Completed Flipping The Switch

[Russell Wood]

17th Day of Spring, 514 AV

Russell found himself standing in front of a pile of rubbish, why was he here you ask? You're not asking? Well I'll tell you anyway, Russell found himself a job as a voider, so the void wizard then found out that it included voiding rubbish, nothing but rubbish. The only good thing that he found out of this is that he could forever banish his most hated thing at that moment into the depths of nothingness and oblivion. Hopefully someone left something important in their rubbish it'd teach them not to mess with his nose.

The young man closed his eyes and took a deep breath, he slowly, and by that, very slowly allowed his mind to clear. He ignored the world around him, the cold wind touching his skin, the air moving into his lungs, the noises that came from all around the city. To him it all become nothingness, a void even. His Djed from that point on started to move out, strengthen his connection with the other side.

It felt like an eternity for Russell as he cleared his mind, each breath was automatic, shallow, almost as if it became nothing, void. Everything had to correspond with nothingness, his mind became an empty swirl of blackness. He had taken time to understand what true absence of everything meant. His formula had lost all meaning. But in was that loss of meaning that brought forth the small black speck in front of him.

It was almost too small to see, Russell slowly allowed his eyes to open, the usual green seemed dull and clouded. He was only concentrating on the portal, nothing else mattered. He allowed it to grow ever so slowly, it had taken half a minute to create this tiny piece. Now he would allow it to grow, as much as a crack in this side can grow. This tiny hole toward the other side grew, it kept growing until it became half the size of a man.

The thing stayed the way it was, stable, Russell breathed out a shallow breath. His head was beginning to swim a little. The portal had been born, a portal to nothingness has been created, and whatever would end up there would soon end up forever lost. But what would be created in the same place would be a something that will forever be considered a gain.

[Miro]

Miro found himself walking the back alleys of the docks, as he commonly did. Though he found himself slightly more disgusted with such a stroll than usual. Rather than to have litter scattered about the streets, the city had recently decided to gather them into piles. While this was great to find gatherings of the poor searching for a meal, it was not ideal to capture them. There were witnesses, always witnesses. Not only was this an issue, but as well it took the competition out of the hunt. Both in for the poor and for the wizard. To see them all gathered about, half buried in filth, it almost made him wish not to abduct them anymore.

It was a new pattern of behavior for the lesser beings of the city. They would migrate from one collection area to another, gathering food, new belonging, filth, until finally they broke away from the pack. It seemed also they were learning of the Chained One's existence, the masked man. They were learning there was safety in numbers, and to find a lone victim was never easy. And though it was rare treat, it was something that had to be done, this hunt for a victim. However in these days, more tact than ever was required. Sometimes there were those who were not a part of the main scavengers, stragglers, those who got the second hand trash.

The most desperate of the desperate, the undead's new prey. Yes, they were a rare and pathetic quarry, but desperate times called for desperate prey. At times the Reimancer had considered using his magic to set the rubbish ablaze, not only to rid the world of such filth, but to send a message. To start tales of the poor lost within their hunt for food, caught in a sudden inferno. But it would not stop them, only waste Djed, perform a free service to the city. And selflessness was not a part of his character, far from it. The poor survived on the trash, and he needed the poor, so the trash was necessary, at least until combed through.

Miro still hated the way things were, even if the litter of the city had become problematic. It had long since been a habit of the city to dump its rubbish in the poorest parts of the city, but by now it had become a bit too chaotic, even for Ravok. For over a bell now he had been in search of a prey, in need of a victim to experiment on. Lately he had found himself on the verge of a Hypnotic breakthrough, and was sure that he could achieve an advancement with the proper motivation. To capture one of the street-roamers and scare them beyond their wits end, it was all the motivation he needed. Such a show of domination was what he lived for. The though of instilling such fear made him itch with anxiety to cast.

By now the undead had come back around to an area where a group was feasting not all that long ago. He hoped to find one of his much sought after stragglers. Whenever he witnessed these types, he could not help himself. They were always so eager to find something, anything to eat, that they never focused on anything but the trash. And as Miro came to enter his hunting ground, he found a shadowy figure in the depths of the cast darkness of the alleyway. As he neared, he noted the odd behavior, a man just observing the rubbish. Such an act, seemed a show of despondency, but they did not look the type to lose hope.

The Chained One carefully approached the man from behind. He was sure to hide the sound of his movements as much as possible, but it was such a futile effort. The metallic cling of his robe, the loud pad of his nearly dead leg, it was impossible for him to sneak. Surprisingly, this did not seem to matter. Maybe the man had given up on life. As the undead neared his prey, he came to stand still and savored the moment. He wished for the target to turn and witness him in fear, but this did not happen for some time. There was just a stillness to this strange loner, but a feel in the air, a familiar tinge of excitement against the wizard's skin. Why was he sensing a presence of Djed?

There was nobody about except for this odd man, so all evidence suggested he was to blame. The Aurist closed his eyes and concentrated on his other senses. The feel of the dark alley, the soft sounds in the air, and even took a breath to embrace the stench of rubbish. He focused on the man and attuned his Djed to sense his aura. The vibrancy of Miro's own aura began to match and reflect that of the strange man's aura, and indeed he was able to gain a sense. There was no doubt anymore, this man was a magic user. The quality of his aura was much greater than that of most, but not so keen as to overwhelm.

With his Auristic senses opened, the wizard opened his eyes. He was able to view the aura with all of his sense now, and feel its imprint on his mind, though it only came to him as sounds. A cacophony of feelings, images, scents, even ideas, they all came into his mind as a dissonant melody. There was so much to take in, it was maddening. He focused hard through the synesthetic discord to concentrate his Djed further on the aura. Finally the most subtle of details began to become clear. Feelings, physical properties, magical excitement as well. Various understandings and bits of knowledge appeared in his mind's eye without warning.

The undead, though he hadn't seen this man's face, knew the man's appearance. He as well was able to gain a grasp into how the caster felt. Blank, empty, not quite despondent, nor was simply lacking emotion. It was a very palpable and focused clearness of mind. As if the caster had cleared himself of any influence of feelings, and replaced it only with meditation. Anything more than this to discern was beyond the Aurist's level of skill, as observing the aura was becoming stressful. He began to ease the connection away when suddenly a shock snapped him from his concentration.

