Watty's Shortlist 2023
"I have been waiting a long time to meet you."
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When two warring kingdoms hear of a magical object that will end the conflict once and for all, two rival heirs embark on a quest to retrieve it and bring their...
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"To become invisible, you must bind the air to your will," Ember began.
There was a morning chill that hung in the air, though the sun cast a bright glow on the scene. The pair were in the middle of the field, just outside The Dragon Temple, preparing to start training.
After the previous night, Ember's wake up call had initially been very irritating. Aila had wanted nothing more than to sleep, the fatigue from training and splashing around in the river catching up to her. That is, until she remembered his plan for today.
Excitement bubbled in her veins, the anticipation to learn how to do something she'd only ever read about, coursing through her.
"You won't feel a difference," Ember continued. "And for this reason, it can be dangerous, but this is also a lesson in trusting yourself."
"Okay, so what do I do?" Aila asked, crossing her arms as icy air nipped at her skin.
"Harness the air particles such that they cover your body," he instructed. "They must be adjacent to your skin, like a blanket." Ember's amused eyes flicked to Aila's shivers.
Aila closed her eyes, frowning in concentration.
The tingling appeared immediately, as she located her well of power on instinct. It was getting easier and easier to call on her power, and ever since the fire incident, she could no longer feel a true end to the well within her. However, fear still filled her at the prospect of going too deep, of losing herself within her magic, like she did in that inferno.
Aila channelled the air around her, manipulating it such that it obeyed her will, diffusing through the space until it was in very close proximity.
"Now what?" She murmured, clenching her eyes shut so as not to lose her focus.
"This part is difficult," Ember clicked his tongue. "You have to create an air shield around you, tight enough to feel like a second skin."
Aila imagined the air particles binding together, not in a chemical way, but rather physically. They locked together, clicking into place like pieces of a puzzle. She formed it in place, marvelling at the strange sensation and the fact that it was possible to achieve this.
"Now become the shield," Ember spoke.
"What?" Aila's eyes opened and her concentration broke, dismantling the puzzle and sending the element diffusing into the air again.
She groaned as she met Ember's red eyes, staring at her with a silent intensity.
"On a superficial level," he clarified. "Your matter will still be there. You won't have disappeared, which is why you won't truly feel any different."
"Become the shield?" She repeated, raising a dubious eyebrow.
"Yes. You and your power are one, though your magic hasn't been acquainted with your self yet. Merge with the shield in the same way you dive into your well."
