Other Fan Fiction ❯ Gifted Moon Spinoff ❯ Rinsi's First Lesson ( Chapter 6 )

[ P - Pre-Teen ]
“Rinsi,” the woman clad in black said, addressing the girl, “list all of your spells that you know, and what they do.”
“Gates of Heaven, as far as I can tell, is a blessing spell.” Rinsi said quickly, not wanting to anger this woman any further, “As a side effect, it blesses evil spirits, demons, or those who use dark magic. Moonlight is a massive healing spell, and from what I’ve seen, it heals all injuries, as well as replenishes energy for those affected.”
“But there is more, isn’t there? No use hiding it from me.”
“Starlight…” Rinsi said reluctantly, “I haven’t finished that one…but from what my aunt and uncle tell me, it can bring the whole world to a utopia, and fix all of its problems. But…it’s a soul eater. It will completely destroy my soul if I complete the spell.”
“Then you are forbidden to cast it. Humanity is not ready for it and neither are you. Tell me the spells you know, but have not performed yet.”
“Moon Halo, Asteroid Belt, Sunlight, Star Children, and Celestial Winds. Only two of those are dancing spells, and because they are so short, I’m guessing they are meant for battle.”
“You dance to cast your spells? It’s a wasted effort. However, I know it is passed down through the generations of your family. Perform those spells now, and we will work on making you cast without dancing. Mooney, as a precaution I want you to put up a full strength, one way barrier.”
“Right!” came a husky, yet playful voice.
Rinsi and Nakya looked around, trying to find the owner of that voice, but there was no one there but themselves and the cats. Both were perplexed. Was this person invisible somehow? Rinsi opened her mouth to ask, and shut it quickly with a click as she felt a wall of energy go up around all of them. The walls themselves were several feet outside their little group, giving her room, though she could not see them. Nakya, too, felt this surge of energy, as was evident by the hair on her tail and ears standing on end.
“Well, cast now.” Outai said.
It was only then that Rinsi realized she had dropped her staff in surprise. She bent to pick it up and realized that one of the cats had glowing eyes. Her cat was a normal cat – she knew this because she raised her Mooney from a kitten – so that only left Outai’s Mooney. Was he special somehow? Rinsi, surprisingly, didn’t doubt it. This was a school for the gifted, after all, and Outai certainly was strange.
Rinsi straightened herself slowly, keeping an eye on Mooney. Outai’s Mooney, that is. She raised her staff high into the air, holding the bottom of it in her hands as the staff was raised straight above her head, as far as she could stretch her arms. Suddenly she brought the staff down low to the ground, still holding the bottom end of it, and began to spin. As she spun, she kept the staff as far out from her body as she could, slowly raising it with each turn. As she did so, the lantern at the end of the staff began to glow, leaving in its wake streaks of light that, rather than disappearing, seemed to merge together. Rinsi was filled with the feeling of guarding, or protection. She wanted to protect…something. Her friends? Herself? Who? Whatever it was, it needed protecting, and this spell would do it. As her staff once more came above her head, it came to her.
“Moon Halo!”
The bands of light merged together, forming a dome shaped barrier around her. Rinsi, Nakya, and even both cats stared at her. Rinsi poked the barrier of light, to make sure she was seeing something real, and was surprised when her finger met something hard, like a brick wall.
“Hey, Rinsi, are you okay in there?” Nakya asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“I didn’t know she could make barriers!” that playful voice seemed to whine. “Why make me do the hard work if she can do it?”
“Because she has other spells to perform, and we don’t know what they will do.” Outai said patiently. “Release the barrier and begin the next spell.”
Rinsi wasn’t quite sure how to release it. She hadn’t gotten that far yet. Up to this point, the spell was performed, did what it did, and dissipated on its own.
“I don’t think she knows how to break it down.” That playful voice said again.
“Then you can help her with that.”
“But her magic isn’t energy based, at least not the same kind of energy I use, or on the same wave length.”
“That does not matter. Whether pure energy or holy energy, it’s still a barrier, and you’re the best I know with them.”
“Flattery gets you everywhere.” The playful voice said.
Suddenly Outai’s cat seemed to grow and stretch. In mere moments it went from a little black cat, to a tall, handsome young man with black hair, deep blue eyes, and a playful grin on his face. She wasn’t sure how he transformed with clothes on, but the white t-shirt and blue jeans he wore now seemed at least three sizes too large on him. Moreover, he had cat ears on his head and a feline tail protruding from his sacral iliac area. His fingernails and toe nails seemed to be sharpened to points, which would otherwise make him look dangerous if it weren’t for that playful, boyish smile. Both Nakya and Rinsi gave a low whistle, but neither seemed surprised. After all, Nakya was used to transforming, and Rinsi had seen her transform once or twice.
