Galaxy of Hyperion: Mystic Heir

Chapter Thirty-Eight: Freeze and Flame

Ronan liked to think that he was getting better with the idea of fighting. 

He hadn't been fond of it at first, though he supposed that was to be expected. Ronan had always dreamed of becoming a powerful mage to be able to defend the weak and innocent, but after a while, he began to realize that he was one of the people that needed protecting most of the time. That was just how he had been raised, and even after he was granted the powers of immortality that came with being trapped in the mountain of Cloudpeak for so long, he still wasn't a particularly strong fighter. Magic only truly came to someone through practice and muscle memory, and Ronan had neither, leaving him at an inherent disadvantage compared to many other occupants of the castle. 

That didn't mean that he wasn't about to try and do what he could. He knew that he had to do at least that much, and even if it wasn't explicitly for others, it was for himself. Ronan wanted to become stronger on his own terms, and he doubted that he would ever change his mind in such a way. It wasn't going to be easy for him to become as powerful as the other members of the Skylian Mages, but he was going to try. Lana, Jubilee, and Colt were all experienced in combat, and even though Arian was far from being the best in circumstances of battle, he certainly knew what he was doing with magic when he wasn't clashing with someone else. Jay's experience with a blade was second to none even if she was still developing her skills with magic, and Ronan found himself admiring all of them in some way or another. 

The battle against Alba's ice monsters brought with it another chance for Ronan to learn and get stronger. He kept the rest of his team in the corner of his vision, careful to ensure that they were all kept out of the line of fire. He wanted to defend them with everything that he had. They were his friends, after all, so it was only natural that he yearned to look after them. They had done so much for him up to that point, and Ronan wanted to repay the favor, once again, for his own peace of mind as well as to help all of them out. 

Ronan was starting to notice things even if he was far from being the best fighter though. It wasn't as if he would ever say it openly unless he thought the environment was right to do so, but he could tell that there was something off about other members of his team that day, and it prompted him to frown as he considered just what it was that could have been plaguing him so. 

As the icy beasts began to mount against the castle from the outside, Ronan saw Jubilee cast a notable meteor spell from overhead, and when the fire hit the ground, it exploded outwards in a powerful blast. Her features were tense, but not in the way that Ronan was used to when she engaged in battle. She had to be worried about something else, and Ronan wanted to try and get to the bottom of it as soon as possible. 

Of course, that would only be possible if they were able to get through this fight without winding up on the wrong end of the ice monsters and their powerful claws. Ronan was going to give the situation his all, but at the end of the day, that was all that he could truly do. He let out a careful sigh as he concentrated on the ground below. His Earth magic, while improving, still struggled in a few areas. He was able to make the ground quake and bend to his whims, at least to some extent, if he was making contact with it, but if he was far from the ground, then that was where the issues came in. 

Unfortunately, Ronan didn't see much of any other way to fight through this current situation, so he took in a careful breath before forcing himself to exhale. He stretched one hand out through the window that he was sharing with Jubilee and Arian. Colt, Lana, and Jay were all centered around another nearby window as they hurled attacks out through the open gap in the wall. Ronan closed his eyes as he tried to center himself despite the difficulties surrounding the circumstances. He had to find a way to pull this off. There were people counting on him, and he refused to let them down.