An Owl's Rise

After Evelyn had finished eating and felt much better, Melisandre moved up to her and stared at her with an interested expression.

"How is it working? Do you feel the effects that I described?"

Nodding her head Evelyn acknowledged that she could feel the alchemical properties imbued into the food working on her body.

She felt a bit stronger, like her mind was able to process things faster, and that her magical energy was flowing just a bit easier.

None of the effects were exceptionally impressive, but there was no doubt that she felt herself being enhanced.

"Good. That means that we can begin the next lesson. You managed to brute force your way through the trials, and I saw that you were getting closer to reaching some insight, but your control over your magic is by far your weakest aspect. We need to rectify that." Melisandre said with a sharp look in her eyes.

An instant later she turned around and instructed both Anneli and Katrina to clean up and then prepare themselves for a lesson in five hours.

For the first time Evelyn saw them both of Melisandre\'s attendants filled with ambition and they excitedly responded to their mistress.

"Now for the next five hours we are going to work on your magic control. Follow me, I have already prepared a room for us to work in." Melisandre said.

She then took off into the air and began flying down one of the large hallways, leaving Evelyn no time to try and ascertain exactly what was going on.

Soon the two of them arrived in front of another door and as Melisandre opened it, Evelyn saw an expansive room that was as large as a convention center\'s main hall.

"This is my practice room where I test out magic and items that are a bit too volatile to be used in enclosed and unreinforced spaces. You will have no need to worry about restraining yourself here and we have all manner of equipment to help you out as well." Melisandre said as she beckoned towards the center of the room.

There were a number of large sheets of what looked like steel were set up like targets. though they did not have any markings on them.

"Now why do you not tell me what you know about magic and then I will help fill in the gaps in your knowledge."

Standing their stunned, Evelyn had not been expecting to suddenly be thrust into magic lessons. But as she began to shake off the initial shock, she started to feel a sense of excitement.

"I know that all beasts have at least one magical affinity and that we can cause phenomenon with these affinities if we use our magical energy. I am not sure exactly how it works, but I can create gusts of wind and send out blasts of fire." Evelyn said, explaining what she could do.

"Oh, and I know that humans use spells to create more detailed magical effects. I have seen that what they can do is more impressive than what beasts can do with my own eyes." Evelyn said as she lowered her head and her eyes clouded over a bit.

She had suddenly recalled the memory of the man that had taken down her parents and how he had wielded his earth magic in all manner of unique ways.

"Hm, yes, the humans do have their spells that they use to force out more complex and powerful magics, but that is not the way of us beasts. There is no need for us to fall on such a crutch." Melisandre said with a proud expression.

Though Evelyn just coked her head to the side in confusion.

She had figured that while the human spells would not work for her, those developed by owls should, but it seemed that she was wrong.

"I am sure that you saw during your trials the way in which some of the other beasts were able to better control their magic and form it in different ways from what you did, correct?"

"Yes, I have seen a number of other owls with wind affinities shoot off wind blades, and when I was fighting the snake during the trial in was able to form water into a spear and shield." Evelyn said, thinking back to all the times she had seen beasts use magic that was more refined than hers.

At the time she just thought they had developed some type of spell, but from the way Melisandre was going on it seemed that was not the case.

"Certainly, those are examples of some basic uses for magic as one gains more control and understanding. Truly I am actually surprised that all you can do is pretty much only use brute force attacks, but I suppose when you possess more powers than most it splits your focus."

Once she had finished her opening explanation, Melisandre moved right next to Evelyn and held her left hand up.

"Watch closely, I am going to give you a demonstration on the main three ways that magic can be used."

Melisandre\'s hand then began to glow faintly, and a ball of blue light flew out from her.

It moved fairly quickly and struck one of the steel plates a few dozen feet away. It easily punched a hole right though the thick steel, before flying further and smashing into the wall with a loud crash that caused it to crack.

Tch!

As this happened Melisandre clicked her tongue, and said under her breath, "I guess I did not hold back enough."

Hearing this, however, Evelyn looked at the punctured steel plate and the wall beyond it that was now cracked and crumbling with a look of surprise.

\'If that is her holding back, what could she do if she got serious.\' Evelyn thought as she caught a glimpse of the power Melisandre had.

Once Melisandre got over the fact that she had just damaged her training room a bit she turned towards Evelyn who as still staring at the hole in the four-inch-thick steel plate and the damaged wall behind it.