need practice. Your thirst for knowledge is
insatiable. I have no doubt you will master this quicker than most.”

Seela’s words of
encouragement pleased him. If she had faith in him, then he would too. All he
needed was time.

A
s the months passed, winter’s chill gave way
to a fine spring, followed by the heat of summer. Kwil had spent every waking
moment studying and unlocking the secrets of the forest with Seela as his
guide. From her library, he had read hundreds of books cover to cover,
memorizing every spell he could find. New techniques presented themselves, and
he made every effort to incorporate them into his training. He was forming his
own brand of magic, one that combined techniques of humans, elves, and Gatans.
Though he had focused his efforts to mastering fire, he could perform spells
from all the schools, thanks to Seela’s guidance.

Seela was beyond pleased with her apprentice’s
accomplishments. He was a quick learner, and his eagerness had not diminished
since day one. She doubted any other student outside of elven lands could learn
so quickly. Not only was he talented, he was dedicated. He never took a break,
always insisting on finishing one more book before going to bed at night.

Today, Seela planned to test Kwil on his most
challenging spell yet. He had learned it in steps, and now it was time to put
together what he had learned to see how quickly he could master it. The
sorceress had high hopes for him. The test would be challenging, but she
anticipated he would succeed.

Kwil trotted down the stairs at sunup, ready to
show his mistress what he could do. He had an inkling what the test would be,
and he felt mostly prepared. His only wish would be to master it on the first
try, but that was unlikely. Reminding himself that it was the mastery of the
spell that mattered, not how long it took, he presented himself before his
mistress.

“Ah, there you are,” Seela said. “Let’s begin.”
Circling around him, she observed his posture and breathing. He appeared bright
and healthy, perfectly suited to the task she was about to give him. “These past
few months, you have mastered simple changes to your form.” Under her tutelage,
he had learned to change his eye and hair color, as well as his height and
build. Now, she was about to present him with his ultimate challenge. “Today I
want to see you present yourself as a Gatan.”

Kwil could hardly breathe. He could hide himself
against any background, and he could alter the details of his looks, but he had
never changed himself into an entirely different form. How was this even
possible? Could Seela present herself as a human? Kwil had never seen her do
that. She could easily change her size, and likely her coloration, but could
she hide her identity as a Feles? Or was she asking him to do the impossible?

Nera descended the stairs in time to hear Seela’s
request. Carefully stepping across the room, her feet made no sound against the
floor. This was not the time to break her friend’s concentration, but she had
to see him perform this spell. Silently she took a seat, her hands pressed
close to her heart.

Taking in a deep breath, Kwil wondered if he
should question his mistress. Did she truly expect him to do this, or was he
supposed to admit that it couldn’t be done? Beads of sweat developed on his
forehead as he weighed his options.
I can do this,
he decided.
Everything
she has taught me has brought me to this point. I will not fail.

Seela’s eyes gleamed as she watched the change in
Kwil’s expression. She knew he had found his confidence. Now all he had to do
was visualize the magic and let it flow.

Focusing his mind to the spell, Kwil pictured
himself in Gatan form. Patches of gray fur erupted from his skin, his
concentration faltering. The sensation was not pleasant. It was slightly itchy
and had an unnatural heaviness.

“Keep trying,” Seela encouraged him.

Trying again, he managed somewhat better results.
Most of his skin was covered in gray fur, but several bald patches gave him a
disheveled appearance. His eyes narrowed, his pupils changed to slits, and his ears
migrated to the top of his head, standing at attention. The slightest sound
caused them to rotate, searching for the source of the noise. Intrigued, Kwil
pushed harder, closing his eyes to block out the world. A tail sprouted from
his backside, extending to half his body length.

Opening his eyes, he ran his hand over his arm,
stroking the soft fur. His sense of smell was heightened, his whiskers
twitching slightly. “This is amazing,” he said. Not only had his appearance
changed, but his abilities had as well. He had the hearing, sight, and sense of
smell that came along with being Gatan, his human senses paling in comparison.

Nera cupped her hands over her mouth, stifling a
laugh. Kwil’s tail was twitching back and forth at a rapid pace. It stopped
briefly, wrapping itself around his leg.

