After a restless night filled with nightmares, Von finally woke for the day. His plans included seeking guidance in using the various energies strengthened by the foci he had absorbed last night plus those he had previously. Sitting up, he took note of Monica asleep a the chair near his bed, but instead of waking her, he crept softly across room to the washbasin and pitcher of water.
Crossing the room, he realized the sun had not yet risen above Sungrove but internally, he was now intimately aware of exactly what time it was in relation to sunrise. He had a little over an hour before false dawn, then another 22 minutes before true dawn would occur. He scrubbed his face and hair then dumped the water into the hole below for such things. It occured to him at this time there had to be a better way. He knew he could use various magics, but not well.
Von tried to recall the feeling when taking the tests to determine his affinities and how he could control the water within the air and summon it. A burning desire to learnr this skill ignited within him. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and focused on attuning his senses to the subtle currents of moisture in the air. Using his hands his traced their intricate movements in the air whispering softly his desire to the air to borrow its moisture. The dump shafter seemed to be the first to respond to his call, the air growing heavier with latent energy. Von could feel the subtle shifts in the atmosphere, like whispers of the water's essence responding to his command.
The younger extended his hands over the basin, palms facing downward. With intense concentration, he envisioned drawing forth the water molecules from the air, coaxing them to materialize in the vessel below. Beads of perspiration formed on his forehead as he struggled to connect with the unseen forces around him. After several attempts, Von felt a subtle vibration in the air, a sign he was making progress. Encouraged, he intensified his focus, willing the moisture to gather and condense.
Slowly, droplets began to form, hovering in mid-air before gracefully descending into the basin. Von marveled at the newfound power he was uncovering, a connection with the natural world that went beyond the physical realm. As the basin filled with water, Von's eyes sparkled with triumph. He successfully harnessed the ethereal moisture from the air, causing him to nearly leap in joy at his newfound ability.
He continued to draw the water from the air until the basin was full, then started to wash himself anew, only to discover the water had a strange odor to it as though it was from an unclean source. With a resolute spirit, he emptied the basin and refocused his efforts. Closing his eyes, he delved deeper into the connection with the unseen forces around him, his mind aimed at drawing only the purest essence of water, Von extended his will with an unwavering desire for cleanliness. His hands moved with greater precision, weaving intricate patterns seeking only the threads of purest water in the air. Finding these threads of energy, he focused his will to call only these bits of moisture.
The moisture felt like it was responding to his call. Unlike the first time, this time, as the droplets began to form and descend into the basin, Von could sense a subtle difference. The water seemed to glisten with a purer brilliance, free from the strange odor tainting his previous attempt. Encouraged by this success, he continued the process, allowing the basin to fill once more.
Once satisfied with the water's clarity, Von cautiously dipped his hands into the basin and began to wash himself anew. The chilly liquid caressed his skin, and a sense of purity enveloped him. This time, the water held no unpleasant scent, confirming his focused intent was capable of influencing the quality of the gathered moisture.
Von reveled in the success of his efforts, practically whistling in his delight until he remembered the sleeping Monica several feet away. Von was delighted! Without an instructor, he learned two techniques. He discovered how to draw water from the air, but he also learned to refine it to meet his standards of purity. As he bathed using the clean water, he began to feel a profound connection to the natural world. He was on his way to understanding how the elements were responsive to the intentions of those who sought to commune with them.
Intrigued by this, Von pondered the possibility of enhancing his hydromantic abilities by combining them with the fiery art of pyromancy to allow him to control the temperature of the water he summoned. With a newfound sense of purpose, he decided to explore the fusion of these elemental forces.
Emptying the basin, he once again positioned himself in front of it. Von took a deep breath and began to channel both his hydromantic and pyromantic energies simultaneously. His hands moved with a fluid grace, each seeking the essence of the individual elements before combining them together.
