The Dao of Magic

74 - Verve

A small, white bunny screeches through the air. The fur on the figure gets blown backwards, showing pink skin where the fine hairs spread apart. A kick from the small hind legs causes water to explode into a fine mist. The next kick lands on a swift, small boat. The robe-clad person riding it careens into the distance from the force, broken limbs and blood flying everywhere.

Now, let's say that the small, twitching bundle of instincts could actually think. The bunny's thoughts would probably go something like this: 'Mommy said to keep safe. Flashing tree is not safe. Bye tree!'

Another kick makes more fine spray, and a bigger boat gets blown in half. The white streak causing the mayhem is barely visible, mana cannons are swivelled around wildly as the small critter evades their shots with ease.

'More flashing trees. Smaller mommies need safe. Bye bigger tree!'

The armada of various mage-powered vessels retreats once again, the small ships speeding away swiftly while the bigger boats make ponderous turns. They don't even slow down to haul their still living magically attuned colleagues from the water. The mages on the ships only slow down now and then to throw a rope to swimming mages in similarly coloured robes.

"LOLAAAAA, YOU CAN COOME BAAAAACK"

'Blue small mommy voice! Want to get scratches! Not good as big mommy, but still good.'

Lola hurries back to the boat, landing in Selis' outstretched arms with a precision jump. Both females narrow their eyes in pleasure as Selis starts scratching the fluffy being's belly.

"Who's a good girl? Yes, you aareeeee."

A dry cough clears the pink atmosphere at once.

"Are you sure this is fine?" Tess asks with a slightly bored and worried tone. "We are sailing straight into mage territory without Teach present. If nothing else, I think he would want to see this." She waves a hand at the splintered wrecks and dissipating trails of colourful mana as various water threading figures bob up and down in the waves.

Ket grins in response. "He said do whatever we want. Feel free to do so too. My power gain has slowed down a lot, we all need more energy."

While the six disciples and single rabbit casually chat or get petted, a single girl is looking around with anxious eyes. "Are you sure this is fine though? This wonderful shield has held up so far, but we will keep meeting more mage boats. We will cross close to Strata and Disintegration like this." The redhead peers down at a large, leather map, splayed out on a small table next to the ship's wheel.

"We are sailing west right now. We can slip away if we turn on the stealth field when we are out of sight of the ships and head north."

Angeta stares at Ket with a deadpan expression. "Your grin starts to look like Teachers. I would be worried about that development if I were you. I am not though, so I don't care."

Ket's smile falters for a bit, but a single frown later he is grinning wider.

⁂

"The smoke plume we have been seeing for a day is Disintegration Island, home of the fire faction. And you can just see Strata's Eternal Tower over the horizon there."

A redheaded girl is waving her hands around as she lectures for a bit. "Massive arrays attract fire or earth mana to these islands. Never fight a faction on their own turf, they have access to at least twice as much mana and regeneration as outside of their islands. Wave Island is far to the east, on the opposite side of the Elemental Ring. Light mages are only hired to do healing for the rich. Or they get assigned to a journey mage patrol squad as support."