12-04-2020, 11:16 PM
Act II Scene I - First Light
Hopeful blue eyes looked out upon the grey horizon. In the evening's final twilight the stars could still be seen above the mountain glade, while out past the lip of the plateau the sun would soon rise to greet the new day.
For a whole year he had come to this place to gather his thoughts. After training in the evenings, after cutting wood or watching livestock, after speaking with a certain person... It was a place of peace for a mind embroiled in the tumultuous years of young-adulthood. It was his refuge among the foothills, far enough into the trackless wilderness that no sounds of civilization could reach.
Breathe in.
Mana flowed about him, an aura of blue-white intensity hovering mere inches above his skin. Within the wash of power his hair stood on end, swaying gently even though there was no breeze.
Breathe out.
He was troubled by his feelings, as was often true these days. Young love played havoc with his heart, pulling him towards that strange girl whose serpentine aspect chilled and warmed him in equal measure, yet who gave him little thought. Her eyes were not for him. She gazed upon a far-distant pinnacle, a spire of ambition stretching up into the heavens. At its top, he hoped, was something that would bring her peace.
Breathe in.
Borna had offered him advice on his pursuit, sparse as her words could be. If he was strong enough to climb the peaks of power beside that girl, he could be her strength. What happened after that was out of his hands. It felt like a noble goal. But as Sasha always told him, actions spoke louder than words.
Breathe out.
He had been training with her, and the months of practice had given him more than just scrapes and bruises. He had seen the full force of Holy Power; its radiance was indelibly etched into his mind and body. The golden rays had driven him back during spars, pounded him into the dirt, and yet again and again he rose to face them. That gleam filled him with pride. One day, he would wield such magic. He would become a man who could stand tall, an icon of strength for the ones he loved. He would be like her. A Knight.
Breathe in.
The feeling of the light lingered. Sometimes when he was alone and at peace, or when he was pushed to the brink in the midst of a training spar, he could reach out and touch it. That glow filled him and ran through his aura like shooting stars. He reached out for it now.
Breathe out.
Blue-white streaked through with calm white. Arcs of gold lancing across gaps and running in rivulets to trace the path of circuitry inches below. He was so close, but the truth of it eluded him. Golden light danced over his fingertips. This was as close as he'd ever been to facing his feelings. The night's events had given him the strength to push forward into uncharted waters.
Stand, and gird yourself in courage.
Lucas rose, holding his hands out, palms up, as he reached inwards for the well of strength that Sasha had showed him. He drew it from his heart; from the will to protect the one he loved.
I will be at her side as she makes her climb.
He brought his hands together, as golden motes danced like fairy-lights between his tingling palms. The scars of his climb showed in stark relief on his hands as he glowed with inner strength. They flickered, one by one, as they swirled around a center-point, gathering slowly as he took deep breaths, one after another.
And when we have reached the peaks of power, I will be a torch to mark the path for others.
The motes coalesced into a single sphere, glowing with a golden hue. A calming warmth radiated from it, filling him with wonder. This power was from him. It was his own faith that had made what he held before him. The work of years of preparation, and a year training under Sasha. Finally. This was the first time he had ever brought forth this spell. The first thing Sasha had asked of him, and a lesson he had not mastered despite months of work.
Now he held it.
Even if he couldn't yet wield it to fight, he had proven he could conjure that faith in his own hands. It was the first step on a long road.
He opened his arms wide and let it fly out towards the horizon, dissipating in the dawning light of New Year's Day. Then he turned back, picking up his spear and heading out on the path down to Garjling's Coat.
The year was beginning, and by its end he knew he would grow stronger still.