Miro stumbled back and clenched the Mask of Many in agony. The mental fatigue the discipline caused was always distressing in itself, but what he had witnessed mixed the feeling with that of excitement. The mental fog remained for several ticks, but had almost entirely faded by then. He looked up to confirm what he had thought himself a witness to. Indeed, it was so, the man was a Voider. Yes, Voiding, the magic that Alendrus had practiced. A discipline that seemingly created a gaping hole in existence to swallow things.

The wizard stood in awe as he witnessed the act before him for the second time. In all of his years as a wizard, few magics compared to this marvel. Only in the past season had he ever witnessed it, and the intrigue it sparked had never left him. It seemed undeniably powerful, rare, and the Chained One's cravings told him he must have it. Though this Void was not as large as the former, and could only be assumed to have been made to swallow rubbish. Miro watched with the greatest pleasure and waited to witness the deed complete.

When finally it had seemed the man was done with whatever his task was, an introduction would be made. The Hypnotist would not wait to make an impression however. He began to expand his aura of influence, to focus his Djed to his very presence, and to concentrate on an emotional responses of comfort. When finally he would get the chance to speak, he would insert a hypnotic suggestion into his words. "Excellent display of Voiding. I am Miro of the Ebonstryfe, very pleased to meet you." The suggestion implanted was simple. "I can appreciate somebody who can appreciate my magic"

[Russell Wood]

Russell looked at the black swirling portal, the horrid hole in the world, which showed those a glimpse of the other side. The man concentrated on keeping it there, soon enough the rubbish was nearly all gone. To be feasted on by the void, and to hopefully never be seen again in this world. Russell could only feel himself relax. He cut the connection to the portal and let it seep away, yet his mind continued to swim.

Right after closing the portal Russell heard a voice, he didn't jump, nor was he startled. He felt a little bit comfortable, but that feeling was squashed soon enough. He turned to face the person who had spoken to him.

"Ah thank you, I hope you enjoyed the show." He could almost pick up the suggestion placed on him, but then again it was something he'd have thought in the first place. Russell began to smile a little. But then the feeling of Djed hanging in the air suddenly snapped him out of his thoughts, Russell couldn't help but realize this man might be a wizard, or that there was another one nearby. He looked around a little, they were rather subtle glances to check the area, before looking back toward the man in front of him.

"Well, my name is Russell Wood, it's truly a pleasure to meet you too. Although it makes me worry a little, am I in a bit of trouble?" Russell said with a smaller smile, his mind had stopped swimming. Maybe another display of magic would help him out in this scenario? Russell slipped in a suggestion. "I can appreciate his use of magic"

Russell was also prepared for the off-chance that this backfired on him, a bead of sweat fell down the side of his face. Using two different types of magic right after each other wasn't the smartest idea, he could almost feel the call of the sweet whispers. Maybe he needed to build up his stamina? Or would anything help him with this infernal problem of his and every other wizard.His attention once more focused toward the man in front of him,

"Since you seem to know what type of magic I used, would you happen to be a void user yourself? Or perhaps have you come across it before." Russell made sure to keep the smile on his face, the current situation was exciting in a way he had yet to learn to explain.

[Miro]

Miro loved to meet other wizards. Few could compare to him in power, but every wizard knew something useful. Some knew things that were truly valuable, powerful, things that the Chained One craved. These types were lucky, for they had power over him. But they were equally unlucky, for he had power over them, and was not afraid to use it to get what he wanted. This man, Russell Wood, as he introduced himself, he was valuable. Kind, humble, direct, at least on the surface he appeared so. Whatever the case, he seemed to know his place.

Somehow the man was even a bit charming. Perhaps it was his magic, for that was something the undead could always respect, but maybe it was his candor. It was rare to find a wizard who could act so grounded and yet possess such a power. "I enjoyed your display very much Mr. Wood. You needn't worry at all about me, for if anything, I will see to it you remain safe. You've done no wrong, and even seem to be doing the city a service. Using Voiding to clean rubbish, that is some way to use your magic. I myself, no, I do not practice the discipline, but I know of it. I have come across it before, and I find myself very intrigued by it."

It was something he desperately wanted, though he wouldn't say so plainly. Instead he would hint for now, a suggestion, "I should get this man on my side." The magic so simple to cast by now, his very presence at this distance was enough to impress on the wills of others. "It seems you are not used to the Ebonstryfe. Or perhaps it is the attention you are not used to. Perhaps it is you are not a citizen? Such a thing would be dangerous, as you would not have rights. Could easily be taken slave, killed, robbed, or really any number of things."

To make a comment like that would put any on their toes, citizen or not, but a Hypnotist was able to level out such things. An emotional response was issued to calm the man a bit. "Not that I would do such a thing to you. But others, you never know. Us wizards have to watch out for one another, because many do not treat us well. When you are casting, you seem, well, you seem focused. Gone almost." Miro gave a chuckle and cast another emotional response, this time of relief. "It isn't often that I can sneak up on somebody." He followed the previous spell with a feeling of acceptance.

Hopefully the target of his manipulations was primed enough that he might be able to advance things a bit more. Though the Hypnotist had only used his most simple techniques, he felt that he had accomplished something. "I don't know if you are busy, but I find myself very interested in you and your magic. Now, if you are too busy, don't let me keep you. However if you can spare some time, I'd like to accompany you. With my magic, I am sure I could help you, if you need any help cleaning trash that is. I know I'd certainly like to learn a bit more about Voiding. Maybe you'd be interested to learn a bit about my magic."

The Chained One would show Reimancy off, a magic that required an initiation to learn. This was something that not all magics required, and perhaps even Voiding did too, but many did not. There was some chance that the wizard would steal the Voiding technique from Russell, but no chance that Russell would steal Reimancy. In the end though, things might come down to a trade of information, or perhaps even an initiation trade. But if all went well hypnotic manipulations would bend the Voider's will to willingly give away the information. This would be ideal. Perhaps there was a way to execute a double win.

