A Magician's Symphony [Training/Solo]

Azix's gaze stared up at the clouds above as he rested atop the roof of his house. Viri and the others had recently returned from their trip to Kios with somewhat troubling news. A few homes had been pillaged, barns demolished, and several fields set ablaze. The overall damage sustained had been kept to the eastern edge of town, closest to the Kouen encampment. It could have been worse, at least some of the families could be moved back in until things were repaired.

However, the news still weighed heavily on the orange magician. Lately, Azix felt like fate was piling up more and more on his plate. Between running errands for Lagi, managing Opportunity Hall, a Coliseum Match with Garret, an assassination attempt on Azix's life, and the report on Kios, the orange magician was at his wit's end. To make matters worse, there was the guilt for putting most of that before Kios and keeping the villagers from returning home sooner. 'If only I were stronger..."

Azix realized that nothing would get done if he continued to sit around and wallow in self-pity. With a heavy sigh, the orange magican climbed down from the roof and decided to take a walk to clear his mind. Before he left, Azix went inside to grab his gear and to tell Miss Viri that he was going out. He wandered the streets, not paying attention to where he was going while his mind worked on resolving his internal conflicts. One of which was the gap in Garret and his combat capabilities shown during their fight. The orange magician had been so sure that he had finally managed to get on his friend's level when the rug had been pulled from under his feet.

Reflecting on the coliseum match reminded Azix that Adamus had agreed to help him with his studies. Hoping the man was home, the orange magician headed to the inn where Garret had said the heat magician could be found. A sense of apprehension came over Azix as he neared the building. Adamus wasn't simply an acquaintance with a wealth of knowledge, he was also Ariella's father. Azix took a deep breath, reminding himself that he had saved the man's daughter twice now and, in his opinion, had made a good impression.

Entering the Inn, he asked the man at the counter which room Adamus occupied and was directed up the stairs. Once he had found the correct room, Azix knocked on the door and waited for an answer.

Adamus frowned at the paper in front of him, the scribblings of runes scattered over the page beginning to blend together. He knew he needed to take a break from his research and it seemed Fate agreed, a knock resounding through his room. With a grunt, he pushed himself to his feet and went to answer the summons, eyes widening slightly in shock at seeing Ella’s… friend on the other side. He was still cautious around the man. While the orange magician had saved his daughter’s life, Azix was still the man dating his daughter. As always, he worried about the chances of someone using Ella for her political connections or for her blossoming body, both ideas angering the fiery man. But, from all accounts, Azix was a gentleman and a man with even more connections, politically, than his child, so his worries were eased somewhat. Waving Azix into the room, his voice boomed out with a friendly tone.

“Azix! Please, come in, make yourself at home. Iatsu mentioned you might stop by. How can I be of help to you?”

The door opened up and Azix greeted the older magician with a warm smile. He was ushered inside and quickly glanced around the room until the door was closed. ”Thank you for seeing me, sir. Iatsu was telling me that your magical knowledge was extremely helpful with his studies. I was hoping, if it’s not too much trouble, that you could help me too. I had thought that I had hit the peak of what a magician is capable of, but recent events have made me dismiss that hubris.” Azix gave Adamus a weak grin and for a moment the weariness he carried reflected in his features. ”I wasn’t sure how to proceed…”

Adamus arched a brow at the man’s confession, chuckling softly. He waved around his room, drawing attention to the plethora of tomes, scrolls, and tools the older magician had.

“To think one has ever hit the peak of magical studies is foolish, indeed. Even now, in my retirement, I find myself learning new things to expand my knowledge on the complicated nature of magic.”

He looked over Azix with a scrutinizing eye, taking note of the heavy weight the young man was carrying on his shoulders, gesturing to a table littered with papers and scrolls. Procuring two cups, he poured them both some tea before settling into his chair, sprawling slightly in the chair while keeping a careful eye on Azix. It would appear the orange magician was finally understanding the burgeoning responsibilities of being in a position of power and Adamus could not help but feel pity for the newly-named Ambassador. He had been only too glad to escape politics. His voice was filled with sympathy and understanding when he spoke again.

“You have taken on a large role in the world, which I can fully understand. But you said you came for magical assistance. There are two things I know better than politics… battle and magic. I would be happy to share whatever assistance I can with you, Azix. Is there any specific area you were looking for help on? I have tools, scrolls, tomes, and personal experience that I am willingly to put at your disposal, assuming you do not intend to use it for nefarious purposes that you might drag my daughter into.”

The words were almost joking, but an edge was there to let Azix know Adamus was serious. If he felt the young man was attempting to follow a path that would recklessly endanger Ella, he would cease his assistance. Though he trusted his daughter’s judge of character, he would not put Ella in danger for the careless search of power for an irresponsible magician.

