Chapter 16: The Nature of Magic
Selena opened her palm and began chanting in a strange language. Her voice was calm and even, deliberately pronouncing every syllable. She spoke much slower than the Inquisitor or even Soltair, but I got the feeling that was only because this was a demonstration.
After a few words, bright sparks of light coalesced together, forming a series of symbols. The runes spun together, forming a single circle about her palm. They pulsed with the chant and disappeared right when she stopped.
A glowing ball materialized in her hand, floating just a few inches above her palm. "This," she said dramatically, "Is magic."
I stared at it for a few seconds, itching to give it a try. Unfortunately, I could only remember a handful of the words. The runes seemed simple enough, but I had no idea how to draw them in the air.
Smiling at my impatience, Selena placed a hand on my shoulder. "Magic is not an art to be rushed. Ignorance or misunderstanding can often be fatal. Before you use magic, you must understand what it is, and how to control it."
Nodding, I took a deep breath and suppressed my yearning spirit. Selena cleared her throat and began to lecture. I eagerly listened, memorizing every word.
"There are laws that transcend even the gods. They dictate how things work, like gravity or blood flow around the body. We can influence these laws with magic and bend reality to our will."
"What exactly is magic?" I asked.
"That's a topic of much debate, even among aged scholars. One thing that we agree on is that magic is throughout all things, perhaps the very thing holding everything together. It doesn't break the laws, only changes how they work. The larger the scope, the more magic is required. To command magic, a mage must sense and direct it using their mana."