Areallya S2.2

I am a little off schedule from being sick in the beginning of the month. But! I am making great headway in caching up. I believe I'll be getting through season two on time with the month. Special commissions are also coming! Be sure to keep an eye out for the chance to create something from your imagination! -01/16/26

The training grounds were a short walk from the city.

Areallya followed Igor closely. Before the curse, her class from school left the city a handful of times for magical practice.  Outside of the barrier this time, even with a powerful teacher near, she felt exposed. Still, they continued to the fenced off open area. Straw-stuffed, beaten up dummies piled in a far corner. Other students trained in the cleared field.

“Now, as you know, mages often have more aptitude for two of the four elements,” Igor stopped. He levitated one of the straw men from the corners, and placed it. 

“Show me the basic spells you can cast.” To this, Areallya held out her hand. A slim rod fell into it, seemingly out of thin air. She pointed the staff at the dummy. A small, yet powerful, fireball made a beeline and exploded around the straw man. Since these mannequins were imbued with powerful defensive spells, it stood almost unharmed as the smoke cleared. Igor nodded, and she rotated through the rest of the elements. But when Areallya got to water, a sputtering ball of water she couldn’t control splashed to the ground at her attempt. She huffed in frustration, stomping her staff into the ground lightly. Igor nodded, a look of examination on his face.

“Well, I see where our work will begin,” he said. Though Areallya expected to begin in her weakest area, she remained disappointed. She looked back to the mannequin in the distance, vowing to strike it down with every element one day.

And so, the weeks continued in similar fashion. Areallya’s new schedule remained filled with rigorous training. Any fear from being outside the barrier appeared to fade into focus on the task at hand. Casting any kind of controlled spell with water continued to elude her, ending in the same cold splash. She balled her fists, squeezing her rod in irritation. 

“You cannot force water to obey your command,” Igor spoke from his onlooking. 

“Water is an element in constant flux, imposing your will is impossible.” His words only exasperated her further.

“But then how do I cast a spell with something with a will of its own!?” Areallya read through tens of books on the arcane of water. She could see the words on the page, and remember the explanations. No matter what she tried though, it wouldn’t seem to translate.

“Any spell with water is cast within its natural flow. Like calling it from the flow of a river,” Igor reminded her of this important concept. 

“This is not an idea easily understood. Water mage masters are nearly unheard of for a reason. Give yourself some time.” Areallya took a breath, and loosened her grip on the silver rod. She readied herself for the next attempt.

Areallya's primary mage outfit and winter coat

It took the entirety of a month and a half. Another moment of dissatisfaction overcame her. Areallya threw her staff bitterly to the wet ground. The wind whistled around her, mirroring the anger boiling within. Igor started toward her, but she waved him off, wanting to be alone. She kicked the gathering snow, picked it up and threw it, then simply squeezed it in her hands, letting the cold water seep through her fingers. And in this moment, her mind made a connection. Areallya opened her eyes, and frowned at the revelation. Before the spark could disappear, she picked up the icy rod. With a deep breath and a fluid wave of her staff, water came forth. Instead of an angry bubble, a stream of water flowed circularly around the rod. A huff of disbelief escaped from Areallya. Snapping her silver staff with the flow, the stream splashed forcefully into the ground and returned as large jagged shards of ice, riddling the straw dummy with blows. The poor mannequin remained pinned in place at multiple points. Areallya still held out her staff, still shocked by the manifestation. 

“Excellent!” Igor’s voice broke through the snowy air. 

“I… I did it,” Areallya said to herself, finally lowering her rod. The more she began to process, the dots of her studies began to connect. Like breaking through clouds, the arcane of water started to make sense.