It took nearly twenty minutes before he was finally able to seamlessly transition between the two energies resonating with both water and fire. The air crackled with a harmonious blend of elemental magic as he spoke softly again to focus his willpower as he sought to balance the opposing forces. As Von conjured water from the air, he envisioned intertwining it with controlled bursts of flames. The challenge lay in maintaining a delicate equilibrium, ensuring the temperature of the water would be precisely controlled. Several times, the water vapor was too hot causing it to evaporate before it could make it into the basin. It took a lot of concentration as the air around him slowly responded to his dual manipulation of energy. Finally with a shimmering effect formed in the room as the dance of water droplets and flickering flames commenced properly and to his liking.
With a surge of power, Von completed the process, and the basin now held a unique blend of pure water and controlled fire. As he dipped his fingers into the enchanted liquid, he marveled at the sensation of water warmed by his own manipulation of the two elements. He smiled in joy knowing the combination of hydromancy and pyromancy allowed him to achieve a perfect balance, creating a soothing and invigorating experience.
The voice of his system made him feel even better. Despite having lost over a half hour of time, he learned three skills and increased his willpower stat. With enough effort, he may feel like a real wizard, or at least an apprentice. He could already see the path of wizard-knight forming in his future.
Excited by this newfound capability, Von dumped the basic and continued to experiment, adjusting the intensity of the flames and the amount of water to find the optimal equilibrium. With each successful attempt, Von deepened his understanding of the interconnected nature of elemental magic. The fusion of hydromancy and pyromancy not only allowed him to control the temperature of the water but also opened up possibilities for further exploration of the delicate interplay between opposing forces.
Once he accomplished this, he decided to try the opposite. The water in the basin was already warm, but what if he desired cold water? He had no idea if pyromancy was the correct thing to try to subtract the heat from the water. Could he draw the heat away into something else?
Lured by the prospect of extending his elemental manipulation skills, Von turned his attention to the unlit candle on the bedside stand. With the basin of manipulated water before him, he contemplated the delicate dance between fire and water. Determined to unmerge the two elements, Von focused on transferring the essence of controlled fire from the water into the unlit wick of the candle.
Von's concentration intensified as he extended his will toward the basin. He envisioned the ethereal energy within the water, vibrant and responsive to his command. In a seamless flow of magic, he sought to extract the fiery energy from the manipulated water, making it an entity of its own. He again found it easier to use his hands to trace the pathing of the energies he sought to control. The air around the basin shimmered with the interplay of fire and water as Von guided the essence of the manipulated flames toward the unlit candle. The wick of the candle responded to the magical infusion, subtly stirring with latent potential.
With a surge of energy, Von directed the conjured flames into the unlit wick. The candle flickered for a moment before bursting into life, its flame now a manifestation of the controlled fire drawn from the basin. Von marveled at the success of his experiment, a testament to the harmonious relationship he was forging with the elemental forces.
Another point in willpower and a new form of magic? While not easy, it was definitely becoming worth his time and energy. With these thoughts in mind, he redoubled his effort to pull the warm energies from the ice and began to notice a slight glow forming at the top of the wick which slowly brightened until it became a small flame.
The conjured flame danced atop the candle, casting a warm glow across the room. He continued to pull the essence of fire from the water until it became so slight it was difficult with his current level of mastery to draw upon it. The water in the basin quickly froze causing the basin to warp as the ice expanded. Throwing more effort into the exchange, the flame surged on the candle causing the wax to completely melt and the candle to go out. As this happened, a loud series of snaps and pops were coming from the metal of the basin as though large twigs were being broken in quick succession. A final loud crack ended the series of sounds as the basin split into three parts causing the ice within to slide across the stand and onto the floor.
Monica woke with a start, a red flare of her aura surrounding her. She quickly glanced around the room and seeing on Von, she visibly relaxed. "I see its daylight already. Are you getting ready to train with the wizards today?"
Von had been concentrating so much on the various aspects of the water, he failed to notice his own mind had been keeping track of the passing time. The accomplishment he felt made the passage of time insignificant. His growing mastery over hydromancy and pyromancy granted him the ability to not only control water but also manipulate its essence with the essence of fire. He was beginning to learn just how interconnected the magics of the various elements were and felt like was already beginning to walk along the potentially treacherous but rewarding path which would allow him to manipulate the various forces making them respond to his desires.