"Ok so with your magical affinity it is all the more important that you…" Elandra was talking, but Ryuji wasn't listening. He was too preoccupied with the confusion he was feeling. When he had looked at Elandra to tell her that her feelings were valid, he was hoping to get some sort of reaction, something to see her true feelings on the matter; but she gave him nothing. Nothing! Not even a modicum of a reaction. She simply looked at Ryuji and said 'that's nice' and then continued on with the lesson. Ryuji had sat dumbfounded for the past 20 minutes. He hadn't assumed that it would fix things, but in a world without mental health he thought it might do something at least. He was trying not to be humphy but being a six year old didn't help in the matter. Even though he was still mentally a 71 year old man, he could tell that his emotions were swayed in the same way as a six year old, it was…exhausting.
"Ryuji," Elandra said, Ryuji realized he hadn't been paying attention and perked up, "stand up and head to the ritual site."
"Right! Sorry ma'am," Ryuji said standing up. He walked over to the 'ritual site' where she had directed. It was just a magic circle on the ground that tested magical affinities. Ritual sites looked different based on the affinities. Some were just containment areas so that those with super explosive magic could show off massive amounts of power. Ryuji's was different. His was more like a meditation area, a place to be quiet and contemplate; a lot like his office back home. Meditation was key to Ryuji's magical practice because he learned at an early age that he had a rare magical affinity: Psychic.
"I am going to go ahead and assume that you did not hear anything I said so let me restart," Elandra said, "given your magical affinity it is all the more important that you learn how to control your mana properly. It may seem like those with elemental abilities are more dangerous, but their magic is just for show; yours inspires fear in people…or at least it has traditionally. I'm sure that even though he didn't say it, your little misuse of magic earlier scared my father half to death."
Ryuji looked away coyly, Elandra had the magical affinity of clairvoyance so of course she knew about that, but it was still embarrassing for her to bring it up, "I am sorry about that, I am still trying to learn exactly how this all works," he said.
"It is alright but you need to be more careful, incidents like this are part of why people give you just weird looks throughout the manor. The more we train the more likely it is that they will trust you one day," Elandra said. Ryuji could tell she was frustrated but kind enough to be forgiving, he was six after all.
Elandra was talking auspiciously, She was right though. Ryuji had read in some of the books in the Lyondel study about "the Arcane Bastion", it was a rebellion that took place almost 200 years ago in a war between the Sklgrans and Terrans. The Arcane Bastion was the name of the rebel group that looked to oppose Ingla. The leader, an unnamed figure, uses his affinity in psychic magic to take over people's minds and essentially control them or drive them mad with haunting illusions. It was a rare affinity by Sklgran standards, and even more rare by Terran standards, so they took extra precautions for Ryuji who was half Terran.
"Let's start by practicing our primary drives, please go ahead and sit down and enter your domain," she said. Ryuji sat down within the ritual site, Elandra had laid out a cushion for him to make it a little more comfortable and cozy. He closed his eyes and began to focus his breathing. This part had always been the easiest for him. He had conducted and practiced EMDR many times, so entering into the mind was a familiar practice, though he never thought he would use it to produce magic. He could feel a well of power rising up within him, a second later he opened his eyes and was within his 'domain'. It was a blank, black void for the most part, it always began that way at least. He imagined out of his own context it was pretty scary to look into your mind's eye and see a pitch black darkness, but Ryuji had grown comfortable with his own mind over the years. He started the preliminary work that he usually did. He conjured some seating arrangements, calming lighting, atmospheric music, by the time he was done the domain was no longer a black void but instead was a cozy comforting space; his old office. He looked down at himself and smiled seeing his wrinkly hands, he was back to being older. He enjoyed being an elf more than he could even describe, but the comfort of seeing his old self often grounded him in a very needed and refreshing way.
"Domain complete," he said with a smile.
"Glad to hear it," Elandra said. Ryuji opened his eyes to duality. He was somehow able to both perceive the world around him while existing within the domain, it was like being in two places at once, seeing with both pairs of eyes at the same time. According to Elandra it was a very difficult technique, but Ryuji had picked it up quickly. For others the domain was simply a state of mind, a way to use emotion and thought to enhance their already magical presence, but for Ryuji and Elandra it was different. Since their magical affinities were channeled through their mind, the domain they created had to be strong and was the source of most of their spells. Their magic was channeled metaphysically, most others channeled magic in reality.
"Alright now Ryuji I want you to try and look inside the mind of the animal you see in front of you," Elandra said. In the real world Ryuji could see there was a small magical beast, a cute, cuddly, large mouse type creature called a Wallart, was sleeping in front of him.