Miro stepped things up again. He opened his body language, gestured with his hands, his eyes, his tone of voice. He needed to push Russell to play into his hand. This started with another suggestion, "I want to know what he is capable of." The Reimancer grinned behind his mask as he looked at his new acquaintance expectantly. "I am not sure you are convinced, so let me show you what I can do." From the tip of his finger, the wizard produced a faint trickle of water. The stream of water that poured from his finger was replaced by sand, then by wisps of fire, and finally by sparks of lightning.

Another suggestion, "That was impressive." He followed the spell with a shrug and explanation. "I am a master of magic. Quite possibly the greatest the world has seen in centuries." The wizard cast an emotional response of awe into the man and continued with his pompous rant. "It is not often somebody impresses me. Even rarer for them to impress me and for me to find them charming. Truly a rare quality in our kind. I seek out people like that for a very specific purpose. I think you might be worthy, but I can not be sure."

Miro was sure he had Russell drawn in, and he looked to clench a victory. This was the hardest part, but the part he loved the most. He channeled an emotional response of excitement that grew as he spoke. "If you would allow me to accompany you, and all goes well, I would like to make you an offer." He replaced the previous emotional response with desire. "I would like to see if you are one fit to learn from me, to be my apprentice. I would teach you a great many things."

The final bout, the part that needed no help from Hypnotism. He would make the deal he always made. It was a way to trade his many benefits for the mind and soul of the apprentice. "Magics and secrets one can not find elsewhere. I would offer you my protection, my wealth, my influence. You could use my vast resources and all I would ask in return is your loyalty and trust. But I will only offer this to those who are worthy. Let me come along with you. Together we will decide if we can mutually benefit from this relationship."

[Russell Wood]

Russell took a closer look at the man in front of him; he was taller than your average person, standing at around the same height as Russell. The part that bothered him a little was the mask, you could never tell what someone with a mask is thinking, or how they feel. But then again Russell usually shrouded his face using his cloak, not this time. Which Russell felt gave the man an advantage, not a small one either. He’d have to extra careful about his expressions, and calm down on the use of magic. He had a job to do after-all, and he’d end up wasting his Djed too since he couldn’t tell on what path to take the man’s emotions too.

Russell found himself smiling a little, ”I’m certainly glad that you feel this way, I’ll strive to do even more in the future. These back-streets do need a good bit of cleaning every once in a while.” Russell found himself smiling a little more at that, what he had just said had a double meaning to it, the homeless people seemed to be lessening in the area, and he himself had been a little busy with that.

Russell found himself pondering about the man’s position as a member of the Ebonstryfe, and found that this man might become a useful ally of some sort. But then again using this man might be more trouble than it is worth, especially since Russell wasn’t a citizen. What the man next made Russell tense up quite a bit. Did the man know he wasn’t a citizen? There wasn’t anyway Russell could lie about it. Nor could he get forged papers, he didn’t even think a member from the Ebonstryfe would fall for fakes. So he merely laughed a little, even if it did sound a little nervous, as good as he was at hiding his feelings, that one was a little too close.

Russell took a few deep breaths to calm himself; it was like being thrown through a rollercoaster of some sort. ”Indeed, it is a most frustrating part of the process, but it is something I am currently working on.” Russell found himself laughing a little at the next comment; the man did seem to make a bit of noise. Russell was still partially aware while casting, but not enough to consciously react to an outside stimulus.

For some reason Russell had found himself a little comfortable around this man, maybe it was the allure of power this person might have, or the fact he had run into someone interested in Russell’s magic. But either way it’d be interesting, and Russell couldn’t find a good reason to not let the man tag-along. ”I’d be delighted to have you join me; it does get a little frustrating trying to get in every little piece. The fact that there seems to be so much rubbish around the area doesn’t help much either. I’d prefer to get out of here as fast as I possibly could, I trust you can empathize” Russell looked around the area and the trash that was waiting for him, luckily there weren’t any homeless people around, it’d be a pain to have to void a person for seeing too much.

What Russell saw next intrigued him to no end, this magic... It was something that he needed to learn, he wanted to learn. If he could learn that then he’d be contend, and a step closer to that success he always strived for. The look in his eyes showed almost showed hunger, a hunger for power.

Russell found himself drawn into the man’s speech about himself, while it certainly seemed a little arrogant, Russell couldn’t help but feel a bit of awe, the display earlier showed him that creating and manipulating the elements didn’t seem like much of a task to this man. That was the only piece of proof he needed to know that this man was good, great even. The man’s compliments aimed at Russell filled him with a bit of pride; no-one ever said he wasn’t vain. He still chose to listen quietly to what the man had to say.

Russell found himself a little excited at the prospect of learning from the man, and to get his hands on some of the things he had to offer. Sure he picked up a rather well paying job, but he didn’t consider that a success yet, it wasn’t even close for him. Russell doubted he’d ever be satisfied with just great, he had to be the best. ”I can’t even begin to say of how honoured I am to be given the chance at such a great opportunity.” Russell found himself a little shocked, but then again this was only if he could impress the man. He’d definitely show him how good he was at voiding, even if he had to push himself to his limit.

Russell listened once more to the last part of this man’s explanation, and nodded. He’d have to show him everything he could with what Djed he had to offer. ”I’ll make sure to impress you with what I can do.” Russell said his tone full of conviction, and desire. He desired the power this man had to offer. This made him want to get started, but first he’d have to explain a little about this magic of his. He was still a little unsure of giving away information about his magic, if his grandfather had taught him one thing; it was to guard your magic well. But Russell was sure that giving away a little bit of information wouldn’t cost him much, in fact it’d make the man more eager to take him on as a student.

”Before I cast another portal, I’ll need to explain a little about voiding. It’s a magic that opens a portal to what voiders call the other side. It’s an extremely large area of nothingness, and not many things can survive there. You’ll learn more about its uses as we go on.” Russell finished speaking, and then decided to get started with opening the gate-way to nothingness once more.

He took a deep breath and began to slowly clear his mind; any overlying excitement was thrown away along with his plans for the future. The noise of the wind, and the attention paid toward the man near him. Russell had to take a few steps to get away from the man, it wouldn’t make a good impression to pull a person into the void. He led his Djed to the area in front of him, and emptied out everything there. Pushed it away, after a few seconds of trying this small portal opened, which began to grow, and grow. Until it reached the maximum size Russell could get it to, it was about the size of your average person. Russell could feel the strain on his body already, he had added in the pull effect, drawing in any rubbish nearby. He had to make sure not to over-do this, but he could feel the familiar heat that attacked him whenever he tried this. He paid attention to the world once more, the sudden attack of all his senses being active again startled him, but he made sure not to show it. Russell made sure not to turn his attention away from the heat at the back of his head that would soon enough make its way around his body.

