The Crescent Hour ✓

Chapter 21. The Four Trials

Wind blew on her face, tossing her curls away from her neck. Clara laughed, the thrill of flying humming through her blood. She felt a complete sense of freedom in the air. The sky spread out in its magnificent immensity. Plots of cultivated fields and untamed forests dotted the earth.

“There’s food in my bag. Take it then give my bag to Eryx,” Rai said to her.

She took out a packet, helped Rai sling off the backpack and gave it to Eryx. Poking his firearm, she asked, “What about your rifle?”

“Leave it. It’s too heavy.”

It did look enormous. He always kept it around like it weighed nothing more than a bundle of feathers.

“How come, you can lift it with ease?” she asked.

“The Shima are gifted with superior strength. Besides, I like weightlifting,” he replied with a shrug.

They flew through the clouds for hours. She had a meal of fresh fruits with wheat bread. When she grew tired of ogling the scenery, she turned to Eryx and asked, “How did you cast the spells on Enki?”

Eryx scratched his jaw. “I suppose I should start from the beginning. Do you know about aether?’

“The source of all magic,” she replied.

“Correct. There are three kinds of people in Aurion. The Mages, the Blessed and the Untouched. Mages are gifted with the power of magic, able to absorb and manipulate aether according to their will. The Blessed have traces of latent magic in their blood but they don’t have full control over aether. They can cast weak spells. They, however, cannot obtain a special power. The Untouched lack the affinity for magic.”

“What are the special powers?”

“Aside from spell-casting, a mage has unique abilities such as Poison Creation, Fire Manipulation, Light Bending, Invisibility and so on. Mine is Healing.”

“I can create crystals,” she said.

“Yes, you do have that ability but your powers are still evolving.”

“What does that mean?” she asked, her eyebrows furrowing in thought.

“It's not your true power.”

She fiddled with the pendant. The thought of having more power left her disconcerted. She didn’t know whether she could handle it. The last time she had used too much of it, she had ended up with a fever.

“Since you already know how to draw out your magic, I don’t need to go over that,” Eryx said. “I would have taught you how to use magic stones but we can’t practice here. As for the spells, you need a spellbook. I’ll get you one later.”

She felt eyes boring on her face. Enki was staring at her, a strange glint in his eyes. He looked away. Although the claws on his back looked broken and restrained, his face had healed.

He was eavesdropping.

Mecha left her shoulder and fluttered to Tamer. It squealed at Enki but didn't hover too close to him. When it got bored, it hid inside Tamer's pocket.

Eryx directed his ragar to fly close to them. “Let me show you something.”

He held out his palm. A sphere swelled out at the top, shifting into the shape of an umbrella. The bottom lengthened and split into several filaments. It turned into a blue jellyfish. Clara poked the gelatinous membrane of its body. It floated away, the strings slipping over her hand. She didn’t feel any sting.

“Try creating yours,” he said.

She closed her eyelids and imagined a white jellyfish capering on her palm. When she opened them, there was nothing.