Feeling the compression, Kwil looked down at his
leg. He tried to move the tail, but it would not obey. Using his hands, he
tried to pry it away, but he could not. “What do I do?” he asked.

Seela couldn’t contain her laughter. “It’s your
tail,” she said. “You must make it obey you.”

Visualizing the tail in a resting position, Kwil
hoped to force it to behave. Instead, it stuck straight out like the branch of
a tree. Frustrated, he decided to leave the tail as it was and focus on the
bald patches instead. One by one, he corrected the flaws in his pelt and
admired his reflection in Seela’s mirror.

As his focus shifted elsewhere, the tail went limp
behind him. When he tried to raise or lower it, it simply laid flat, ignoring
him. “How does this work?” he asked, his eyes pleading with Nera.

“It’s like moving your arm or leg,” she replied.
Never having used magic on her own tail, she did not know what other advice to
give. “Treat it like any other body part.”

Remembering the delicate finger movements of Gatan
magic, Kwil realized his tail might work in the same way. Though he wasn’t
allowed to use his fingers to cast spells, he might be able to focus his magic
to the tail as he once had his fingers. Channeling his magic through the tail,
it quickly snapped to attention. He swished it left, then right, then formed a
tight circle. Taking a few steps, he lifted the end slightly off the ground to
avoid dragging it. “I think I’m getting the hang of it,” he announced, a
crooked smile on his lips.

Moving next to Nera, he wrapped his tail around
hers, as if they were shaking hands. Nera laughed, followed soon after by Kwil.

“You make an interesting Gatan,” she said.

“He does indeed,” Seela stated. “You must keep
working on this spell and perfect it. This is the spell that will allow you to
walk among Gatans unhindered. You will be seen as one of them, not a mere
slave. This is how you will do your finest work.”

Kwil understood. This was the spell that would
allow him to free the slaves of Gi’gata, and it was probably the most useful
one he could learn. No longer would he have to live in fear. He would not be
falsely accused, nor would he be punished without a trial. He could even
practice magic freely, without anyone calling for his execution. Seela had
taught him a most powerful spell, and he must put it to good use.

“I will keep practicing until I drop, Mistress,”
he promised her.

“I don’t doubt that you will,” she replied. “I
expect you’ll have it perfected in a day or two.” Her gold eyes conveyed a hint
of sadness. Kwil had learned so quickly, and their time together might soon be
coming to an end. He was a fine student, but he would not remain a student
forever.

“Mistress?” Kwil asked as he continued to
practice. “Are you able to change your form to a human?”

“No, I can’t,” she replied. “I am a Feles, and I
cannot change into any humanoid form. It is forbidden me, but if I chose to, I
could change into any beast creature that exists.”

He thought about it for a moment and said, “That
still doesn’t seem fair.” Why should she have any restrictions on her magic?

“I have been given many gifts of magic already,”
she replied. “I have the lifespan of the Ancients as well as their talents for
magic. Believe me, I am not hindered by the lack of humanoid features. Now
come. There is someone I’d like you to meet.”

Seela led Kwil and Nera through the forest, the
summer’s warmth bringing various shades of green to the Dark Forest. With the
trees fully leaved, there was even less light reaching the forest floor, but
the feeling was less ominous than in winter.

Only a few miles away, they spotted a dark figure
moving in the distance. Seela approached the figure without reservation. Kwil
and Nera stuck close by her, anxious to meet whatever it was. As it came into
view, they could see the outline of a horse. It was covered in sleek black
hair, its mane and tail flowing gently on the breeze. When its gaze fell upon
them, both were taken in by its gleaming orange eyes.

Unnerved, Nera wished to go no farther. “What manner
of creature is that?” she asked.

“He is a puca,” Seela replied. “And he’s no
stranger than I.” She could sense Nera’s uneasiness, but there was no need for
it. “Come and meet him,” she said. “He won’t harm you, especially with me
around.”

Reluctantly Nera followed, trusting in Seela and
Kwil’s magic. The puca stared straight at her, his eyes seeming to penetrate
her soul. Her better judgment told her to avoid such a creature, but her
curiosity grew with each step.

“This is Dirnda,” Seela said, her paw raised
toward the creature. The pair touched noses, the puca lowering himself to meet
the Feles. “He is my friend.” She gestured for Kwil and Nera to come forward.