”So what do you think so far, the first few seconds are the hardest to do. I could possibly increase the pull too, but there are too many risks at the moment.” Russell still didn’t know what type of person this man was, so he made sure to play himself off as a good person. He didn’t care too much about the risks involved, he was sure this man was able to take good care of himself.

[Miro]

Miro was again pleased with the response he got from Russell. The man responded quite well to the Hypnotism. Though perhaps it was that the manipulations had hit a soft spot. The offer given was one hard to refuse. The wizard himself was hard to refuse, despite his awful appearance. He liked to think so at least. In truth he knew how a wizard's mind worked. It was most often hungry, for knowledge, power, and it was ready to use anyone to get it. They were risk takers as much as they were cautious. With enough of a push, one could be persuaded to further themselves.

The wizards proceeded onward, as apparently this was the man's profession. At least it was assumed so. Perhaps instead this was only a means of training the skill, but were that the case, it was likely assistance would be denied. Instead the man seemed eager to have the task done, so it could only be assumed this was the case. To the statements made at him, the undead only nodded in approval. In truth he was in no hurry, nor did he care anymore about the amount of trash. His sights were set clear on Voiding. He would claim it for his own, of that there was no doubt.

The explanation of Voiding was the first that the Chained One had ever gotten. The Other Side side Russell mentioned was extremely interesting. A portal to another world perhaps? A world of nothing, one where nothing could survive. This added to the things already witnessed, the opening of a portal and its ability to suck things in. It seemed the discipline had a very simple basis, to take and rid the wizard of undesirables. To pull them to the Other Side and leave them to die. This ability to seemingly Summon without a circle was quite amazing. And now would come another chance to witness the process again.

And though Miro wished to observe the process in detail, he had offered his help, and it would be given as promised. Though in truth the undead did not fully trust this man, nor did his Familiar. Ender had held his tongue this long, but could sense the distrust that lingered in his master's mind. After seeing into the darkness of the Void, sensing the chilling temperatures, admittedly it caused some amount of fear. Perhaps not quite fear, but a level of caution. Alendrus himself was not the most sane of people. The Fyrdenese would use this mistrust as an invitation to make his own opinion known.

Through the telepathic bond the icy bracelet upon the undead's wrist began to speak. "Master, I know you desire this magic, and I desire it for you. But we must agree this man can not be trusted. I do not wish to stop you, but you mustn't lose focus. You keep weary of this man and his magic, I will cast the Reimancy." It was true Ender could transmute the element of wind, but in honesty, he hadn't considered this a possibility. It would certainly allow him to observe the portal, even if this went against his partner's wishes. A telepathic response was issued. "Please do so Ender."

The Aurist stood behind the caster and began his focus, first on the Voider himself, then on the area where his Djed seemed to be concentrated. As Miro opened his senses, Ender began to emit his opalescent Res as a gaseous cloud that drifted beyond the mass of trash and condensed into a haze. The wizard drew his attention from Russell to the point where the Void would open, but still could sense the radiance of the caster in back of his mind. It almost hurt to concentrate his focus on the spell, but he would not miss his chance. The process seemed to take a while, and with the strain of casting it seemed even longer.

But Miro could see something odd happening, the way the Voider's Djed behaved. It was as if it all was concentrated to a point and scattering outward. As if the Djed started from one minute point and forced everything away. Again it brought the feeling of emptiness to the undead's mind, much like when the caster's aura was observed. Then it happened, a sudden tear in the fabric of the world. The Djed pulled open a tiny Void, and it expanded. This portal was even more impressive than the last, seemingly big enough to dispose of a person. Ender willed his mass of Res through the trash and toward the Void and transmuted it to a powerful gust.

Eventually the portal closed, and Miro was again shocked with mental anguish. Why did Auristics always pain him so? The insight it granted was so wonderful, but the cost was always an awful disorientation. This time when the fog cleared, a sensitivity remained. Tension lingered in his mind and caused his senses overly receptive. The sounds around him screeched and ached his ears, and even the faint reflections of Ender's sealed form irritated his eyes. Without even breathing through his nose he could sense the lingering stench of garbage, even taste it in his mouth.

When Russell spoke it caused the wizard to flinch. Still, the information was received well enough, but Miro was in no condition to reply. He closed his eyes and centered his mind around a meditative process. It was one he had learned when he was young to regain composure and attain equilibrium once lost. Normally it involved breathing, but he was not going to risk such a thing. Instead he only counted internally. "One in. Hold," he paused a moment, "One out." He continued this until the effects on his mind subsided, around the count of ten.

Such a thing was an awkward response, and there was no doubt this reflected on him. The Aurist was sure it was the split in his focus that caused the horrid effect. He could not fully shrug Russell's aura from his Auristic vision, and to as well direct attention to the spell was too much for him to handle. He would not make this mistake again. At least he learned that an aura recently attuned to was more easily perceived. This for better or for worse. But Miro was done stalling and responded. He would have to make some excuse for his hesitance. Perhaps he would use the insight gained, ask a few questions.

"I think I like what I see. A portal that size could do quite a lot, especially with the ability to add the pulling force. I was watching closely as you cast this time. Very closely in fact. I may be mistaken, but it seemed, well, I don't exactly know. It almost seemed as if you used your Djed to push everything outward, pushed and pushed until a Void formed. I got this eerie sense of emptiness. This is a lot to take in, and obviously I am missing something. If you would explain some things for me, I could make your job easier. Answer my questions and I will burn the trash to ashes and guide them into the Void with a gust of wind."

Meanwhile Ender was upset. Upset and his master knew it, he could feel it. The sense of betrayal and disappointment burned into the Chained One to the point where he even felt slightly ashamed. He had no regrets for his actions, for there was no refusing them, but shame nonetheless. "You deceived me. I offered to do so for our protection, and you left us vulnerable still." Not shameful enough to admit himself wrong however. "It was a good idea, one I hadn't considered. I asked you to perform your suggestion, but I did not agree to the condition presented. You obey me, I do as I please. You did well though, I appreciate it."

