[PQ] {Magic Training} In Brittle and Briny Depths

Evie

For a moment Evie is distracted by her success, ecstatic that they'd done so well together on their first try. Her grin is bright - but as the fire flickers away, forcing her pupils to readjust, she sees another streak of light and color heading their way. A color she is very familiar with given the Valkyrie's favoritism for the element and the Sparkbird's presence in her young life.

"Pull the water back!" she manages to spit out as fast as she can, already raising all the soil and clay from the shore up into an arced half-dome shield in front of them. While the soil itself is still wet, it shouldn't be able to spread the way plain water would, but if Hadama could react in time it would be an extra measure of safety to have the water at the base of the shield drained away. She trusts he will know what she means and focuses instead on making the shield as narrow but thick as she can manage so that the force of the lightning itself wouldn't burst right through it.

if this love does not call itself a wildfire
then I don't want it at all

Hadama was more reserved in his celebration, but emerald eyes were bright and he held his head high as Hotaru's attack failed and her knees buckled beneath Evie's disruptive assault. Of course, she was the headmistress for a reason and where one method had been overcome another soon arose to take its place.

Lightning was rarely a problem for the Mer, who simply stayed beneath the surface of the sea during storms, letting the fierce sky fire dance harmlessly across the waves. Now, however, he was in dangerously shallow waters and his human friend had no such protection, requiring a different approach.

There was no time to think as the electric discharge cracked towards them. He reacted to Evie's instruction with the trust born from long friendship, instinctively expanding his water vortex out and away from them - and taking the surrounding seawater within his sphere of power with it. He thrashed his tail, propelling himself onto the dock grimly even as the water swept away and left the seafloor around them bare and well within Evie's reach as she erected a shield of her own.

And of course, if they were in range of Hotaru's lightning then she was in range of them. The miniature tidal wave swept onto shore with every intention to crash down over the headmistress and dissuade her from further sparks.

Hotaru

My ghost was lost to the grownup gallows

It is a more difficult defense to execute, she will admit that, and it’s exactly why she’d done it. The sand and stone elevates swiftly from the water, which pulls back unnaturally from the natural tide, and though her lightning is only at half its normal power it still sends debris spraying everywhere as it impacts with the shield. But this time, she doesn’t relent, letting loose another array of magic to test their responses one last time and ensure they knew not to retreat or dismantle their protections preemptively.

Only then does she relent fully, pleased by both expressions of their magic. “Come ashore, let’s discuss the day and your successes.” Meeting them halfway, Hotaru goes over a summary of what they’d done and praises both of them on their various smaller successes against her compulsion. Their teamwork deserves the highest praise of all however, and Ru makes sure to emphasize it. “Teamwork is what got most of us through the war. I encourage you both to train regularly with your peers; as you’ve seen today, it can mean the difference between failure and success.” She sees Evie training with Deimos regularly in the Barracks of course, but it’s good for them both to stretch out and find other partners. Smiling, Hotaru regards them with pride. “You’ve both done very well. And I am very proud of you. I hope you feel the same about your efforts today.”

- - -

Finish your last defense and wrap up your posts! Last in can mark as fin and we can post our magical upgrades in records. Thank you and great training!

Here is your code for records:

Code:

[b]NAME[/b] has completed the below Arcane Academy Advanced Magical Training to get Mastered [b]MAGIC TYPE[/b] in the season of [b]SEASON, YEAR[/b]

[thread=]

So I find my spirit in the bottle

When the tidal wave proved ineffective as an attack Hadama drew back his power to bolster their defenses. The time spent out of the water was a strain in the back of his mind, growing heavier with every passing second but he hung on through sheer willpower.

Lightning followed water. That much he knew. It was why Evie had called on him to pull the water away from them - an approach no Mer would have even considered, no matter how dire the circumstance. But lightning also didn't penetrate water deeply, instead traveling over its surface. Although not the impenetrable shield that Evie's stone was, Hadama hoped his element could bolster her own defense and prevent it from taking so much damage. He drew the sea back - not in a sphere, but in ten thick arms, like those of his squid shape. The arms closed over them and overlay Evie's earthen protection, creating pathways to dilute Hotaru's lightning and direct it away from them so their physical bulwark would take less damage.

It was with the relief of a drowning man reaching air that he released his magic and slipped back into the water, submerging himself for a full minute before he swam in to shore to listen to Hotaru's praise and suggestions. He inclined his head in agreement and looked to Evie with a sparkle of pride in his eyes at how well they had worked together.

It was with regret that he bid her farewell when her duties called her back to the Citadel, but he lingered along the shore to speak further with Hotaru once the training was done.

---

~Fin for Hadama~

Evie

They can’t hold their position for long and Evie knows it, but she reinforces her shield as portions are scattered and flung by the strike of the lightning. She marvels as much as she can at the intriguing halo of arms Hadama creates to divert the lightning, and is grateful for her hesitance when a second strike comes hurtling along at a different portion of her shield, towards the edge. She only keeps tabs on Hadama to ensure he is okay, unaware of how much his magic is assisting and trusting he was utilizing it safely.

The sudden silence is equally unnerving, Evie straining her ears for any sign of a different incoming attack - only to hear Hotaru’s voice from the shore. Grinning at Hadama despite her wavering energy, she lets the soil and clay return to its place beneath the waves and walks back down the floating gangway.

It’s a shame she can’t stay longer, but Evie feels like they’ve both learned a lot today. Already her magic feels depleted in the way a well-exercised muscle does, and she hopes she will see changes soon in her breadth of magical ability. Giving Hadama a quick hug and sharing her goodbyes with both individuals, she sets off back towards the Citadel to contend with the paperwork left on her desk feeling accomplished.

- Fin for Evie!

if this love does not call itself a wildfire
then I don't want it at all