“Helloooooo handsome.” Nakya said.
“Don’t you already have someone you like, Nakya?” Rinsi said, though not jealously.
“Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate manly beauty on others.”
Mooney stifled a snicker behind his hand. He would tease them, but if he did that right now Rinsi would be put out. She really did need to reign in her temper more.
“You two can gawk later.” He said, trying to be serious, though that was easier said than done with his beautifully boyish looks and playful blue eyes. “Rinsi, I noticed that the focus point for the spell was the lantern on your staff. That stone on the lantern, it’s an amplifier, isn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“Your energy is connected to that stone. All you have to do is disconnect your energy from it and the barrier will disappear.”
“How do I do that?”
“Simple. You don’t have to protect anyone here, and you need to realize that.”
She knew he had a good point. Aside from the switching Nakya got, she knew they would not be harmed. At least not worse than that. It would make no sense for this woman to allow serious injury in her class, as her students would not be able to learn if they were seriously hurt. Slowly, she pushed the feeling aside, fully knowing they were somewhat safe at least, and was surprised when the barrier disappeared.
Remembering her instruction – which sounded more like orders – Rinsi cast her next spell. It was considerably faster, and because of this she knew she had to focus on the stone again. It wasn’t so much of a dance as it was a swipe of her staff through the air, the lantern once again leaving a streak of light behind it.
“Asteroid Belt!”
The streak of light seemed to solidify and expand. It expanded upward and outward, forming a large wall of light that would have continued if it had not met Mooney’s barrier.
“Another barrier?” she said, almost disparagingly, “The other was more useful than this.”
“Not so.” Outai explained patiently, “While the other provides more coverage, it is also a slower spell to cast. This spell allows you to gain some protection in an instant, should you need it.”
“And it takes less energy.” Mooney put in at the last. “It’s good if you’re in a tight spot and don’t have time to cast anything else. You can learn to bend it later.”
“I can…bend it?”
“Yeah, in case you’re being attacked from in front and behind.”
“Since we are making barriers,” Outai said calmly, “Nakya, you form one of your own.”
“Why should I?” Nakya said testily.
Without even a moment to think or even realize what was going on, an ice dagger was in her face, a mere millimeter from the tip of her nose.
“That’s why. Had that been a real dagger, or someone else, you’d be dead right now. You must learn to think quickly and follow instruction without asking why.”
Immediately, Nakya formed a barrier of ice around her. As soon as she did, her knees gave out and she sank to the ground in shock. That was entirely TOO close for comfort. This woman was insane!
“Ease up, Outai.” Mooney said, “They aren’t here to fight any battles. They are just here to learn to control themselves, like everyone else here.”
“Battles may happen in the future, and they will need to know this.”
“I know, but there are other, more useful things they could learn that could help them blend in with society.”
“Very well. Retract your barrier, Nakya. I will finish with Rinsi, and then get to you. Rinsi, your next spell.”
Rinsi sighed to herself. She knew the other two, but did not like them. She knew how they could be useful in battle, but nowhere else, and she hated fighting. Still, she rather disliked the thought of being switched in front of everyone, so she continued. She brought her hand up and a ball of light formed in her hand, hovering above her upraised palm.
“You…might want to stand back…” she said.
As everyone else stepped back, Rinsi turned to face the forested area of the school. If Mooney’s barrier failed, a lot of trees would fall, but so long as no one was in the forest, no one would be hurt.
“Star Children…” she said reluctantly.
Suddenly hundreds of smaller balls of light burst out from the one in her hand, aimed in every direction in front of her. She had little control over them, especially as they increased distance from her. Still, she managed to keep them from going behind her, and instead kept them in front of her and away from the sides. They all struck the barrier with intense light exploding from them on contact.
"Spray and pray. Good for multiple enemies, but your accuracy is low, and the damage you deal is minimal." Outai said calmly. "Next?"
"Sunlight..."
A beam of intense, white light about the size of her wrist shot out from the ball in her hand. It struck the barrier, creating ripples in the air, almost as though the scenery there were a reflection on a pond newly disturbed by a rock. Rinsi's eyes went wide, and Mooney's face remained calm, though schooled to do so. Immediately the ball and the beam vanished.
"A powerful shot. But it takes more energy than Star Children, and can only be used on one enemy at a time. It seems you are well rounded in your skills, though. Mooney, you can release the barrier now."
Abrubtly a breeze began to blow through their hair, one that had been blowing through the trees earlier, but had not touched them. No visible sign of the barrier falling was there, but at the same time they all felt that wall of energy leave.
"Good thing she didn't put everything into that one, or we'd be in trouble." Mooney said light heartedly.
"It seems so." Outai said calmly.