The orange magician accepted the tea with a grateful nod, blowing on the rising steam before taking a sip. He listened to Adamus and gave a small chuckle, noting the underlying concern in the man’s tone. ”I can assure you my intentions are far from nefarious.” The amusement in his tone faded and his manner grew serious. ”I won’t lie and say she would be free of danger if she continued to follow me down the path I walk. That is one of the reasons I am here, to be better able to protect Ariella and shield her from any harm.”

Azix paused for a moment to lightly set the cup on the table and find the right words. ”I want to use my abilities to fight for a better world, where everyone can be free and they aren’t look down upon because they were born in the wrong family or of a certain race. A world where corruption is quickly stamped out before it can ensnare a population and breed despair. I believe it is something that is possible to obtain in this lifetime.” He left his desire to stand on equal footing with Garret unspoken, not wanting to share his wounded pride.

The orange magician grew silent after he explained his intentions, reflecting on Adamus’ question. Azix wasn’t sure how he wanted to expand his knowledge or how to proceed in his studies. He remembered the time in the cave with Garret where the blue magician had successfully revived Hana Cho. That fact confused the yellow magician, as far as he knew, Garret was skilled with water and sound magic. He nearly facepalmed when it dawned on Azix that the blue magician had learned to manipulate another magic type, Life.

Azix now knew that he would need to learn a new type, but which one? It made sense that he should cover the basics of each type as a refresher and to find one that would compliment the spells he currently had, while being versatile and enjoyable to work with. Azix considered his current library of spells and the motivations behind creating them. His oldest spells consisted of illusions to obfuscate his actions, so he could strike with precise beams of light. After learning strength magic, he combined it with light which allowed him to manipulate shadows, giving them form, and solidified his illusions, making them more life-like. It took some time before Azix began to utilize strength magic by itself, finally learning the destructive potential of manipulating the force of gravity. The transition from his time in the spy organization into a King Candidate reflected in the spells he had crafted.

Looking with an eye towards the future, Azix knew he needed more powerful abilities, but he realized that he would have to expand on his deceptive spells, as well. Father, the assassin and former friend of Adamus who had kidnapped and tortured Ariella, had created a powerful illusion that rivaled anything Azix could perform. Everything considered, it was foolish of Azix to have even thought himself close to mastering his craft.

Azix took a sip of tea and looked up at Adamus, ”If you don’t mind me asking, what magic types are you proficient with?”

Adamus listened to the Ambassador speak, judging the weight of his words carefully. He appreciated the honesty Azix had when speaking of Ella being in danger, knowing it could not have been easy for his daughter’s suitor to blatantly admit he would not be able to keep the yellow magician from dangerous situations. He chuckled softly.

“I have never deluded myself to the possibility of keeping my daughter away from danger. I would have to lock her into a room and throw away the key and then she would still find a way to get into trouble. But I commend your honesty with me. It makes me feel more secure in you… wooing my child.”

When Azix spoke of creating a more equal world, Adamus could understand the venture and mentally applauded the young man for having such large dreams. Normally, he would try to bring Azix back to reality, but after seeing the type of power the man was capable of in the rescue of Ella, he thought Azix might be able to at least begin such a transformative ideal. At Azix’ inquiry about his magical proficiency, he smiled and tapped the papers in front of him, scattered with runes.

“My preferred magic is, of course, heat. I find it a versatile and fascinating type. It is where my most extensive knowledge lies. I am also fairly decent with Strength and Sound magic, though not to the degree I am at with heat. On the bottom of the spectrum, I have intricate knowledge of Life magic, though I am not even close to proficient with it. I can manage a few life-seeking spells and I could probably fumble my way through a healing spell. Evelyn was the Life mage, though. In battle, I have found Heat, Strength and Sound to be the most useful. Sound is very good for keeping your presence hidden until you are ready to reveal yourself, though it is not typically considered a more offensive magic type. It is also excellent for disorientation. Any combination of those three is likely to be quite deadly.”

He waved down to the papers he had been tapping, pointing out the runes scribbled across the page.

“As you can see, when you knocked, I was beating my head trying to come up with some alternate uses and applications of Sound and Strength magic. But, I have quite a large number of books here that cover a wide array of magic types and their applications, if I am unable to help you from personal experience alone. I am not sure what exactly you are hoping for, aside from a larger arsenal. How many magic types have you perfected? Two… three?”

He was curious about the man, both as a magician and as a parent, having heard tales from Ella about the man’s creation of shadows from Light and Strength magic. It took a talented magician to take their magic type and create the complete inverse of it, it would be like trying to cause frostbite with Heat magic. He did not doubt the capabilities of the man in front of him, perhaps the magician was only looking for a push over a stumbling block in his path.