The puca focused his sights on Nera, stepping
forward to greet her. Summoning her courage, she placed a hand gently on his
nose. Sensing the nervousness in his guest, the puca reduced his size, changing
to the form of a brown-furred rabbit. Nera’s apprehensions melted away, a smile
spreading across her face.

Kwil knelt next to the rabbit, examining him for
any sign of his previous form. “Incredible,” he said. “Does he use the same
method as we do?”

“The puca uses a similar technique,” Seela
replied, “but his power is limitless. He is a creature of the earth, and as
long as he is in contact with earth, his magic remains strong.”

“Fascinating,” Kwil replied, still staring at the
rabbit. As he watched, the rabbit changed form again, this time becoming
humanoid. His green-gray skin and long nose reminded Kwil of the goblins he had
seen in his reading. Taken aback, he returned to his feet and stepped away.

“Don’t worry,” Seela said. “Dirnda is a friend. He
will not harm you. He is not the evil goblins you’ve heard of. This is merely
one of his many forms.”

A deep throaty laugh, escaped the goblin’s lips,
his manner full of mischief. Taking two strides toward Kwil, he extended his
hand in friendship. Kwil took the puca’s hand, only to be pulled off his feet,
landing heavily in the dirt. Dirnda cackled wildly with laughter, his hands
leaning against his knees as he doubled over with glee.

“Why did you do that? Nera demanded, helping the
mage from the ground.

Dirnda made no reply. Instead, he changed to the
form of a goat and charged toward the girl. His head connected with her
midsection, sending her backward, stumbling. She landed on her backside, a lump
of anger rising in her throat.

Seela raised a paw to stop Nera from attacking.
“All right, Dirnda, that’s enough,” she said. “We have no time for play.”

“Then why bring them here?” Dirnda asked,
returning to his goblin form. His mischievous voice was full of disappointment.
Clearly he wanted to amuse himself at the expense of his visitors.

“I wanted them to meet you so the three of you might
become friends,” Seela explained.

“I see,” Dirnda replied with a laugh. For a second
time he approached Kwil, his hand extended. “Friends,” he said.

Kwil glanced at Seela, who gave a slight nod.
Reaching out, he took the puca’s hand. Dirnda gave the mage’s hand two good
shakes before releasing it. He tipped his cloth hat in Nera’s direction. Nera
crossed her arms and pursed her lips.

Deciding that the puca was a friend, Kwil asked,
“Can you teach me how to shift into different creatures as you do?”

Dirnda chuckled and shook his head. “I’m no
teacher,” he said. “But if you can learn by watching, you’re welcome to try.”
His body contorted as he shifted back into the form of a black horse. Rearing
up onto his hind legs, he gave a loud whinny, his front hooves hammering the
ground.

Impressed, Kwil asked Seela, “Can I become
something that large?”

“There are no limits,” she replied, “but you will
need more practice than you have the patience for.”

Kwil watched as Dirnda galloped in a circle, his
stride matching that of the creature whose form he had taken. “Does he have the
strength and stamina of a true horse when he’s in that form, or is it just an
illusion?” Seela was definitely stronger in her panther form, but the puca was
so strange to him, he couldn’t be sure.

“Climb aboard and find out,” Dirnda called to the
young man.

Nera stepped forward to stop him, but a glance from
Seela halted her. Kwil eagerly approached the puca, who knelt and allowed him
to climb onto his back. Nera stood at Seela’s side, her breathing shallow and
heart rate rising.

“No need to worry,” Seela reassured her.

Dirnda sprung forward, the mage grasping
desperately at the horse’s mane. The two bolted out of sight, the echo of
Dirnda’s hooves bouncing from tree to tree.

“He’s going to fall off,” Nera commented,
clenching her jaw. This was a bad idea.

“Nonsense,” Seela replied. “He’s smart enough to
use magic to prevent himself from falling.”

In the distance, Kwil was indeed using magic to
hold himself on the horse. Dirnda raced through the forest, zigzagging through
the trees and bounding over fallen branches. His muscles rippled beneath his
sleek black coat, proving he had truly acquired the power of the animal he
appeared to be. Amazed by the magic that had created it, Kwil was overjoyed.
This was the magic he craved, and here was a creature born to it.