When I was first learning magic control, it was with making swords. Now, I could make clones of myself out of shadows. I made leaps and bounds in shadow manipulation after I figured out I could damage things by damaging their shadows.
Calypso trained me in the forest, where I practiced on trees. After I cut a tree's shadow in half, that also happened to the physical tree. And when I restored that shadow, the tree was back to normal. I could also do this for humans too. Until yesterday, Angeliki had one less finger than the normal person. That must've been how I've been doing healing magic before. I could also fight other people's shadows as a shadow, but theirs would be screwed since it couldn't move after I pinned it in place with an object, or control it.
What excited me the most was my newfound ability to create ice. After experimenting, I found that I could use shadows to drain the energy out of a space, freezing it, and then using that to make objects, and this was a lot easier if I stopped time around the area as well, although I lost anima a lot faster. While not as good as my shadow manipulation, I made inroads on controlling time as well, which I was glad to see, as I've been stagnant there. I could even restore things to a previous state, although only a little far back. But it worked for healing wounds, which was more than enough, and maybe soon I'll be able to create ice without my time powers.
Ahh, life was so good now. I'm invincible - nothing can touch me. I'm a god already. Thanks for making me your son, Hades! Typhon wasn't so scary anymore.
"You've been happily skipping around for an entire day," Calypso laughed. She was tending the pretty garden behind her house, packed with a whole assortment of plants. "What's made you so giddy?"
"I don't have to be scared of dying in fights anymore," I grinned. "Everyone's shadow is powerless before me. And I can do real things now with time control too."
"I see. But remember what I said before. Most things that can use anima do so in a limited way. And while you're not a mortal, you're not a god either."
"Yeah, but the only limits are imagination, capacity to take in and release anima, and stamina, and anyone who isn't a deity can only absorb and use a finite amount of anima. Otherwise, ka-boom."
"Ka-boom?"
"It's another way of saying exploded. A slang term, though."
"I've learned plenty of those from your sister this week."
"If you're talking about the ones Helen used when she yelled at me, please don't use them. They don't reflect well on a person."
"I'm assuming it was vulgar speech, given that you sent an army of tiny spiders after her."
"I was just training," I giggled, remembering my sister's hilarious wails. "She acted like they were real. It's hard enough to make them so precise - and I can't give them life. And I only left them in the forest."
Calypso whipped out a paintbrush and drew a watering can filled with water. An iPhone came out of the paper and into her hand after a chant. Calypso's powers were the coolest I've seen yet.
"Your magic is incredible," I said. "Can you really make anything come out of a drawing?"
"Well, I'm not as powerful as a god. I'd be limited even if I was. As long as I stay here, I'll never improve," Calypso sighed. "If only I could..."
"Why not? Is it because you'll never learn more about art?"
"That, and that I lack inspiration. I've used every idea I could come up with. Until today, I've never completed my painting of a woman using what you called a glider, flying in the sky. I couldn't fully conceptualize it. It's been so long...since I've been free. I felt shackled inside my head."
"Didn't know imagination had a limit. Did nothing I tell you about the outside world help you get loose?"
"Oh, I've been keeping many notes. You don't have to worry about me - I have plenty of things to think about now."
"Glad I could help. Calypso..."
"Yes?"
"You said magic is limitless, yet you can only make stuff out of art. And if Hecate did have the power to do whatever miracles she wanted, why isn't she queen of the gods?"
"Even with the limited powers you inherited from Hades, you can potentially do anything with them. Same with mine. It's just that we can't manipulate anima well enough to don't, or utilize the necessary quantities."
"So we have to be like the gods - limitless shells of anima?"
"Yes, or even more than that. Even some of the gods haven't fully mastered their abilities. And about our powers...they vary from person to person. The same thing goes with race. Nymphs take all sorts of forms, and that is reflected in their powers. Our magical abilities can be inherited but manifest differently depending on the person. Helen may be able to do things you can't."
"And that's based on?"
"Ourselves. When we manipulate anima, our consciousness connects with the essence of the world. It all comes down to what you think of and what you can handle. It's why I told you to draw and imagine what you think you can do, and what you want to do."
"So it depends on our personalities?"
Calypso nodded. "In Hecate's case, that seems to be the power to do anything. And if you use multiple powers, they'll be much weaker than if you just used one of them. You can only channel so much anima in different ways. Even if Hecate can use all forms of magic, it wouldn't necessarily make her stronger. But it does give her a lot of options. But given what you said, it's unlikely Hecate has mastered those many forms of magic, and it may not even be how her powers work."
"So it's more than just magic?"
"Yes. But enough of that. Help me plant."
After spending an hour burying seeds, I fished with Helen. Calypso refuses to kill animals - so she leaves the forest game alone. But she doesn't mind letting us use her kitchen to cook, so we eat whatever we want. Her backyard garden is where she grows the food she eats, while her servants prepare food with meat for guests.
Helen pulled out her seventh trout in a row. "You seem really happy today, Yi."
"I learned how cool my powers were. Controlling shadows is fun."
"It is," Helen smiled. Just recently, my little sister learned a variety of attacks - from shadow laser beams to explosions to tendrils - she could keep enemies occupied even without her bow. She could also turn shadows into moving black holes - devouring anything above them.
"You've become strong, Helen."
"Stronger than you?"
"Maybe. Your black hole power is awesome. I'm jealous."
"Well, you can use shadows to heal yourself. You even gave me my old leg back!" Helen merrily exclaimed. "I can fight on my own two feet again!"
"Anything for my little sister. I did waste the entire morning making it, though." I did again notice her shadow seemed a bit smaller than before, but ignored it. It could be just the angle she's sitting at.
"You focused too much on the detail. All I needed was a leg."
"You wanted 12 toes?"
"No!"
"Then be quiet. And where'd my thank you go?"
Helen hugged me. "Thanks, Yiannis. I love you."
"Love you too, little sis."
After lunch, I helped Helen and Elena pack up our belongings. Calypso gave us a generous portion of food as we got the raft ready and packed up.
"This is goodbye then," Calypso weakly smiled. "It seems as if you've only been here a day." She wiped a tear out of her eye. "Thank you three for coming here."
Helen, Elena, and I hugged her.
"We'll see each other again," I promised.
Calypso nodded. "I'll come see you guys the second that happens," giving a bear hug. "Good luck with overthrowing the gods," she whispered. "I wish I could join, but I'll just have to settle for rooting for you three."
"It's only temporary. Once we're done, you can stay with us forever. I'll show you all the stores you want to see."
"Good luck to you, too, Elena. Take care."
"You as well. Once you're free, we'll go shopping together."
Once we sat on the raft, Calypso used her magic to create a gust of wind, propelling us forward. Before we trekked down the waterfall, she waved at us. "Don't forget about me!" She reached out her hand, lingering over the hug, and I wished I could grab it and drag her down with us rather than see her cry as we left her.
"We won't!" The three of us cried in unison. "We'll get you out of here one day!"