Azix’s face turned red when Adamus mentioned “wooing” Ariella and gave a nervous chuckle. With no prior experience of dating, Azix wasn’t sure how one was supposed to conduct themselves when a father brought up the relationship with his daughter. He was thankful when Adamus changed the topic back to magic and Azix leaned forward, eager to learn more about the older magician. The orange magician arched a brow to hear that they both shared a proficiency in strength magic.Adamus also confirmed Azix’s suspicion that obtaining a mastery of three types of magic was the key to unlocking the next stage of his training.

”Two, so far. Light and Strength. I wasn’t sure what I was looking for before, but I think you are right. I want to expand my arsenal, but I’m not sure where I should focus my attention. Maybe I could spend some time searching your collection of books to refresh my knowledge of the basics. Is it ok if I research here while you work?”

Azix waited for a response before he stood up and walked around the various shelves, picking up different books and scanning through their pages before setting them back down. He was searching for ones that discussed advanced magic theory for a single type, until he had books that covered each of the magic types that he didn’t have. Setting them down on his end of the table, Azix took a seat and started to go through a book on life magic.

While he skimmed through the pages, Azix had a curious thought. ”How did you choose your third magic type? Was there something in particular that drew you to it?”

Adamus arched his brow in interest to hear the young man had only mastered two magic types. He knew Iatsu had recently delved into mastery of a third type and had simply assumed the blue magician was following in the footsteps of Azix.

“You are welcome to anything you can find in this mess of a room. I am afraid I have very little in the way of organization. This is but a fraction of what is available at the Estate in Magnostadt, but you should find a little bit of everything here. Sometimes to go forward, you must go back to the beginning, so you will find even the most basic of magic books here.”

When Azix asked about what had drawn him to his third magic type, Adamus chuckled softly at a memory. His voice was tinged with sadness when he spoke again.

“As much as I would like to claim it was its usefulness in battle, I am afraid it was something far less exciting. Evelyn loved music and I wanted to learn Sound magic so I could create a tool that played music for her. I am not a musician, I am a battle mage. But I wanted to find a way to record music from others and play it back for her. It drove me to gain proficiency in the art of Sound magic, it was only later I fleshed out my abilities with it for use in battle.”

Adamus stood and moved to a chest resting against the wall, lifting the lid free and digging inside before pulling out a small box and holding it out for Azix. If the magician were to examine the box, he would find the bottom inscribed with a magic circle and if he opened the box, he would find it was lined with velvet like a jewelry box. If Azix were to feed a small amount of magoi into the tool, a haunting melody would begin to play into the room, a song filled with an aching sadness.

“This was the pinnacle of my study into Sound magic. Evelyn took it everywhere with her, even on our trip here to Reim. Beautiful, no?”

Azix smiled as the older magician shared a memory of his late wife, trying to picture a younger Adamus wooing Ariella’s mother. The orange magician’s father also had used music to seduce his mother, a tiny violin that had been gifted to Azix. He watched as Adamus looked for something in a chest, producing a small box which he handed to Azix to examine. The orange magician held it carefully, turning it over to admire the craftsmanship. The sounds it produced when magoi was fed into the music box filled him with sorrow.

”It is indeed beautiful,” Azix said as he passed the music box back to Adamus. Reaching into his breast pocket, Azix pulled out the tiny case that contained the magical instrument, Sonus Ex Cantus. The purple gems engraved in the violin and its accompanying bow glittered in the light. ”This was my father’s. My uncle said my father used to play it to woo my mother. I’ve tried to play it and I think I’ve gotten a bit better.”

Picking up the violin by the neck with his thumb and forefinger, Azix fed magoi into the tool to expand the violin to a normal size. Gripping the bow with his free hand, he placed it lightly against the violin’s strings, drawing it over the thicker string to produce a low note. With his left hand, he pushed the same string against the fingerboard to produce a higher note. He searched for a specific spot he had found in an earlier practice session, during which he had spent time holding the strings down at different areas along the fingerboard to figure out where the pleasant sounding notes were.

Of course, when one attempted to impress their girlfriend’s father, they would fail. Azix had placed his finger a fraction of an inch too high which caused an uneasy note to ring out from the instrument. The mistake flustered the orange magician and he tried to correct himself only to fumble with his grip on the frog of the bow. The hair slipped downward on the string the violin let out an awful screen. Wincing, Azix let out a nervous chuckle. ”Of course that happens a lot too…”

Adamus tucked the music box back into the chest with care before watching Azix hold a violin magic tool with an inexperienced hand. Granted, the younger magician already had a better grasp of music than Adamus did, the Heat magician was wonderful with a wand but horrid with an instrument. At the ungodly screech, though, Adamus let out a wince of pain, chuckling at the Light magician.

