Ymiden 80, 717; Midday
Location: Outskirts of Rharne
How long had it been since he'd ventured out here? Given two more seasons then he would've guessed an Arc, since it was last in Vhalar he'd not only met but discovered a mage. Alistair had taught him a bit once he'd learned what Rupturing was, and how he'd came to be in possession of this "Spark" which rested in his being. Patrick hardly understood any of it quite honestly, and he only continued to display disdain for the work of the arcane. Yet he'd gone through enough to realize something, without power he was too weak to do much of anything in his condition. He was a monster now, dangerous to everyone around him, and the miserable lot that were massacred the other night were just the beginning.
The Sessfiend within him would be returning eventually, whether he wanted to accept it or not didn't change that. Therefore Pat decided he needed to get past this adamant regard of himself, of the fact he too had the capacity of using magic and can make use of it for himself. So what did that mean? What did that do to bring him back out here? For starters it proved he was ready to accept a few things, like the fact he would officially be alone from here on out. That's right. Alone. If he could keep himself further than arm's length from people, refrain from making emotional attachments... Drinking was all he needed now, and if he was going to work alone, then he needed to focus on himself above all.
When he found the spot where they first stopped at, Pat couldn't help but see the memory in repeat. How he probably looked the fool for passing out, when he first saw the rift that distorted the space the man created. That man... His stomach dropped and he felt guilt nailed into his heart, and the memory served as the head of the hammer that caused it. If only I knew then. He shook his head with a sigh, the bottle he'd brought with him opened for a drink. He sort of wondered the possibility of sending a message through time, telling his younger self that it'd only end the same as the first time. Heartbreak. All because he couldn't show real commitment when it truly mattered.
No more. After he choked that bitter feeling down with a drink of his whiskey, Patrick moved onward towards the nearby grove where they first practiced his own Rupturing magic. He could remember quite a bit honestly, stuff about blinking and pockets of Ether or some mess. Quite honestly it'd have to come back to him as he practiced, but he felt determined about getting somewhere with it today. Not just today. Tomorrow and even then onward, today of course was where it all began. When he found the place he was to practice he stopped for a Bit, took in the smell of the air and then exhaled once more. Least he gained some sense of clarity with what had happened recently, now he just needed to put in the effort to work against it.
Patrick first found a spot to sit at beneath the shade, right up against the trunk of a tree, and rested his back against it with his arm propped on a knee. The whiskey dangled between his fingers and thumb but was low enough, so that it also sort of rested on his other lap as he looked around at the environment. "Nature. Yay." He mused to himself with a chuckle before he another sip occurred, after that he reflected back upon the lessons he could remember that day.
---
"Let's go over the basics, Rupturing is one of the sixteen domain magics. It is known as such due to the fact that it tears into space, thus ruptures it, and also for the loud ripping noise that accompanies the majority of portals. There are many types of abilities that accompany Rupturing, and most of them are portals or are related to portals. The entire fundamental basis of the magic is tearing into space for various purposes, and it stays loyal to that. Unlike Aberration, for example, which is chaotic... Rupturing is very orderly. It is a magic revolving around repetition and the mastery of basic principles. I'll teach you the initial few." The mage instructed as he appeared meditative, focused and instructive compared to his self.
Patrick then sat down with a sigh and attempted to heed Alistair's words, follow along with the instruction that later carried out during that day.
---
Once he opened his eyes he could then recall the lesson a bit more clearly, first he needed to concentrate and focus on the world around him. On everything. Thus he mentally remarked on his comment to nature earlier, his eyes closed as he closed his eyes to meditate. Just like before. Mana. Ether. He remembered that part of the conversation now, and that he could focus on Ether itself. To be fair there felt a different sort of feeling about the place; within the trees and their leaves, within the grass and the dirt beneath, even within the air that entered his lungs as he breathed. It also resided within him; so close that he could easily touch it with a thought.
Again Patrick opened his eyes and looked into his left hand, the spare hand where the palm collected dirt. He looked from it to an area just to the outside, the heat of the day all but forgotten as he tried to focus harder. Point A to point B. That's all he had to consider? He looked from one end of the grove to another, his mind already already on the run with the idea of putting his will to the test. "Let's do this." He encouraged himself as he rested the bottle against the tree, once he rose onto his feet he looked to his first spot and then zoned his attention to it. Specifically he had to focus on the Ether and manipulate it, at least just the pocket in which he wanted to control and use.
He leaned into a position that suggested he was about to run, and when he pushed himself forward his sprint ended in one fast step. Patrick had tapped into the Ether well enough to push for a Blink, the first basic maneuver he'd pulled off well enough from that first day. Much like his first time he'd moved at such a high momentum, he felt his feet hit the dirt with a skid that carried him a few feet off from where he'd landed. Nearly fell face forward into the dirt even had he not caught himself, he likely looked like a drunken loon in the act of keeping his balance in check. But regardless he achieved his first Blink in... four seasons? Damn it had been a while. He'd forgotten how much of a rush it was, the way his body zipped through the space like that.
"Heh!" He chuckled with a smirk of accomplishment, though that faded fast for one sudden reason. "Uh oh." He bent over as his stomach hurled suddenly, the heaving motions that followed suddenly caught up to him.
Thus he became momentarily sick where he stood.
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