Von considered what each of these specializations offered. After several minutes of wondering if he could really travel to the fell realm, he shook his head. There was no good reason for him to do so. Besides being outnumbered a world to one, there was nothing there for him. Finally, he decided to decline altogether. Not right now. I will reconsider it in the future.
Von found himself still thinking of all the metals in his surroundings and the tools which he now understood what they were but had yet to put them to use as he concentrated on returning to the nexus. In a split second, he was standing where he had been an hour ago as if nothing had changed. Something had changed, however.
The crowd around the nexus noticed the moment the young boy appeared in his spot, they all felt his presence as though something about him made them feel as if they should sit straighter and pay more attention to what he was doing. Even the other masters and the archmages turned to look in his direction.
Alden walked to the boy before smiling and touching his shoulder. 'Dial it back a little, Von. The pressure you are putting on everyone's mind in palpable. Everyone can feel you are here; you need to hide your energies a little.'
Von gasped. He closed his eyes and noticed he could feel a spiderweb-like pattern inside his head. Everyone nearby was at one of the branches of the threads and where one or more myalomancy students were linked with others, the web floated between each sub-member of the web creating cross-branching threads very much like the spiderweb. He wondered if Mistress Trapper felt this way when she opened herself up to look around.
As if the thought of her called out her name, she arrived accompanied by two white-robed healers, one beside her and another walking closely behind her. She walked slowly as she made her way toward Von. Step, step, step, each step short and slow obviously taking some effort. Many of those nearby offered their assistance, but she walked proudly toward her goal.
A few steps away from the boy, she stopped then bowed before his to a perfect ninety degrees. "Thank you, Master Von. Thank you for giving me back my life and removing the scars from my mind. I could feel you in there and your concern that you were invading my mind. This is good. My first gift to you will be this."
As a gesture of gratitude, Mistress Eve Trapper extended her hand to touch the side of Von's head, imparting over two hundred years of myalomantic memories. Every lesson she had received or given in that time span, including the skill of controlling the amount of force and hiding mental presence, became part of Von's newfound knowledge.
Von swiftly applied this knowledge, alleviating the mental weight on those around him and consolidating his mental affinity within his own mind. This caused himself to feel normal again with all his newfound mental affinity barricaded within only his own mind, not being spread all over his surroundings.
As everyone breathed easier since Von had a handle on his essence again, she spoke again. "This too belongs to you." She motioned for three elders in lavender robes to move forward. "You now have the knowledge, the affinity and the power to show you deserve this." She turned to pick up a lavender bundle of cloth the three elders bore with them. She unfurled the robe and placed it on top of his arithmetic robe of mastery.
Loudly, Master Trapper stated, "Von, you have healed in less than a minute such mental damage it would have taken years by anyone else. You have shown yourself to be merciful and powerful and with the recently obtained knowledge, you now have control of your myalomantic essence within your aura. No one here is likely to beat you utilizing mind magics. With this in mind, I congratulate you on becoming the youngest elder in our school and in the history of the Ouranios Haven. Congratulations Von!"
Turning to the crowd watching the challenges, she shouted for all to hear. "It is my privilege to welcome all new master mind mages to the academy and all those present when they are elevated. May I please present to you, our latest myalomantic master, Von Zupan!"
Cheers of "Huzzah!" and "Congratulations!" welcomed Von to his new standing as not only a master of one form of magic, but now two. He was two-thirds of the way to becoming an archmage. This was an amazing feat for someone of one hundred years, but seven was unheard of. Nearly the crowd roared with delight and applause in appreciation of the abilities of this incredible young man.
Nearly, because one person having heard of the remarkable display of Von's myalomantic abilities and the recognition bestowed upon him by Mistress Trapper, Wilmot, the fifth challenger, felt a surge of uncertainty about his own chances in the proposed contest. The events unfolding before him revealed Von's mastery over myalomancy, especially in the realm of mental healing and control.
The prospect of engaging in a contest to create horrifying impressions in each other's minds suddenly seemed a daunting challenge for Wilmot. Von's recent demonstration of profound myalomantic skills and the depth of his knowledge in the field hinted at a level of expertise which might prove not only formidable but damaging.
Wilmot, having initially suggested the myalomancy challenge, now confronted the reality of competing against someone with Von's newfound mastery. The uncertainty and doubt crept in as he pondered the potential consequences of facing Von in a mental contest.
As the citizens of Sungrove and the wizards belonging to the Ouranios Haven witnessed Von's ascent to the rank of the youngest elder and the embodiment of myalomantic mastery, Wilmot grappled with the realization that challenging Von in this particular aspect of magic might be a more daunting task than he initially anticipated.
Wilmot ruminated while the crowd was congratulating Von. From his uncertainty about his ability to defeat Von in a myalomancy challenge, he decided to approach the situation differently. With a spark of inspiration, he proposed a modification to the challenge, addressing Von directly, "Since you are now a master of mental magics, would you be willing to face the challenge as you did the choromancy challenge and allow all those with affinity in myalomancy to challenge you at the same time?"
With his decision made, Von acknowledged Wilmot's challenge, prepared to face the collective onslaught of myalomantic forces. Von took a moment to use his mastery over time by accelerating it again. This afforded him the opportunity to assimilate the remaining knowledge from Mistress Eve into his mind and to understand how the skills would feel and work. In this accelerated state, he absorbed the intricacies of her myalomantic expertise and gained insights into the test Wilmot had initially proposed.
Discovering that the original test involved a dozen peers challenging him simultaneously, Von recognized the potential threat to his mind. However, armed with the additional knowledge and understanding acquired from Mistress Eve, he felt confident in his ability to defend against the mental onslaught. The unseen demon lord helm he recently attuned to and absorbed into his aura and mind would be useful as a formidable barrier, ready to withstand the collaborative efforts of any number of myalomancers.
The swift acceptance of Wilmot's modified challenge by Von sent a subtle ripple of concern through the observers. His rapid acquiescence hinted at Von's confidence in his newfound abilities and left those witnessing the exchange wondering about the true extent of his mastery over mind magics. The seamless manner in which Von embraced the challenge suggested a level of assurance piquing the curiosity of onlookers and fueled a tinge of unease among those who were about to participate in the unique myalomancy contest.
Wilmot's proposal to the line carried an air of both determination and trepidation. Despite the warning bells ringing in his mind, he announced, "Von has agreed to let all of us skilled in myalomancy challenge him at once to the mental terrors test. Any who wish to join me, please step forward, and we shall defeat him together." Wilmot's proposal to the line carried an air of both determination and trepidation.
In response, there was a palpable pause as the challengers in the line deliberated the risks and potential rewards of joining this formidable collective challenge against Von. Eventually, twenty-two challengers, nearly a quarter of the remaining line, mustered the courage to step forward, drawn by the prospect of facing Von as a united force. However, the realization of the immense challenge ahead prompted several others to promptly leave the line, recognizing the formidable nature of the task they were about to undertake. Those who left decided it was in their best interest to watch from the sideline than continue to challenge an undefeatable foe.
The division among the challengers highlighted the mix of determination and caution in the face of Von's mastery of mind magics. The stage was set for a unique and intense magical showdown as Von prepared to confront the collaborative efforts of the myalomancers in the mental terrors challenge.