“Remind me to give you the name of an old friend from Magnostadt. He actually helped me to craft Evie’s music box. The man is a god with music, both with magic and without. He is the best man I know with Sound magic. He would be a far better teacher than I could ever be, though I could get you through the basics. In fact, I think if you look in that pile over there, you will find a couple of books written by Gavin.”

He waved to a corner stacked with books and then, sighing softly, Adamus returned to his desk, rubbing his temples for a moment before taking a sip of his tea.

“Like I said, anything I have at my disposal, you are welcome to. As silly as it sounds, I fear Ella’s wrath should I deny you the same assistance I offered Iatsu. She may be a young woman, but she is quite frightening when angry. She proved that much in our last little… spar. In return for my assistance, however… I would like to get to know you better, Azix. You are involved with my daughter and I would be remiss if I did not do my fatherly duty. I would suggest us all having dinner together, but as Ella is in Magnostadt and I have no clue when she is returning, perhaps you and Iatsu would like to join me for a meal.”

Azix returned his bow and violin to their case before raising his cup with a firm nod. ”Of course, I’ve been meaning to speak with you sooner, but I keep getting pulled in a hundred directions. I’m starting to believe that half of being a leader is dodging the hooks of the bureaucratic trap.” Azix shook his head with a soft chuckle, ”Anyway, I’d be happy to join you for dinner.”

The orange magician’s attention was directed back towards the book, intrigued by the complexity of a rune drawn to one side of a page. Azix hummed to himself in thought as he read the explanation underneath the drawing, it detailed how constructs created with life magic could not only be embedded with commands as was usual with the other types, but could also be given them a form of mild sentience. This little detail impressed the orange magician, considering how efficient it would be too combine with his illusions to give them some autonomy, freeing him to focus more on other details of the combat, instead of directing them. He wondered if Garret had learned to incorporate it into his own life spells.

While the idea of focusing on life magic was a tantalizing idea, the more Azix thought about it, he decide it would be a waste. At the moment he was able to heal himself and revive a person with his God’s Necklace. Both Garret and Ariella had also studied life magic enough to become proficient, so there were plenty of healing abilities between his household already. Of course, he had scenarios in mind where having life magic himself may prove helpful, but those seemed rare at the moment.

He continued browsing the pages of the book in order to have an idea of what to expect in case he fought a highly skilled life magician. Nothing else leaped out at him that made him change his mind on acquiring the magic type so he moved onto the next book. This particular heavy volume covered theories on wind magic. Flicking through the pages, Azix found the content dull, not the fault of the author, but because of the magic type itself. Even the advanced theories that involved combining it with other magics sounded boring. Azix already had strength magic at his disposal, which seemed to be able to do most of what wind magic could and more. Pushing things back was easy when you manipulated force. Even suffocating someone was possible from what he had studied before with control over gravity. If he recalled correctly, the magician could alter the gravity in an area to create a vacuum of space, which would cause air to be pulled from that particular space.

The next book he picked up was one that went over various advanced theories regarding heat magic. While Azix skimmed the pages, he smirked, figuring that Adamus’ knowledge of the magic type was most likely more extensive than the books. The topics covered in this book were much more interesting to Azix, heat having some versatility in the way it could be used. The more common uses were fireballs, however with a bit more control, a skilled heat magician could simply make some dehydrate by increasing one’s body temperature.

As much as creating fiery explosions sounded fun, Azix had no use for heat magic when he had light magic. Manipulating light could be just as flashy as heat magic, but it could also be much, much more subtle. Which led him to the next book he picked up, one covering theories of his favorite type. Most the theories discussing light magic, Azix had already figured out on his own or already studied. However, towards the last few pages, there were hastily scribbled notes for utilizing magic in a way he hadn’t thought about. It seemed that someone had discovered a way to place an image in someone’s mind, which had curious effects if the spell was strong enough. There were a few examples listed of creating an image so real that the person affected by the spell would be compelled to act a certain way or believe something that wasn’t true. The author’s final example made Azix chuckle, apparently the man had crafted a spell called “Sweets” which would make someone desire a sweet treat so much they would hunger for it until the urge was satisfied.

Azix kept that in mind as he set aside the book aside for another, which discussed strength magic. He quickly read through it, wanting to refresh himself and see if he had overlooked any particularly useful uses of the magic type. Like the last volume, Azix knew most of it, but he did learn one thing. The author claimed it was possible to make objects shrink or grow with strength magic. He kept that in mind, intending to experiment with that at a later time, as he continued on to the next books.

