It was a subtle reaction, but when Evalin hopped up onto the desk, the hypnotist flinched away in instinctual revulsion. It was the body of a child, after all, and much of him was just holding himself back from a knee-jerk vengeance for the blossom of potential that had been snuffed before it could grow. He forced a smile, looking down at the hand he had used to morph. Now that a secret of his was revealed, she sought it. In every mage is a greedy creature that hordes knowledge and gives nothing in return. Some slay this beast, become teachers, enablers, and still others grow more and more warped through the years till that beast is all they are.
What was he?
Ana had been taught morphing by his own hand, and Wilmot had learned hypnotism with him. Evalin had been kind enough to offer a measure of magic only her own, and yet here he was struggling with the decision to give her what she asked. It was not simply greed, but that suspicious fear that one day his willingness to part with magic would come back to haunt him.
Do it.
Zan? Why?
She said she had a secret. Isn’t that reason enough? Uncover it! Explore it! Seek it! Know it!
At the cost of my magic?
What? That’s what you’re worried about? Boyo, I can do what you can do naturally. That poor Irylid is stuck in like…two shapes, and that’s a forever thing. Teach her something to give that poor fellow a little fluidity.
I thought you hated Irylids.
I do.
This feels more like pity.
Can’t I do both?
Which is stronger?
Whichever one gets you to stop talking and show her the trick!
You’re terrible short sighted.
And you’re terribly long winded! Look what I have to put up with!
In five years, will I regret this choice?
Five years? FIVE YEARS? Boyo, I don’t think much past today. You really need to relax, live by the seat of your pants more. Juxtapose.
Juxtapose?
Juxtapose.
How’d you learn that word?
Book.
When were you reading?
I read when you sleep. I’m pretty much bored out of your skull so I find the prettiest words in books and memorize them.
Without the definition?
Precisely. Why waste time with stupid explanations.
For correct usage?
That’s just plain neophyte.
Suppressing a groan, Wren turned his attention back on Evalin, sighed and held out his hand. “Very well, a trade then.” Focusing on his hand, the skin shifted, crackled, puckered, became an emerald green as long black claws curved from each finger. “Morphing is the process of warping your exterior djed…at first, although more advanced techniques can shift the interior Djed as well.” He wasn’t so quick as to give away his mastery of the magic, or at least his perceived ease of use.
“The trick to understanding morphing usually takes time,” the hypnotist began, “But I’m guessing you want the quick course.” Sliding off the desk he crossed the room to where he left his things, taking an inkpot and quill from the supplies and returning. “Now, I’m still fairly new to glyphing, but it’s often best if the initiate sees and feels the process of change.” He paused there, wavering, “I won’t mark you if you fear your body’s damage, but without this kind of instruction, you will struggle…even with the base concepts, for weeks before your Djed responds. I should know, I did it myself.”
His hand was mottled green, shifting, fighting to reclaim the colors of his original skin. It took longer than it should have, several shades of pale and peach showing till he matched skin colors and even then, the nails took some shaping. His body had lost its elasticity…and if he did not will himself to change, he would not…and his form would be lost forever.
A sobering thought.
“The magic changes certain things about yourself, mostly cosmetically to begin with. I wouldn’t mess with your mass or too much of your shape till you understand the core tenants of morphing in entirety. For me, the tenants are as follows. Color ,Shape, Functionality. I’ve ordered them in terms of difficulty. Color should be the simplest concept to grasp, simply a change of your skin shade. It will be the first task we attempt to accomplish, but I’ll show you a little of all three tenants for beginning morphers in this lesson.”
He held out the quill, poised, “At your will, Evalin.”
What was he?
Ana had been taught morphing by his own hand, and Wilmot had learned hypnotism with him. Evalin had been kind enough to offer a measure of magic only her own, and yet here he was struggling with the decision to give her what she asked. It was not simply greed, but that suspicious fear that one day his willingness to part with magic would come back to haunt him.
Do it.
Zan? Why?
She said she had a secret. Isn’t that reason enough? Uncover it! Explore it! Seek it! Know it!
At the cost of my magic?
What? That’s what you’re worried about? Boyo, I can do what you can do naturally. That poor Irylid is stuck in like…two shapes, and that’s a forever thing. Teach her something to give that poor fellow a little fluidity.
I thought you hated Irylids.
I do.
This feels more like pity.
Can’t I do both?
Which is stronger?
Whichever one gets you to stop talking and show her the trick!
You’re terrible short sighted.
And you’re terribly long winded! Look what I have to put up with!
In five years, will I regret this choice?
Five years? FIVE YEARS? Boyo, I don’t think much past today. You really need to relax, live by the seat of your pants more. Juxtapose.
Juxtapose?
Juxtapose.
How’d you learn that word?
Book.
When were you reading?
I read when you sleep. I’m pretty much bored out of your skull so I find the prettiest words in books and memorize them.
Without the definition?
Precisely. Why waste time with stupid explanations.
For correct usage?
That’s just plain neophyte.
Suppressing a groan, Wren turned his attention back on Evalin, sighed and held out his hand. “Very well, a trade then.” Focusing on his hand, the skin shifted, crackled, puckered, became an emerald green as long black claws curved from each finger. “Morphing is the process of warping your exterior djed…at first, although more advanced techniques can shift the interior Djed as well.” He wasn’t so quick as to give away his mastery of the magic, or at least his perceived ease of use.
“The trick to understanding morphing usually takes time,” the hypnotist began, “But I’m guessing you want the quick course.” Sliding off the desk he crossed the room to where he left his things, taking an inkpot and quill from the supplies and returning. “Now, I’m still fairly new to glyphing, but it’s often best if the initiate sees and feels the process of change.” He paused there, wavering, “I won’t mark you if you fear your body’s damage, but without this kind of instruction, you will struggle…even with the base concepts, for weeks before your Djed responds. I should know, I did it myself.”
His hand was mottled green, shifting, fighting to reclaim the colors of his original skin. It took longer than it should have, several shades of pale and peach showing till he matched skin colors and even then, the nails took some shaping. His body had lost its elasticity…and if he did not will himself to change, he would not…and his form would be lost forever.
A sobering thought.
“The magic changes certain things about yourself, mostly cosmetically to begin with. I wouldn’t mess with your mass or too much of your shape till you understand the core tenants of morphing in entirety. For me, the tenants are as follows. Color ,Shape, Functionality. I’ve ordered them in terms of difficulty. Color should be the simplest concept to grasp, simply a change of your skin shade. It will be the first task we attempt to accomplish, but I’ll show you a little of all three tenants for beginning morphers in this lesson.”
He held out the quill, poised, “At your will, Evalin.”