The appreciation was not mutual however. Ender did not like being used, and felt naive for feeling so valued. He could tell the depth of the appreciation was limited only to the words. The Irylid knew he was taken for granted. His master could not even think to utilize his Familiar's skills without being reminded. Miro just ignored these hurt feeling to ask his questions. "Explain some things for me Mr Wood. What exactly is the Other Side? I want to know all about it. Is it some distant world, or perhaps something else entirely? And how does one go about learning such a magic and opening these Voids? If you can successfully answer these questions, I will definitely take you as my apprentice."

[Russell Wood]

Russell found himself raising a single eye-brow, was there something wrong with the man, or was he just thinking? It was hard to tell with the mask, but then again Russell didn’t care either way. He had shown the man everything there was to this magic of his. While he could show off the other two, he wasn’t proficient enough in either one of them to be able to truly show them off. Not like he could with voiding.

He was pleasantly surprised to hear that he liked the display, and the magic in itself. Russell didn’t like having to explain the full extent of his magic, it was something that was rather personal, and he didn’t like giving away the secrets to a person he had just met. Even if the man was offering to apprentice him. Russell found himself stuck between a rock and a hard place, on one hand it would probably cement his apprenticeship, but on the other the man could be lying to get his hands on the magic. Russell found himself hesitating a little bit; this man was also part of the Ebonstryfe. Offending him could end badly, Russell was fully aware of that. He took a deep breath and looked the man in the eye.

”That was more or less correct, although that does make me a little curious as to how you managed to see all of that. The void is essentially an empty place, and a portal to it forms whenever there is an area of nothingness. Although grasping true nothingness is something that takes a rather long time to fully do, and without someone to teach you the basic steps to it, voiding becomes a near impossible task to grasp.” Russell had to give the man at least a reason to stick around for a good while longer, with this at least he’d become a necessary part of the package. While he was certainly stretching the truth a little, he doubted the man would mind in the future. Or so he hoped.

Russell found himself a little more excited at the prospect of becoming this man’s apprentice; he was just one explanation away from finding a solid path to success. He could almost taste it, and that is what also made him that much more wary, the catch was obvious. Far too obvious, and Russell had to delve in deep into his explanation. ”I’d be more than glad to explain this, although I find myself extremely curious about your own magic. It would make more than happy if you could explain it to me. Manipulating the elements looks like an extremely powerful art of magic.” Russell took another glance around the area, he was glad that no-one had arrived yet. Not like it would make much of a difference.

”Now, this explanation will take a little bit of time. The void is another world, much like our own. The only difference is that it’s a world of pure emptiness; no-one quite knows how large it is. Although I’ve heard that it’s dwarfs our own world in size. Which makes sense, as it’s continues to remain a sea of nothingness even after being taken advantage of by voiders for years on end.” Russell stood there, cupping his chin as he though about how to put the next bit, it was only a half finished explanation. Plus he needed it to continue to remain a mystery while explaining it. This situation really wasn’t a simple one; dealing with other wizards really was a great pain.


”There are a number of risks associated with the art of voiding as there is with any other magic. The first risk would be getting oneself stuck within the void; it is a most embarrassing end to any wizard. Then there is using up to much Djed, and causing yourself damage. Although limiting the use usually puts a stop to that.” Russell was still busy stroking his chin as he thought about it. ”Now back to talking about the void in itself, I can only tell you what I’ve heard myself as I’ve clearly never gone in there myself. But as expected of any place associated with nothingness it has no breathable air, some people have even claimed that the void itself can suck any air a being inside is holding right out of them. Although I’m not to sure about that myself, a place of nothingness cannot have a suction effect”

Russell found that this much was probably more than enough; it should keep the man satisfied, and now to see if he would truly keep his word. But before that Russell wanted to get the hell out of here, it didn’t smell as bad as before, but it was still a pain to deal with. ”Now, would be kind enough to explain a little about your own art, it seems truly intriguing. Although that could wait until after we get this place a little cleared out. It would give me another chance to witness your magic again first hand” Russell said as he nodded.

Now once more he would have to get ready to cast another portal into another dimension, a black swirling mass of nothingness that leads to the ultimate end. He put both of his arms out in front of him, and took a deep breath. It wasn’t going to be a simple task and he needed all the concentration he could get. He was prepared for the man to bolt once he had gone into a state of nothingness, but that didn’t bother Russell, nor should he let it get in the way of his casting. He cleared his mind of any unneeded weight. The intrigue with the elemental manipulation, and the excitement of possibly being apprenticed were thrown from his mind. The awareness of the cold lake breeze and slightly chilly air were both erased. It was unneeded, wasteful even, for this Russell had to understand nothingness and have his mind take on the true form of nothing, a singularity of thought that could only concentrate of nothing, a contradictory black hole of the mind.

Within the frame of five seconds Russell had managed to completely clear his mind. His Djed had already flowed out of his body, and opened the portal. He didn’t take notice of the strain his body was starting to take; he’d been pushing it already with two portals having been opened within such a short frame of time. His mind was bombarded with the whispering and promises of more power, he just needed to open his portal wider, far wider than he was capable of. Russell did his best to ignore them, and opened it to half the size of a person. The pull was weak this time around, the fear of pushing himself over the edge was too great for him to simply ignore. He’d be fine with this much, as long as the man from before hadn’t left already.

[Miro]

Miro was excited to finally learn the knowledge of Voiding that had evaded him for so long. Russell had caught on to the use of Auristics, but seemed not to know of the magic. A perceptive man, that was a good trait. The Other Side was an empty place, and to reach it one must grasp nothingness. It seemed as if there was no initiation ritual, but as usual, without instructions to discover the magic would be difficult. Though his apprentice-to-be was curious, before more knowledge could be received, some had to be given. A toll was to be expected.

Apparently the Other Side was a world, which was an odd name. Normally worlds had names. At least in Summoning they did. But this was not a world magic like Summoning, but something much greater. It was a personal magic, which meant it did not need a ritual to perform. Well, perhaps a slight ritual, but not a circle and coordinates. As usual overgiving was an issue, and much like Reimancy, the spells themselves were dangerous. One thing seemed to be pretty apparent though; once put in the Void, there was on easy way back. With that out of the way things could continue. Russell had earned a few answers himself.