The hours passed as he read up on theories of lightning and water magic. Similar to life magic, Azix was interested by the concepts presented in the books, but two of his household were already skilled with either of those types. Which left him with the final volume he had picked out, one covering sound magic. Garret had learned this magic type, which would have made him also dismiss learning it, however he found the topics fascinating. Not only was he interested in learning how to play a musical instrument, but the magic type seemed to fit his needs perfectly. Sound magic would combine with most of his spells quite effectively.

Before deciding, Azix took a moment to meditate and let all the information he had learned process. When he felt he had filed it all away in an organized fashion with his mental library, he began glossing over the highlights to make sure he settled on the best magic type to study further. During this time, Azix stole glances at the work that Adamus was doing. He noticed one of the runes and remembered that the older magician was looking at ways to combine strength and sound.

Unable to help himself, Azix stood up and walked behind Adamus to peer at the man’s work closer. He traced the rune with his eyes for a few moments before placing his finger on part of the rune. ”This wouldn’t help you, but what if you added light magic to the spell, adding it to the structure here and here.” Azix stroked the paper as he drew it in his mind, ”You could create an explosion of light, force, and sound to blind and deafen your foes.”

Azix brought his hand to his chin, stroking it in thought. It had the potential to be a devastating spell to use on the battlefield and he had to learn it. Of course, learning it could pose a problem. Toying with an aberrant magic as complex as he proposed could blow him to pieces if he performed it incorrectly. Azix glanced at Adamus to see if he had any thoughts on the orange magician’s idea.

Adamus frowned in concentration at the suggestion, running it through his mind several times, his eyes glazing over slightly as his focus turned inward. The idea was an interesting one and quite viable, if properly executed, but there was a problem.

“It is a fascinating combination possibility, however… I have no proficiency in Light. Sure, I can make a small ball of light to scare off the monsters in the closet for Ella, but that is about the extent of it. Even if I did have a decent grasp, I would still want to build what I call a ‘safe construct.’ I use Strength magic to create an enclosed area that my other magics cannot escape. It has kept me from burning down the house a time or two. I do like the idea, and I could possibly help you with such a combination, but on a personal level, it would be useless to me.”

He hummed a tune, not even realizing he was replicating the song of the music box… albeit badly. With another moment of thought, he spoke again.

“I would be willing to build you a ‘safe construct’ for you, if you would like to try this out, though… I would just need a day or two to find a suitable location. Even with a safe zone, enclosed areas are just bad ideas.”

Azix ran his fingers along his jaw in thought, ”I appreciate the offer, but I think I know the perfect place.” Azix turned to the collection of books, looking for the ones that had been written by Gavin. Collecting them in his arms, Azix looked back to Adamus. ”I hope you don’t mind, but I’m going to take off for now. I am grateful for the help and for letting me borrow these books. How about we have dinner a few days from now?”

Adamus nodded with a smile, waving his hand at the books.

“Just be careful with them. I will be here most days, if you want to swap them out for some higher level theoretical books or to discuss ideas. As for dinner, that sounds fine, just let me know the time and place. I am sure I could use some time away from my research, it is all starting to blend together.”

Azix chuckled, ”I understand that feeling. When I spend too long looking over the reports from Opportunity Hall, I have that problem. We can eat at my place, if you would like. I’ll take good care of the books. Anyway, I’ll see you soon.” Giving Adamus a deep bow, Azix left the older magician to his research.

---

[5064/1500] Omega Tier Int

Spoiler:

After leaving Adamus’ Inn, Azix went back to his house to study the books that Gavin had written on sound magic. Since the day was not too humid, the orange magician thought reading on the roof sounded pleasant. Sitting cross-legged along one section of the roof, he opened the first book and scanned the first few chapters. He quickly realized that while the book did cover some theories on sound magic, it was mostly an introductory course on music theory. It was also readily apparent that this Gavin fellow was a bit eccentric. There were notes scribbled along the edges of the pages, requesting the reader to study the sounds of an army on horseback crossing the desert or listen to the sound of thunder at the base of a mountain. Azix was curious to see how Gavin intended to teach someone music with such examples, but he set aside the book for now. Learning to manipulate sound was a higher priority to the Marquis, he could learn to play his father’s violin another day.

Azix moved on to the next book, flipping through the pages, growing confused at the theories presented. Suddenly, he noticed that Gavin was discussing several concepts that had been discussed in the book Azix had set aside earlier. Muttering under his breath, Azix went back to the discarded book and poured over the contents once again. As the hours passed, the orange magician became more aware of just how odd Gavin’s ideas were. To Gavin, the only way to master sound magic properly was to become intimate with music, to have an instinctual understanding with how two or more sound waves of different frequency would interact not only each other, but the surrounding environment. To this end, there were entire sections that were unreadable, because they depended on a person performing certain tasks and obtaining that knowledge for themselves. Of course, this frustrated Azix, who was looking for more of a quick fix and who didn’t have the time or resources to do things like travel to Heliohapt and hire a regiment of cavalry so he could listen to their hoofbeats.

