Shadow Magic

Chapter Thirteen

I went back to the Manor the next day ready to start some training with my grandma. It was a Friday and I started school the following Tuesday, so I wanted to dedicate the weekend to magic training.

We were up in her private quarters, but in a large open room that seemed to be a practice room. Her grimoire was on a stand on the far end of the room and there were shelves that lined the walls of magic items and other things I didn't recognize. The room smelled of pine and something that reminded me of my mom.

"Are you ready?" My grandma asked.

"I am," I replied, putting my bag down and joining her on cushions placed in the center of the room.

"So have you connected much to your Light Magic since the trial?" She asked once I was settled cross legged on the floor.

"A little, but mostly just to keep me warm in the cold weather," I replied.

"That is a wonderful function of Light Magic," she chuckled.

"I've made a couple of light balls and once I accidentally made a light dome," I said.

"A light dome? Sounds like a light shield," she said thoughtfully.

"Maybe?" I replied, unsure about my knowledge of my magic.

"Why don't we start from the beginning?" she suggested.

"Okay," I replied, that sounded like a good idea.

"Your magic comes from within and Elemental Magic isn't different, but it is more inherent and powerful. There aren't spoken spells in the same way you speak incantations," she said.

"Since Light Magic is rare, no one else knows how to wield it except us. And your mother, but she never had much interest in her Elemental Magic. She preferred potions," she said. I nodded and thought about the garden she kept when I was young and the shed in the backyard I wasn't allowed in.

"So Light Magic was born from Fire and Water Witches, two opposing elements. My mother was a Fire Witch and my father was a Water Witch. We wield Light Magic and bend it differently than those Elemental Witches. Light is powerful and commands spaces, moving fast and isn't always easy to contain," she explained.

"Why don't you make a small ball of light or light ball," she chuckled at my nickname.

I sat up straighter ready for the small challenge and reached into my magic encouraging it to come forward. It greeted me like a best friend and responded to my request. I held out my open palm and a small flicker of light spark a few inches up from my palm. I let it grow until it was the size of a tennis ball, then I looked up at my grandmother.

She held out her palm and within a second the same sized ball of light appeared in her hand. I gasped at the quickness of her light ball and its size.

"Comes with practice," she said. "I'm happy you were able to connect to your Light Magic with barely any training. That is impressive, you are strong."

"Thank you," I replied, the praise leaving me with warm cheeks.

"Okay, take your light ball and practice bouncing it up and down in your palm, but do not move your hand," she requested, showing me what she meant. I watched in fascination as her light ball moved like a tennis ball bouncing on a tennis racket.

I felt determined and I focused on my light ball. I pushed my intent into my thoughts and let it connect to my magic, commanding it to bounce. I watched it stay still and pushed the thought through again in frustration. After a few attempts, I heard my Grandmother speak up.

"You might be thinking too much, Elemental Magic is feeling," she instructed. I nodded and returned to the light ball. I understood what she said, but I didn't know exactly what it meant. I huffed and readjusting on my cushion and while I shifted I watched the light ball move with my palm.