"I don't know if that is a good idea…" Ryuji said coyly. He had been practicing entering sentient beings' minds for a few weeks now and it had not gone super well up to this point. One had a brain hemorrhage, another went brain dead, his biggest success was one creature that was in a coma for a few days but was able to awaken. Luckily Elandra often would help the poor creatures but he still didn't know how to gracefully step in and out of the mind.
"If we do not practice then we will not be able to succeed. Some day you may need to use this skill of yours and if done correctly could do a lot of good," Elandra said.
Ryuji rolled his eyes in his mind, "I have had enough of killing small animals…I won't ever use this in a person…" he said.
Elandra sighed and was quiet for a moment, then she said something unexpected. "Your fear is valid."
Ryuji felt a stunned rush of emotions come over him. So she had heard him! He smiled at his minute but meaningful success, "ok…" he said meekly but feeling encouraged all the same. He reached his hand forward and let his mana flow. He felt the reserve of magical energy inside him uncork and it began to flow through each part of his being. In his domain, everything hummed with a hue of purple energy. In reality, his fingers glowed with purple magic. Ryuji reached towards the animal, carefully looking to put his fingers gently on its small head. As Ryuji's fingers connected with its head, a flood of energy went through Ryuji's domain. The furniture, the atmosphere, everything was suddenly blown away by the energy coming in like a forceful gust of wind. His domain changed and Ryuji felt himself changing. Tall grass rose around his entire domain, he felt a strange sense of fear and urgency. He heard a loud booming sound headed towards him. He didn't know what it was but he knew that he should run. He tried to run but he didn't have the legs he once had, he now had stubby little legs and was having to run around on all fours. He scurried away as fast as he could, running through the towering blades of grass. He could hear the thuds getting louder and louder. It was getting close. He continued to run until finally he came across an impossibly large tree. At the base was a crevice, big enough to fit his body. He ran as fast as he could and slid into the entrance of the tree. He was safe. It was dark and cramped, and he was breathing heavily but felt he was secure.
Suddenly, a pulse of energy shook the ground underneath the tree. The panic began to rise once again. Ryuji felt himself suddenly lifted into the air. He struggled as much as he could but he was being propelled upward. Then, in a flash, he was whipped to the side and out of the tree. He was gently, yet firmly held by something that clasped itself around him. He struggled and squealed, he tried as hard as he could to get away, but it was in vain. The clasp holding him turned itself and Ryuji saw the large face of…Elandra.
"You will do nicely! Don't worry I won't hurt you!" She said in a deep and booming voice.
Ryuji opened his eyes and was back in reality. He removed his hand from the magical creature, it was seizing in front of him; another failure.
Elandra, with her eyes still closed, said, " Purify." A moment later, the purple energy that had been put inside the creature expelled itself from within and dissipated into the air. The creature stopped seizing and lay there, panting for dear life. Ryuji found himself doing the same.
"What happened?" Elandra asked. He could tell she was dissatisfied, but even in dissatisfaction, she placed a hand on Ryuji's back lovingly and kindly.
Ryuji continued to pant, it was just the same as before…he didn't understand why. "I was overwhelmed again. I saw myself running away through the grass, trying desperately to escape out of fear for my life…and then I was picked up by some mysterious force and…I saw you," Ryuji said.
"That sounds like when I captured him. Poor little thing. I wasn't trying to hurt him…" Elandra said quietly. Ryuji had gained a sort of passive skill with his Psychic affinity that allowed him to tell the emotional thoughts that others had, even if they were trying to keep them hidden, Elandra was legitimately ashamed of the fear she had caused this creature. "Ryuji, how is it that a small creature can…overcome…your domain?" Elandra asked. It was a good question, one Ryuji didn't know himself. He had pondered this question for weeks but there never seemed to be a clear answer. No matter what he tried, the moment he entered another's mind for some reason their thought seemed to overcome his own, leading to an influx of his mana into their brain; and he had seen the effects of that.
Ryuji opened his mouth to speak but Elandra cut him off, "I'm sorry…you are a child it was wrong of me to assume you could understand something I am unable to as well."
You aren't that much older than me Ryuji thought, though in all honesty it was hard to tell. She couldn't have been more than 16 in Ryuji's eyes but it was sometimes hard to tell with elves. And there was no way he could ask her age! Even if it was not taboo in this world his honor would not allow it.
"Did your father expect the same of you when you were a child?" Ryuji asked. He tried to ask as innocently as possible, he contemplated whether or not this was manipulation.
"Not my father…" Elandra began to say, her eyes looked off into the middle distance. Ryuji waited with baited breath for her next word, but instead, she simply smiled and stood up, "I think we should move on for today!" She said walking back towards the desk; another failure. He walked back to his desk. He had never been more frustrated to be a six-year-old, he felt like he was about to cry but couldn't tell which Ryuji was the one that wanted to.