With the first book read, cover to cover, Azix went to the next and read that until the sun went down. He moved inside to read at the dining table, knowing the candlelight would be better than reading under the pale light of the moon. As his eyes trailed the pages, he hardly noticed Vi moving to and fro while she cooked a delicious smelling meal. He was even so engrossed in the pages, that he picked at his plate when it was served. He continued reading long into the night until he finished Gavin’s trilogy. Azix certainly felt overwhelmed and more than a little confused at some of Gavin’s theories, but he now had knowledge that he could begin to put into practice.

Azix woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and inspired to continue his training. After taking a quick bath, the orange magician grabbed a basket and filled it with a few quick meals. Taking the basket with him, he went outside and mounted his magic carpet, which took him high into the sky towards Kios. After several hours, Azix finally arrived at the small farming town, where he was able to finally survey the damage himself. A mix of anger and sadness washed over him to see what had become of Kios during the rebellion.

Turning his attention away from the past and what he couldn’t change, Azix turned his carpet to a large, open field on the outskirts of the town. It was a perfect spot to begin experimenting with the Aberrant magic that Adamus’ work had helped inspire. Attempting to make a combination spell with a magic type one wasn’t familiar with, was a stupid, dangerous idea, but the thought didn’t cross Azix’s mind. He was eager to see if his intuition was correct.

A breeze swept across the rolling plains as Azix took out his wand and began calling to the Rukh. With their assistance, Azix began forming a large sphere of strength magic about ten meters in diameter. He then began to fill it with light, until it became too painful to look at. With the first two steps completed, Azix started his attempt to fill in a layer of sound magic within the sphere. He had learned several commands to manipulate sound in Gavin’s books, which he used to build this layer, but the dense books did not prepare him for what came next.

Azix wouldn’t notice that his spell had started to unravel, until it was too late. Missing a piece of the puzzle, the foundation of the spell ripped apart and exploded in a wave of light and force. Azix was knocked off his feet and blinded, thrown back several dozen meters away. He let out a groggy groan as his body landed on the hard dirt.

Even though his first attempt had ended in disaster, Azix was not deterred. After his vision returned, the orange magician got back up and attempted it again. The second attempt was not successful and neither were the subsequent attempts after that. Each time, Azix was knocked back in a powerful explosion. This pattern continued well into the night, before the orange magician finally gave up. There was a key part of the spell he was missing and it was maddening that he couldn’t figure it out.

Azix spent the next two days making more attempts to perfect the aberrant magic or meditating on his failures to find the missing piece. With a growling stomach--the supply of food he had brought was gone--the orange magician gave up on creating the spell for now and headed back to Remano. He needed to meet up with Adamus, intent on keeping his promise to eat dinner with the older magician.

---

Upon arriving in Reim, Azix stopped by his house to shed his dirty clothes and clean the grime from his body. Once he was clean and had donned fresh clothes, Azix headed to Adamus’ Inn. Finding the room where Ariella’s father stayed in, the orange magician gently rapped his knuckles against the door.

Adamus closed the book he had been scanning at the sound of a knock, opening the door to find Azix on the other side, with a smile and wave, he directed the other magician into his room.

“Ah, Azix. I am glad you stopped by. I seem to have forgotten I had tickets to an opera, and I find myself without a companion. If you would like, we can dine and listen to someone more talented than us manipulate instruments. I hear it is supposed to be fantastic and I had reserved a box, so we can chat without disturbing anyone else. Sound agreeable?”

The red magician would wait for Azix’ response. Assuming the man agreed, he would search out a shirt that was slightly less wrinkled than the one he currently wore and change, the brief glimpse of his chest and back revealing he had earned his name on the battlefield for being a formidable enemy, the pale skin littered in scars from old wounds. Once changed, he would wave to the door to indicate they should begin heading out.

“The opera begins in an hour, this will give us time to get settled and receive our meals.”

Azix stepped inside the older magician’s room with a smile, listening as the man explained a change in plans. The Marquis was quite hungry, evident by the loud roar of his stomach at the mention of food, so it didn’t matter where they ate. It was even more exciting to learn that they would be dining over music. With an enthusiastic bob of his head, Azix let Adamus know that he was quite keen on proposed plans.

Following Adamus outside, Azix thanked the older magician for the invitation. On the way to the opera house, the orange magician babbled about Gavin’s books, the man’s eccentric views on learning magic, and the failures of Azix’s training thus far. By the time the building was in sight, Azix had finished his explanation. He gave an appreciative glance at the architecture of the Opera house and wonder how he had never noticed it before. A wave of longing swept over him as he wished that Ariella was there to accompany them. The thought of his girlfriend reminded Azix that he hadn’t heard from her in some time. ”Have you received word from Ariella? She hasn’t left a note since she mentioned that she would be taking her Kodor test.” As soon as the words escaped his lips, the orange magician froze, remembering that Ariella hadn’t wanted her father to know what she was doing.

