Dreadlords Earn your place

[Zana]

Zana tilted her head to the side as she considered what the implications of what he said were. Expelling that much magic to become this yet feeling rested... was it because he longer had the weight of a human body? She knew there were probably a thousand philosophers back Vel Zrada would love to study the implications of that.

"It would be my pleasure," her own smile answered his look of resolve. Then Zana attacked.

The Archon was holding back but not to the same extent his fellow Dreadlords, students or even the Proctors had done. Her attacks were quick and harsh and even in his current state he would no doubt feel the pulses of energy when they passed him. Her other powers, she realised, were completely useless whilst he held that form. Her tk did nothing and her foresight was non existent. Usually when facing an opponent she could see the various actions a person might take, but with Henk in his current form it was as though he did not exist.

 

[Henk]

Zana gave him little time to prepare for her assault. The moment she accepted his challenge, she was upon him with quick, ferocious, and powerful attacks. Henk had no doubt she was holding back, but even then the force behind every movement the Archon made was tremendous. Each point of contact with his transparent shape sent shockwaves through whatever could be considered his body, causing his shape to tremble and forcing him to stumble back in a desperate attempt to collect himself.

Distance... need to make distance...

Zana's onslaught lopped parts of his form away with every strike. It would look quite gruesome if he was solid, but even as she slashed away at an arm and left only a wispy trail of light where his elbow had been, he felt only discomfort. Still, if he were to mount any offensive, he needed to widen the gap between them. With that goal in mind, he fixed his gaze on the large swath of space behind her.

When next she made contact with his glimmering form, Henk dissipated completely, separating into the now familiar particles that comprised him and quickly reforming behind her, leaving a brief streak of light. Not taking any time to admire his achievement, Henk quickly fired long arcing spears of heat from his arms. These would not tickle as his failed punch did-- He now understood that just as when he was solid, his attacks require proper focus and preparation.

This form was a tool, not a shortcut. It would behoove him to remember that.

Zana

 

[Zana]

Zana cursed softly beneath her breath as she turned just in time to bring up one of the solid near-invisible shields of telekinetic force. Henk's attack hit her a second later causing her feet to slide backwards in the sand a whole inch. The boom as the two magics connected shook the very foundations they were standing on and echoed long after the light had faded.

"I actually felt the heat from that one," the Archon called and with a grin let the shield vanish and held up both her hands. "I'm impressed with how far you've come, Henk. That's enough for today," the dome that had been surrounding the arena slowly dissipated, melting away like ice before the flame. She was conscious that the younger Dreadlord was still knew to this form and as such his limits were different. The last thing she wanted was to lose a weapon such as his magic when it was just beginning to become interesting.

"Can you reform?"

 

[Henk]

A surge of renewed confidence rushed through Henk as his attack connected hard enough to send Zana sliding, however minute the movement was. To stagger an Archon was a feat he hadn't been capable of only minutes before, and while he hadn't done any real damage, it was clear to him now that what he should be focusing on were the similarities between this form and his solid state, and not their differences.

It was an entirely new path for him to take; Whereas he'd been frustrated over the roadblocks he'd been hitting in his training, this new power opened the field for him to develop further than ever before. The thought of exploring these new limits was exhilarating. Which is why there was a twinge of disappointment when she called for their session to end. Certainly, there was more, right? He'd only just begun, and already she was stopping him from--

No. He was getting carried away. Attaining this form was already a massive step in his growth, and he need not push himself too far. After all, despite feeling rejuvenated he had no way of knowing the physical toll re-solidifying would take on him. Zana was correct, it was best to stop here.

Allowing the heat he'd begun to build to slowly dissipate, Henk lowered his arms and relaxed, nodding towards Zana. "I will try." And that was about all that he could promise-- He truly had little idea of how this was going to work.

Henk followed his instincts; He'd achieved this transformation by pushing himself to his absolute limits, until he had no choice but to release every ounce of energy he'd collected at once, in a brilliant display that had enveloped his entire being. Now he did the opposite, slowly venting the light he contained, his form dimming until he was barely as visible as a shadow against the air. As the power that had overtaken him whittled away, slowly the shell that he'd so violently cast away began to return, the remaining particles solidifying, re-shaping themselves into what they'd once been.

Immediately, he dropped to a knee and wheezed.

Zana

 

[Zana]

"Easy now," Zana was by his side a second after he dropped to the floor. One hand rubbed along his back in small, circular movements whilst with the other she rummaged in her pocket. Crouching down beside him she pulled out some more of the chocolate she had given to Al earlier and now offered the rest to Henk.

"Deep breathes and nibble on this. It helps restore some of your energy," it had been a technique she had not really indulged in whilst under the Old Ways. Any hint of personality, of liking something such as chocolate, would have resulted in a short march back to the Correctors and the dungeons beneath the docks. "You might feel it for the next few days, so remember to be kind to yourself. Don't push yourself or you might find it hard to return to this state."

 

[Henk]

"Yeah..." Henk muttered with a playful smile, accepting the chocolate and popping it into his mouth. He could say for certain now that the rejuvenating feeling his new form had brought him was most definitely temporary, as having his solid-state back also brought with it the deathly pain he'd been experiencing before that, albeit not nearly as debilitating. "A physical body definitely has its perks, I think."

Once he'd swallowed down the chocolate, he braced himself slightly against Zana and pulled himself back up to his feet. His legs wobbled and stumbled underneath him, but only for a moment. Carefully he released his grip on the Archon and stepped away.

"I'll be sure to rest before I try it again. I want to observe how that experience has or hasn't changed my passive use of my magic anyway." Henk looked to Zana with a smile, and he bowed his head towards her respectfully, and briefly. "Thank you, Zana. I feel as though this opens up an entirely new avenue for me."

Zana

 

[Zana]

Zana smoothed a hand over the curve of her belly as Henk stepped away, smiling at the feel of a foot pressing against her touch as if in greeting.

"It was my pleasure, though perhaps next time we could skip the very theatrical explosion to start with?" And accompanying heart attack. Henks magic had been the most foreign to her despite its many similarities to her own energy magic. Perhaps because it had been a magic she had stolen rather than been born with. Even Livias unusual strain of magic she had had a theory on that seemed to be proving correct.

"I would recommend practising with another until you feel comfortable with moving between the forms, I'm not sure if you would have been able to stop yourself from dissipating entirely had I not had the shield in place." She glanced up at the sun and then to the shadows on the sundial. Her next student would be along shortly.

"You did well Henk, you have an incredible gift. The only thing that is standing in your way is your own imagination," the Archon smiled and the bell chimed to mark the hour. "Go, they have food in the canteen. Make sure you eat before making your way back to the city."