He Couldn't Be That Bad? // Sebastian Sallow and You (spicy)

19. If You Can't Handle The Heat

I spin my wand out in front of me like I'm stirring an enormous cauldron. Fire starts to glow and flicker up in an uneasy circle. I try and try but I can't conjure it in front of me, I'm used to putting incendio around me– blasting outward.

But this cursed ring of fire is still around me so I try to focus my energy to keep it going as I step backwards out of the forming circle. The flames lick my ankles but I'm able to step out of the swirling fire faster than last time. Feeling a tinge of burn other than the usual singe.

"It's not big enough. I don't even need to see it to know." Ominis is leaning against the tattered armchair.

"I know." I grind my teeth, trying to summon more strength. But I'm just pouring from an empty kettle and can't seem to put any more gusto behind it.

"It does actually help if you are angry though." Ominis slumps back into the chair, obviously bored.

I think about Valeria and it's a fresh enough emotion that it's easy to conjure. But it only provides minimal growth in the dancing flames. It doesn't feel like it will be ready for the tournament even if I practice for hours a day. At some point I hit a wall, I can't get the center of the spell to manifest and put enough power into it to make it spin, let alone grow.

With a groan I let the fire die, my arms flopping to my sides. It's exhausting pulling from this amount of darkness and emotion. Even my most powerful ancient magic doesn't rob me of my energy this much.

I can't believe I actually beat wizards who could cast this spell. Perhaps it was just one of a hundred lucky breaks I'd had. But I remember facing them on the battlefield and even they had to take a minute to summon the devastating spell.

"You're up again, Sebastian." Ominis leaned his head back, closing his eyes.

"Sorry we're boring you." Sebastian scoffed as he took his position in the center of the Undercroft.

I'm just glad Ominis finally agreed to tell us, and he hasn't once told us not to practice in here. "I'll wake you when it's impressive."

"If it was, you wouldn't need to." Ominis jabs, placing his arm behind his head to rest. "Once again, it starts in your chest, moving out and down your arms. Try to feel it coming down with each breath."

Sebastian plants his feet into a wide stance.

Ominis adds, "Perhaps you're not pulling from a powerful enough feeling."

"You're angry all the time, it's not so easy for the rest of us." Sebastian jabs back and resumes his stance. He takes a few deep breaths, before he had just looked focused, but he closed his eyes and a dark severity settled on his face instead.

With a fluid motion he whips his arms into a wide circle. Flames spring up in a small campfire then bloom out into a wide arc that closes itself off in a circle.

Heat surges out in billowing waves as the flames climb higher, rising up his torso, past his shoulders and over his head. Soon Sebaastian is fully silhouetted against the climbing swirling tornado of fire.

I take a step back and Ominis has risen from his chair, the worry lines illuminated in the bright flaming light.

The room is boiling hot, sweat manifests on my whole body and it feels like my hair might burn off my arms and any other exposed skin.

"Okay, that's enough!" Ominis is shouting but I can barely hear him over the scream of the flames.

Sebastian continues to circle his hands, his face shifts to triumphant joy as the tornado swirls. The fire spins and crackles so loud it sounds like a team of horses are galloping around the room with us.