Adamus listened to the excited rumblings of the orange magician, smiling at the eagerness. He alway appreciated when a magician enjoyed their studies and were attempting to further their gift. He laughed at the comments about Gavin’s rather eccentric books, nodding and telling Azix about some of the more interesting study sessions he had done with the Sound Magician. When Azix talked about his failures with the aberrant magic he was attempting to create, Adius promised to mull it over to see if he could think of anything the other magician might have missed. As they came in sight of the Opera house, Azix’ words make the red magician pause for a moment, Ariella had not told him she had planned to take her final Kodor test. His steps resumed a moment later, a smile playing over his lips.

“Ah, so she has decided to take it, finally? I am surprised, she has always been adamantly against having to prove her abilities. I suppose it is only natural that she would not want me to know, she does not perform well under scrutiny. I must say, I would like to see it. But no, I have not heard from her, aside from a note from Adius about her pets and some boy being sent back over to Reim, now that the fighting is done. I will see if Adius can provide any more information later, but for now, let us find our seats.”

Adamus led Azix into the Opera house, a man at the front directing them to a set of stairs. The interior of the Opera House was opulent, untouched by the ravages of the conflict with Kou. Gold glimmered and the architecture was breath-taking. The stairs climbed up and up until finally, another man directed them into a small private seating area with only a few seats. He assured them there were no others had reserved the other seats before moving to pull out their chairs. The room had velvet curtains parted to display the stage below and the chairs were quite comfortable. A small table sat between the two center chairs with a bucket sitting on a stand nearby. In the bucket was a bottle of wine, which the man uncorked for them before turning back to the door with a mention that their meal would be arriving shortly. Adamus took his seat, resting an ankle on the opposite knee before looking at Azix again.

“So, aside from Gavin’s rather odd way of trying to teach, did you have any questions I might help with? While I admit I was befuddled by his teachings at first, they do seem to work quite well, when you take them to heart. An unusual method of teaching magic, but effective, nonetheless.”

Azix poured wine for both of the magicians before leaning back in his seat, shrugging off Adamus’ assistance with a smile. ”I appreciate the offer, but I think it might do me some good to take my mind off the problem. Plus, Gavin stresses the importance of learning through discovery.” As the person responsible for the reforms in Reim’s schools, Azix was intrigued by Gavin’s method of teaching. He was interested to see if it was an effective method, thus Azix thought it would be cheating to ask for pointers from Adamus. The heat magician’s experiences were not the Marquis’.

A few attendants arrived with their meals, setting them down before the magicians before departing. Azix took a few bites and let out a moan of pleasure as he savored the combinations of flavors. In between mouthfuls, Azix inquired about Adamus’ past, interested to learn more about the man’s combat experience and adventures. When asked, Azix would share parts of his past with Adamus, enjoying the man’s company and fulfilling Adamus’ desire to learn more about his daughter’s boyfriend.

The conversation would draw to a close as the lights in the room dimmed and a woman appeared on stage. The orange magician moved his chair closer to the railing and took a sip of wine. The woman began singing, her voice accompanied by a small orchestra played their instruments near the stage. While Azix listened to the music, his attention was fixated on the Rukh that filled the hall. He watched the way white and green Rukh fluttered around the singer’s throat as air passed through her vocal cords and produced the notes that captivated the audience. He also noticed the way red and green Rukh danced in unison as the musician’s applied friction on the strings of their instruments which caused them to vibrate, producing the notes that supported the singing. The combination of sounds complimented each other as they traveled throughout the room, bouncing off the walls at certain angles.

As he continued to watch, Azix tuned out the music and listened for the whisperings of the Ruhk. In between the flapping of their wings, he overheard snippets of commands that surprised the orange magician. He had never considered the depth of sound or its effect on the world as it moved.

All this information struck a chord with Azix as he suddenly realized a few of the principles that Gavin had tried to instill in his books. At once, he understood what he had been missing in his spell. The orange magician had been trying to use sound in the same way one would use strength magic to produce an explosive force. Watching the musician’s interact with their instruments made Azix see that his approach was wrong. The musicians gave a voice to their instrument, gave it a message that would resonate with others.

In his mind, Azix began fixing the spell in his mind. Instead of using sound to trigger an explosion, he adjusted the spell so that he used strength magic to propel light and sound. Once it seemed to fit, he memorized the changes and set it aside for later. He turned back to the concert and let his mind drift to the melodies that filled the room.