The Reimancer waved his hand about before him and flowed his Djed to his right arm. He pushed it through his skin and transmuted it to an aqua colored liquid that obeyed only the caster. The liquid flowed forth to pool into an small orb before his hand and defy nature by floating in the air. "This substance, this is Res. It is the key to Reimancy. I transmute my Djed into Res and command it with my will." He began to change the shape of the orb to distort and orbit his hand. "Res can be used to control the elements by an attractive force, but this is a minor ability. Its true use comes from the transmutation of Res itself."

The orb caught fire, but the attractive force of the Res held it in place. The orbit ceased, and instead it hovered above the caster's palm. He guided his hand forward and transmuted the entirety of the spell to fire, which sailed forth a way before the wisps of flames scattered. "At first a Reimancer can only transmute one element, but a master can create them all." There was no need to wait to show such a minor thing. It would help the man grasp what would come next. The two began to walk to the next rubbish pile, but Miro had more questions.

"You know, I am glad to find that the Other Side is a world. I am not sure how a Voider directs their portal, but I am sure that it could be used to open to other worlds. Summoning is capable of this as well, but creates a gateway for a creature to cross to our world. To be able to travel through a Void portal would be even greater. Not to the Other Side, for who would want to be there, but to a greater world. You'll have to teach me all about that, as I am sure I could help you find the answer. I just need to know a few things first."

For now that would have to wait, for they came to their next site. "Stand back and watch" The Reimancer would make this easy, reduce the waste to naught but ash. He closed his eyes and clenched his fist tightly. His Djed flowed to the surface of his skin and began to leak as a gaseous Res this time. It poured from his body like a steam that grew into a thick aqua aura. With an outstretched hand he guided the Res forth to its target. The substance soaked into the trash and a transmuted a small amount to fire. The remaining Res attracted the surrounding air to the quickly grow the flame.

"Open your Void. I'll make this easy on you." The trash inferno continued to grow and rage, the flame unable to escape from the attraction of the Res. The wizard readied for what would come next, the portal and his completion of the spell. In truth the addition of fire, if not completed, was actually quite dangerous. To fling flaming rubbish was hardly smart, but it was impressive. The portal opened and it was time to act. The amount of trash was greatly reduced, but still there were some bits that remained. As well a smog of ash in the air, but the Void swallowed most of it.

Miro began to cycle his Res and transmute some of the mass to a gust to lift the remaining waste material. He focused hard on the fleeting attraction he held on the elements, and finally readied for the final transmutation. He pointed the top of the slightly whirlwind toward the void and transmuted a powerful gust of wind. He held onto his control of the elements for as long as he could to direct them inward to the portal, but his control was quickly lost. Most of the material had made it in, though some flaming rubbish was lost from the spell and scattered about.

The lost material did not burn for long before sizzling out, and none of it causing any damage, but still a show of recklessness. It was rare for the undead to cast a spell that went so awry, especially in Reimancy. However the Void needed only be held open for a short amount of time before it was no longer needed. "There, it is done, you can close the portal." To be standing on the pulling end of a Void, even if only with a slight amount of pull, was unsettling. "Sorry the spell was slightly reckless, I was trying to make things quick."

The Chained One was ready to ask more, but knew if he wanted to get any more out, he would have to put more in. "Res can not only be moved, but change form. I usually produce a liquid, but sometimes a gaseous form is better. The four base elements are water, wind, fire and earth. A master is not limited to just the basics though, for the elements can be combined. My favorite is ice. Unlike many magics, it just requires an initiation ritual. Once the initiation has been performed, it is only a matter of learning to harness the ability. I could perform it on you right here even." Another temptation to dangle before the man.

Ender was still not sold however. He understood the desire to learn Voiding, to get information from the man. But he did not understand why this meant they had to work with the man. Russell was a rare exception to the people that Miro encountered, because he was actually dangerous. This man could pose some threat, and in the right situation, even defeat Miro. A capable practitioner of the discipline only needed a slight opening to rid the world of a person. The Irylid would not let his guard down. "You are close to learning what you need from the man, but he will not give his secrets away so easily. I have an idea."

It was not often that the Familiar would encourage behaviors that involved trickery and deceit. But he was a manipulative creature, and one who did not like to take chances. A sure thing was better than a gamble to him, and by now he thought to have this man figured out. "We need to use Hypnotism. Not like you have, the subtle kind, but like you did with your last initiate. Offer him Reimancy, but modify the ritual. Include with it the hypnotic trance, and while he is under your control extract what you need." It was a perfect plan.

Perfect so long as he could get the man that far. The wizard smirked behind his mask and continued his explanation. He would follow Ender's idea, for it seemed just devious enough to work. "I could initiate you here, but the results would be less than ideal. I have decided that I want you to learn from me. You have passed my tests, and you have earned the right. If you come with me to my home, I can prepare for the initiation. But of course, before that we have some things to discuss. You will need to know what it means to be apprenticed under me. There are rules, but I am sure you will find them acceptable. Well worth the gain for what little freedom you lose."

The undead prepared to guide Russell back to his apartment. They were not far from the place, and it would only be a short walk. However he was not sure if he could lure the man away from his work. The strain of Auristics had cleared, but still the Hypnotist feared stressing his mind too much after what had happened. He desperately wanted to man to come with him, but knew he would need his Djed for the trance. For now he would only cast one more spell, though one less subtle. He gave a reassuring nod to the man and cast a sudden thought. Russell would think, "I can't miss this chance to learn such a powerful magic. To be apprenticed to such a powerful wizard is a rare opportunity."

[Russell Wood]

Russell was glad that the man was still here, so it did mean that his apprenticeship would actually be happening. Russell turned a portion of his attention to the man, the fact that he was going to be given an explanation to this strange elemental magic was a boon in itself, but he did gave away information about his own magic so it was fair trade off. So this res was what allowed the production and manipulation of the elements, Russell pondered on that one, how could one transform djed into such a thing. It was a very impressive yet strange art; Russell could only smile as he saw what it could do. This art of magic called Reimancy; it was amazing to say the least, but Russell would do his best to attempt to learn it, no matter how much pain and sweat he’d have to go through.

