?All right then,? Midna said as she set up a few targets for Alex to blast. ?An essential rule of thumb to any magic is that you eliminate all outside distractions. If you become distracted, the energies forming as a result of your concentration will disperse and the spell will fail. Some spells tax the mind more than others, but for the purposes of your training, we?ll begin with a simple fireball, the most rudimentary of all battle magic. Simply form your hands into a loose ball and focus on it.?
Alex closed his eyes and obeyed. He had taken off his jacket, revealing a white undershirt. He cupped both of his hands and held them, palms facing each other, one on top of the other. He thought long and hard about fire, heat and burning forming into a tight ball between his hands. After a while, his hands tingled with the sensation of heat. Strangely, the forming fireball seemed incapable of burning his bare hands. As he continued his concentration, the ball got larger and larger, until it was about the size of a baseball.
?That?s good,? said Midna. ?Keep at it too hard and it?ll keep growing. If it gets too big, you won?t be able to control it, and it?ll backfire. Now, to launch it, simply force it away in the direction you want it to go. The strength you force it with will determine its speed.?
Again, Alex followed the imp?s instructions. Opening the palms of his hands, he extended his arms quickly and forcefully towards a tree Midna had found to use as a target.. The fireball raced away from him, leaving a burning tail behind it. Within moments, the flaming ball of magic struck the tree and promptly ignited it. As Alex regained his posture, his hands smoked a little bit.
?So there you have it, it?s as easy as that!? Midna giggled. ?Of course, there are more powerful fire spells, but try to master this one first. It?s a start!?
?Yeah, thanks,? Alex said, dusting himself off. ?Had I known it was this easy, I would?ve considered it twenty years ago.?
?It?s actually very simple once you get the hang of it,? Midna replied. ?A second technique is to try to form one in each hand and fire them individually. You can go ahead and try it if you like. Instead of cupping your hands together, keep them apart and close them about a third of the way.?
Alex, holding his hands about two feet apart, closed them slightly and thought hard. Before long, two separate fireballs found themselves forming in each hand. Once they had reached the size he wanted them to, again baseball sized, he forced one away, followed through by spinning, and swinging his second arm as he finished the spin. One flew straight toward a second tree and incinerated it, and the other followed a curved path into a wall, detonating with the force of a six-pound cannonball. When the smoke cleared, an eighteen-inch hole had appeared in the brick wall.
?Wow, now I know why these Asgarnians used magic to make their lives easier,? Alex said, astounded at his feat.
?Yes, magic is a very effective means of combat,? Midna went on, ?but it is important not to grow dependent on it. There are sometimes certain things you just can?t force out of your mind, and that can disrupt your concentration. It?s always helpful to keep a sword or something on hand.?
?A sword, eh?? Alex was intrigued. He had been well-versed in using his scimitar, but he had since left it at rebel headquarters. He had also lost his rifle in the fall, its delicate components shattering upon slamming into the ground from a thousand feet. Thankfully, the rifles were in plentiful supply, he could always pick up another.
?Well, I guess that?s it for now,? Midna said. ?We ought to get back to that camp those rebels set up.?
Alex put his jacket back on and re-donned the P.C.S. He could?ve sworn he heard Midna sigh as he did. Was she annoyed that he hid his humanity behind a cold, hard outer shell? Thinking nothing of it at the moment, Alex proceeded back to the base, Midna taking his shadow as he did.
?Alex, we need you to investigate some activity we?ve picked up in the Residence District,? Kleiner briefed Alex as he stood in front of the city map. ?We?ve picked a Kandie supply convoy moving in from the city?s south gate in order to render aid to the citadel. We need you to raid that convoy, bring it to a halt, and see if you can salvage anything. Whatever you can?t bring back, destroy. The less those Kandies have, the better. Got it??
?Of course, Doc,? Alex said, shouldering a new Asgarnian Energy Rifle. ?Out of curiosity, how many are in this convoy??
?Our scouts have counted at least thirty. The majority of them are simply armed soldiers, but we?ve received confirmed reports of Kandie vanguards. I would suggest you exercise caution.?
Vanguards were the Kandie heavy soldiers. They were often armed with magic mortar launchers stolen from Asgarnian weapon stores. They were shoulder-fired tubes that launched arcing balls of explosive magic energy. They were roughly as powerful as a medium- or large-sized cannon. They were also plated with thicker armor than their infantry comrades. While the heavy equipment slowed them down, they could fire off a shot once every fifteen seconds or so. If one were to hit an unprotected person, they could very easily be disintegrated.
Alex stood atop one of the residential complexes as he watched the convoy come in through the gate. He stood silently, planning his strategy.
?Well?? Midna asked, coming out of his shadow. ?This seems like the perfect time to try out your new magic experience. Why not give it a shot??