Adamus quieted as the orchestra played, his eyes drifting shut to focus on the sounds filling the room. As the cadences rose and fell, he could feel the swell of the sound deep in his chest, a sensation strictly reserved for how music could affect him. It brought up memories of Evelyn and the times they would venture to the opera, making his eyes mist slightly, though no tears fell. He let himself become lost in the music, using the quiet interludes to think on everything he had learned about the man his daughter had attached herself to. As the music became silent for the intermission, he raised his eyelids to smile over at Azix.

“There is nothing quite like the magic of music to put things in perspective. Without even a whisper to the rukh, a musician has the power to enthrall an audience, to move them, to inspire empathy. Amazing, really.”

He sipped at the wine, filling the intermission with quiet tales of the battlefield and how he and Evelyn had come to be together, along with a healthy amount of embarrassing stories about Ella. After all, was it not a father’s duty to embarrass their children? When the music picked back up, he found himself watching Azix, gauging the reaction of the other man to the music. He had seen the emotions flickering across the orange magician’s face and was glad the other man seemed to be enjoying himself. He found himself wondering just how serious Ariella was about the magician, but that was a conversation to have with her, feeling it would be rude to direct his questions to her paramour. He drifted back to a place of peace as the music swelled around them, growing to the climax of the story being sang on the stage.

---

After the beautiful performance was over, the two magicians parted ways, each heading to their respective homes. Azix stumbled into his bed and fell asleep shortly after his eyes closed. When he rose the next morning, the orange magician decided to resume his training, but didn’t jump to the aberrant magic just yet. With the epiphany he had the night before, Azix felt that he should start with something smaller to test the subtleties of sound.

Hitting the streets, Azix searched for a somewhat crowded bar to test his theories. He found one near the edge of the city and found a seat near the bar. He ordered a mug of ale and listened to the conversations around the room while he waited for the bartender to slide a mug to him. Azix raised the mug to his lips with one hand, while the other gripped the wand hidden up his long sleeves. Taking a long sip, Azix set the mug on the counter and muttered commands to the Rukh under his breath.

As he fed magoi into his wand to cast the spell, Azix created a whimsy field around himself to block out the chatter of the bar. The orange magician frowned as he still heard parts of conversation floating to his ears. Remembering the design of the concert hall, Azix nearly facepalmed at what he had overlooked. Once again, the orange magician had tried to use sound like strength, used to creating a solid barrier designed to intercept force. The orange magician kept the acoustics of the concert hall in mind to design a field that instead would repel sound.

Adjusting his commands to the Rukh, Azix managed to cast a spell that repelled sound that came within a few inches of his body. He let out a smile when his ears heard nothing but silence and downed the rest of his mug. He set the mug down on the counter and stared off into the distance, thinking of another simple spell when he noticed the bartender giving him a strange look. Azix released the thread of magoi sustaining the spell and arched a brow.

”Did’ya want another?”

Azix shook his head and slid some coins across the table. ”No, thanks.” Standing up, the orange magician left the bar, itchy to attempt the aberrant magic once again. He stopped by the market to purchase some food before departing to Kios on his flying carpet.

Finding the same field as before, Azix spent a few minutes meditating to mentally prepare himself for the complex spell he would soon be attempting. When he was ready, he stood up and held out his wand. A stream of magoi trailed from the tip of his wand to form an orb, pulsing with bright red light a few meters away. At the magician’s command, the orb exploded, sending a shockwave of force and light outward. Azix intensified the sound of the explosion, giving the spell a piercing loud voice that would batter the eardrums of anyone in its path. Standing in range of the spell, Azix’ senses were bludgeoned by the explosion of light, sound and force. Disoriented, the magician stumbled to his knees and covered his ears, a useless attempt to deafen the loud ringing in his ears.

While Azix waited for the ringing to fade and his vision to return, he had time to consider the results of his experiments. By combining three magic types in a single spell, he had overcome a hurdle, grasping an understanding of sound magic along the way. In the process, he had gotten one step closer to his goal of reaching Garret’s skill in combat. That thought brought a smile to his face and he laid back in the grass.

He stared up at the sky through the back of his eyelids, imagining a bright blue sky with puffy white clouds dotting the horizon. His mind drifted to happy memories of Ariella and he wondered how she was doing. He resisted an urge to check the journey book. Even though he couldn’t see, Azix still needed to know.

While he laid back in the grass, dark storm clouds rolled in overhead. A bright flash of lightning struck down beyond the treeline, letting out a roar of thunder that Azix as unable to hear. As the magician’s thoughts turned to the feel of Ariella’s soft lips against his own, it began to rain. Without being able to see or hear, Azix was unable to find shelter from the storm.

Drenching wet, Azix sat up and clutched his knees to his chest, muttering to himself. ”I can never win…”

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