Russell found himself attempting to raise an eyebrow at the man’s misinterpretation of voiding, should he correct him? Well Russell did attempt to mislead him a little, but this understanding was a pretty gross one. Russell had to stop himself from sighing; he’d tell the man in the near future, there was no reason to kill his buzz and excitement at the moment. It wasn’t like he’d be able to open up a void portal at the moment, but if this man were to teach him this magic; Russell would be more than glad to help him learn voiding. It would be a good trade-off that one was for sure.

The voider watched Miro leak Res from his body, it was amazing to watch it was a thick aura, thicker than Russell had seen the man eject before, and it covered an even wider area. The void portal was becoming a pain to open and to keep it like that. Why did his head hurt so much, he’d have to push through it. The pain was something he’d have to ignore; it wouldn’t be long before he could finally close this portal. Watching the growing inferno in front of him was only making his headache even worse, the bright colours of the flames and the smoke coming from it made for a very distracting scenery, his portal would be able to suck it in well enough so Russell need not concern himself with it anymore.

Still the man’s use of this res was intriguing, and interesting to watch, Reimancy and Voiding being used together did really look like a most dangerous combination. And to Russell dangerous usually lead to some form of success. Russell was watching the whirlwind carefully, it was a burning whirlwind of trash, there was every reason for him to worry about being burned, but as long as his portal remained Russell was sure he’d be fine.

But something surprised him, the man seemed to have lost control of the spell, Russell watched the trash scatter around the nearby area and found he was raising an eyebrow once more. But he soon dropped it. Every wizard fails that was something he’d learnt from his grandfather, and very early too. Especially when it came to more complicated spells and Russell’s knowledge wasn’t wide enough to differentiate between the different skill levels yet. Once he was asked to drop his portal, Russell did so; it was too big of a strain to keep the thing open. Sweat was dripping down the side of his face, and he was breathing a little hard.

Russell found himself nodding as he heard the man’s explanation of the loss of control just now. ”It’s nothing to worry about; at least the job is all done now.” Russell’s tone was rather relaxed even if he did not look so at the moment. His head was pounding and he felt hot, in a feverish way. He was sure he could still walk around and treat this day like any other...if he wanted to collapse in a canal and die that is. But he had to push himself, it’d fade away soon as long as he didn’t use anymore magic he’d be fine.

Russell found himself listening to another one of the man’s explanations, he nodded as he heard about the two different forms of Res, Russell could grasp that the gas surely had to be easier on the user, it was most likely less dense. ”That’s fascinating, extremely so. So is the user able to combine more elements than two? I also find myself wondering how the initiation goes, I’d be extremely glad if you could explain such a thing to me.” Russell said with a small smile. The prospect of being initiated right here and now was exciting, extremely so. But that also made him wary, over time Russell learned that if something was too good to be true, than it usually was. There had to be a catch somewhere, sure he’d have to show some form of loyalty to the man. But even then, Russell found the trade off to be too good.

But he shook those thoughts from his mind. ”I’d be honoured, truly so. I find this art to be a most useful and fascinating one. Though it might be due to the great skill of the user that makes it seem that that much more amazing.” Flattery, it did get people everywhere, even if some wanted to deny their like for it.

The next thing Miro had said pleasantly surprised Russell, while he did his best not to show it, what was said was a declaration of their future student-teacher relationship, and the chance for Russell to learn so much more. It was going to be good, great even, but he could fight this slight feeling of hesitation. While it wasn’t stronger than his current urge to void some more, it was still enough to bother him a little. But he couldn’t stay silent, ”I’m glad that you’d pick me for as you apprentice sir, I’ll be sure to continue to impress you in the future.” Russell took a short bow and once he stood up straight again smiled a bit.

It was one more reason as to why he was glad he had moved to Ravok, a freedom to learn magic in such a way was great. Russell found himself nodding, a small lose of freedom to a greater gain in magic and social standing. It was a small price to pay, as long as it was as Miro was saying. He couldn’t pass up this chance to learn from the man. ”I see, just lead the way then sir. I once again must thank you for the opportunity. I didn’t expect such a turn out of events coming to Ravok. We truly do have much to discuss.” Russell didn’t know what more to say, he was still a little shell-shocked to say the least.

”Though I do want to make sure to clear up a misunderstanding of yours from earlier. Voiding cannot be used to travel to another world; it’s specific to the void and nothing else. As you’ve said earlier, the portal is made from using the djed to push away everything within that area in front of the user. I do apologize if my explanation made it seem as such, but I’m almost 100% sure that it cannot be used to open up a gateway to another world. Or else other arts wouldn’t be considered as useful such as the summoning you spoke of. Although voiding is great for use as a bin, it’s that same use that makes it a very dangerous place and magic to use.” Russell had to leave him with this much, a finalized explanation clearing up a little bit of the man’s misunderstanding and as a reward for taking him as a student. It was only fair to do so now wasn’t it?

[Miro]

Miro lead Russell to his apartment at a sluggish pace, but kept conversation lively. The duo had completed their task and now all there was to do was to discuss the business of apprenticeship. Reimancy always had a way to draw people in, but few realized just where it would lead them. Many Reimancers just ended up crazed and overgiven before they could reach any sort of proficiency. The wise user took his time to slowly master a relationship with the elements, but most stray from the path.

Though due to being concerned on his expense of Djed, the Leecher activated an ability of his, environmental Leeching. He opened his body to take in Djed, much the opposite of his last production of Reimancy, and his every pore began to slowly draw in Djed. The process was slow, barely giving any results at all, but in time it would mean something. Especially in an area where magic was still heavy in the air. Ender sensing his master's use of the magic performed the technique as well.

Conversation with this wizard was fun for the undead. The most amusing thing was how the Voider tried to clear up a misunderstanding, if one could call it that. Voiding can not travel to another world? He said as much but a matter of chimes ago. The discipline opened a portal to another world, a place some called the Other Side. It would make sense that most would be drawn to the same world, but that certainly would not make it impossible. One could not blame the foolish man though, for he seemed to know nothing of Summoning.

