Guardian core (Book 1 of: potentially many)

Is a body really necessary?

Alcor

I winced, continuing to cover my eyes. The force had vanished, though the light continued to shine and the wind continued blasting away from that central point of light. I glanced over and managed to see that Val and Auriel had their eyes open. They were staring at the source of the light, though Auriel glanced at me, seeming confused. The way her hair blasted back, flowing in rippling waves behind her, almost like fire in the light, made me blush and struggle to keep my thoughts focused. 

She crawled closer, and my blush deepened as she made it mere inches away from where I was kneeling, then pulled my hands into her own. The light dimmed- or seemed too- as I stared at her, and my eyes slowly stopped hurting as I stared into Auriel's gorgeous green eyes. Then she raised an eyebrow and I blushed harder, quickly looking away to try and recover. 

When I turned to see what had been making the light. I noticed that Val had ignored Stephan, instead standing and trying to get closer to the light despite the wind. Steph seemed to still be blinded. I looked over at what had caused the light, finally focusing on it, and saw something confusing. An orb of yellow crystal about as big as a boulder spun in the air directly above Yorik, and seemed to be slowly moving faster. 

Val seemed terrified, and was desperately chanting, her words so full of powerful magic that I could hear them echoing off the walls despite the wind, even though I couldn't understand what she was saying or trying to do. She was leaning into the wind, her eyes shut tightly as she moved closer, her hands not blocking her face and moving in a specific pattern instead, helping to channel the magic. 

I hadn't seen Val need to use gestures or use such a long chant in years... When she'd first joined and started working magic, her spells had required it to help her maintain her focus as she shaped the magic, but now she was a high enough level that she shouldn't need such high amounts of focus... unless it some kind of extremely powerful spell she'd never even told us about before. 

Her eyes started glowing a deep red, her pupils visible through her eyelids as visible, condensed red mana started leaking from her tearducts as she drew magic from her surroundings to help aid her in casting the spell... Meaning it took more magic than her body could contain. I finally stood, helping Auriel to her feet and helping her reach Val. She heard Val speak and understood, immediately downing a blue potion before closing her own eyes and joining Val in casting the spell as I went back to help Steph. 

I stood in between him and the orb, letting Steph recover as he used me to keep from being blown away in the wind. He was tiny compared to me, especially in the weight department- he'd always had such little muscle and mass compared to myself... He climbed up my back to my ear so he could speak over the wind. 

"What in the name of Mother Vor is that!?" He was referring to the goddess of the wraiths, who was worshiped occasionally by thieves and rogues. Ironic, really... it made me wonder what god or goddess Val worshiped. I shrugged, noting that he still seemed blinded. He felt my reaction and used some impressive sounding words that sounded distinctly human. I didn't understand the swearing, but I understood the sentiment. I started moving towards the orb, and Steph held on, blinded by it. 

Val and Auriel seemed to be trying to stop whatever the orb was from doing what it was meant to do, and their spell was starting to take effect. I could see visible amounts of mana gathering and starting to bind the orb, slowing it down noticeably. It kept turning though, and seemed to be growing bright and hotter as it did so, heat I hadn't noticed before beginning to slowly blister my skin as it grew brighter. 

I managed to make it in front of the girls, putting my arms out to the side and blocking them from the wind, the light, and even the burning heat that began to give me minor burns. I ignored it, protecting my friends. They sounded like they'd almost finished chanting when the orb cracked, locking in place as it looked almost like it would explode. The girls finished their spell right as the orb exploded fully, the crystal shattering and freezing in place as the spell took hold, though it was too late for whatever they'd been hoping to do.