Across the Threshold

Training

Shade

The six of them just sat there, not saying anything. They were all in shock, not believing what they had heard.

Though he did not know entirely what an End Crystal was, Shade could tell that they were very powerful objects. What else could explain his sudden powers?

"We must return to the Frostbourn," Rain said. "Inform Ser Patrick of the situation."

"That we must," Ceris replied. "But while you all prepare for the journey, I must take the time to educate Shade on the world that he finds himself in."

Rain nodded, standing up to begin packing. The others followed him, leaving Ceris and Shade alone.

Ceris got up, beckoning for Shade to follow, and walked into the woods. Shade walked after her, wanting to understand what was going on.

She stopped once they had traveled a good distance away from the others. She turned to face him, revealing her vibrant Ender Eyes. She seemed to have regained her energy during the night.

"Why did we come so far from camp?" Shade asked.

"I didn't want to disturb anyone," she replied. "As I am both going to teach you about our world and try to help you control your magic."

"Great," he replied. "When do we start?"

Ceris spent the next hour teaching Shade about this place. Though it was a lot, each thing she told him seemed to unlock the End Crystal inside of him, giving him more information. He soon understood just as much as Ceris did about the different factions, dimensions, species, and powers in this world. He understood the war, even feeling intense anger towards Naeus for the suffering that he had caused.

"So," he said after Ceris finished explaining the End Crystals, "I have the power of one of the most powerful Ender artifacts inside me, which makes me a target of the strongest single individual in all of the dimensions."

"Correct," Ceris replied. "You really caught on quickly."

Shade shrugged. "It has something to do with the End Crystal I guess."

She nodded, standing up as she spoke.

"Now, it is time for your training in magic," she said. "Try your best to channel the energy you felt earlier."

Shade closed my eyes, concentrating. He remembered the feeling of energy coursing through his body. He tried to feel it again, reaching deep inside himself. Nothing.

"I don't feel anything," he told her. "I can't access my energy."

"Look deeper," she told me. "Search for the part of yourself that doesn't belong."

Shade pushed deeper, searching for that feeling. He knew what it felt like, now he just needed to find where it was.

Suddenly, he hit a wall inside of him. It was foreign, not natural. He could feel his energy trapped behind it.

"I feel a wall," Shade said. "It's holding back my energy, preventing me from using it."

"Good," Ceris told me. "Now break that barrier. Don't allow anything to hold you back."

Shade mentaly rammed the barrier, trying to get to the other side. He felt it give a little, prompting him to ram again, harder. This time, the barrier broke, energy flooding through him.

Shade tried to channel the energy, use it to perform a spell or something. A faint image of an Ender Armblade flickered on his wrist. It quickly went out, leaving Shade feeling exhausted.

"Great job," Ceris told him. "I didn't expect you to form anything coherent on your first try."

Shade nodded, too tired to say anything.

"Why am I so tired?" he asked. "In the End, I was able to do much more without even breaking a sweat."

"That's because you are new to this," Ceris said, sitting down next to him. "Right now, you are drawing from your own energy reserves, instead of from the crystal. It is the easiest way to learn magic, although the most taxing. Eventually, you will learn how to draw energy directly from the crystal."

Shade nodded. That made sense. He then asked her something that had been puzzling him for a while.

"Why does Stella have a book floating behind her?" he asked.

"Usually, magicians use spell books to channel their magic," she explained. "It helps them to focus, and it allows them to have a greater number of sells at their disposal without having to memorize them. You, on the other hand, have no need of a spell book. The End Crystal will provide you with all the spells and energy you need."

That also made sense. It also gave him an idea.

"So, since magicians normally have a spell book with them," he said, "I should be able to surprise enemies with my ability to perform magic."

"That is correct," Ceris replied. "Once you learn how to use magic that is."

Shade glanced at her, and saw that she was smiling. He grinned back, feeling that he had made his first friend here.

Ceris stood up, glancing back towards camp.

"We should be heading back," she said. "The others should be ready to go by now."

Shade nodded, standing up as well. They started walking back to the others, with Shade still lost in thought.

He was happy to have learned more about this world and his powers. He felt more in control than he has for a while now. But most of all, he was happy to have made his first friend in this strange world.