The only real difference between Summoning and Voiding so far seemed to be the circle, which would be normally be filled with Astral Coordinates. With a personal user instead of a circle, one could only assume they had a natural set of coordinates they opened to. This meant only that a wizard would need to learn to direct the portal to a different world, attune his coordinates to another place. How one would do that was unclear still, perhaps some circle drawn on the body or hand. Glyphing may very well play an important role.

But first thing was first, the explanation on the initiation. Or at least the version of the initiation that would be performed. "Reimancy's initiation is the most brutal known to magic. Unlike your Voiding, which can be taught with instruction, Reimancy requires a ritual be performed. In the natural form of the initiation, the risk of death is very high. Of the dozen or so natural performances, only one has survived with their mind in tact. However I have a special initiation that has yet to fail me." It hadn't failed so far, though the apprentice initiated had.

The Reimancer grinned as the two walked over a bridged canal. The weak limp in his left leg always made these things so difficult. "In the five enhanced initiations I have had not a single death, and in fact the initiates have come out with a better natural understanding of the magic. They find their production and control of Res comes easier, and so too does transmutation into an element. There is no mental scarring, physical trauma and it even removes the painful element. Allow me to explain both methods."

Certainly Miro was a liar, and he had made all of this up, but it held some truth in it. The best lies always did hold some hint of truth. He had only performed a handful of initiations, none of which killed his apprentices, and only one was of the enhanced variety. It was true that the ritual was painful and could lead to death, but only if improperly performed. The only difference between the two was a trance performed on the initiate before the ritual. This allowed him to teach Reimancy through Hypnotism, hence the enhanced understanding of the magic.

"The natural method involves Res being forced into several ritualistic cuts throughout the body, and also through any natural openings. The eyes, ears, mouth and nose, all of it. This involves a great deal of pain and blood loss that often causes death. Some just don't have a strong enough heart. Others just give into the pain and welcome death. I've seen many come from the process with loss of one or more senses. One can continue with a loss of hearing, but being blind often means the end of a magical career. But in my process there is no chance of such disabilities."

It truly did sound brutal, that method. Many of the elements of the true initiation were in there, only exaggerated greatly. Nobody would willingly accept that, but the other method, it would sound almost pleasant in comparison. "My method involves none of that. I have developed a technique to put my initiates in a sleep-like state. They lose consciousness temporarily and thus suffer no pain. And there are only but two cuts made, one on each palm. As well Res is only flown in through the nose and mouth, so there is no risk of sense loss."

It was the true method of initiation plus a trance, but he knew that one could easily argue against it. If one could be initiated with just two cuts and through the mouth, why would anyone perform such a dangerous version? "I have tried this method without the trance, and though the initiate survived, they did not awake the magic. And as I have found, a failed initiation is dangerous as well. The initiate became sick from the Res inside of his body and died of a terrible fever. But while asleep the Res can more easily be absorbed into the body. It is the struggle against the pain that causes the initiation to fail."

"I assure you though, I will not let anything happen to you. A practitioner of Voiding, you are far too valuable to let slip away. I will need you alive and well if I am to learn anything of you, and if you are to continue to stand by me as an apprentice." No, Russell would certainly not slip away, not if the Chained One could help it. He was the key to understanding a new and powerful magic. The things that could be gotten rid of with a portal to the Other Side. Or better yet, the places he could go once he mastered opening to other worlds.

Miro's grin faded and was replaced by a much more serious expression, though this shielded by the Mask of Many. He wished to explain the method of using Voiding to travel to other worlds in detail. "I must say however you are mistaken, though I can understand why. You seem to not know much of Summoning, so allow me to explain. Much like Voiding, it can open a portal to another world. Only Summoning is a world magic, and these portal openings are programmed by a circle. I have been doing some thinking, and I have a few theories."

One could only hope such a theory could be tested and proved without much difficulty. If somehow astral coordinates could be programmed into a specialty circle, then it would make a perfect bridge between a world and personal magic. "In Summoning a circle is filled with astral coordinates, numbers arranged that guide the opening of a portal. Since Voiding lacks such coordinates to guide it, I assume that is the reason it always opens to the Other Side. However I could begin experimentation to make up for this lack of coordinates. If Voiding can open a portal to one world, there has to be a way to open to others."

It made perfect sense, and logically the wizard was right. However he was working with misinformation and was blissfully unaware. Voiding did make a portal, but not to another world, but to another dimension. Confusion between world and dimensions was simple enough, but with some exploration easy enough to discern between. All worlds shared physical laws, but dimensions would break these. Gravity, space, time, it was likely that these things were different on This Side than on the Other Side. The Voider had failed to mention any of that to his future master.

But now they were upon Miro's apartment, and he lead the way in. Through the halls, up the stairs and finally to his door. He opened it and stood aside it to invite Russell in. The inside the small room was unimpressive, just a window and a few simple furnishings. There was a bed, desk with two chairs, a chest and a wardrobe. The room was kept tidy, bed made, papers organized on the desk, everything in order. "Please come in, make yourself at home. I know all of my talk on initiation might have been unsettling, but I assure you that you haven't a thing to fear."

The Chained One did not want to waste any time, so he would get things started as soon as possible. "If you are still willing to accept my magic, remove your shirt and lay on the ground. Merely close your eyes and relax." The Hypnotist took his staff in hand and waited for Russell to be ready for the initiation. Though he would understand if the man would back out. You need only relax, listen to my voice, let your mind slip into darkness." When the initiate was ready, the undead would place the staff on the man's bare chest and begin to channel Djed through it.

If truly there were no objections, the wizard would begin. Hypnotic spells would be channeled through the staff and into Russell. Emotional responses to calm, comfort and inspire sleepiness. As well he charged his words with the power of suggestion. "You feel your mind becoming heavy with fatigue while your body becomes light with comfort. You feel the stress and worries of the day slip, and all of the excitement too is fleeting. All that remains is my voice leading you deeper into the darkness you see."

Still the wizard used his ability to Leech from the environment, but had already spent what he had taken in with these spells. It was tempting to draw from the Voider, but he knew better than to disturb him before a trance was completed. "Allow your consciousness to be taken by the darkness and you will find yourself at peace. Rest well knowing you will awake born anew, birthed as a Reimancer." In the end whether or not the trance took was up to Russell. If he did not give in, then he would remain awake. But the initiation would not proceed until Miro had made the most of the trance state.