The many ways of magic

[copycast]

Temple wakes up suddenly, his hand automatically going to his abdomen as he raises from the ground...

...Then he notices the lack of pain and the entirely new surroundings.

A new world, which means that he saved Rajir but his former body got sacrificed in the process. Temple is unlikely to see Rajir or the others ever again, without a proper goodbye this time.

There is no point in feeling miserable, his friends and students are safe, just distant.

Temple decides to be practical. He feels and locates traces of magic coming from that way and follows them until he finds himself knocking on a door of a solitary building.

Comments

[copycast]

Temple starts the process and after 15 minutes...

[maggie_of_the_owls]

"PHANTASMIC FORM."

and

he

flickers

into solidity.

[copycast]

Temple is about to poke Horace to test the solidity, before retracting his hand.

"Times like this I feel that magic loves us."

[swordofdamocles]

And then he is very nearly shoved out of the way as Andrea rushes to hug her grandfather for the first time in almost two decades.

[copycast]

Temple will be right here, keeping to himself, and smiling a rather self-satisfied smile.

[swordofdamocles]

The solidity runs out after a while. Andrea has been leaning on him enough that she falls through him with a yelp.

[copycast]

Temple helps her stand up. "Are you okay?" He asks her, then to Horace. "You can cast the spell again if you want to."

[swordofdamocles]

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she laughs. "I wasn't expecting that is all."

"I think not," Horace says. "Not this moment--it was pleasant, but rather disconcerting after so long."

[copycast]

"I heard similar from people that recovered lost senses or mobility, even the ones that got full functionality." Temple says sympathetically. "Do you mind if I get a copy? To study it."

[swordofdamocles]

"He won't mind," Andrea predicts.

"I don't mind," Horace confirms.

[copycast]

Temple copies the spell.

"Interesting, it also works on reverse, changing solid beings to a ethereal state."

[swordofdamocles]

"Well that's...more useful than not."

[copycast]

"My magic tends to be useful, but you two are interestingly fortunate with your innate spells. Do you want to try casting from a spellbook or memorizing a spell now?" Temple asks Horace "Feel free to stopping me from bothering you and relax."

[swordofdamocles]

"Clearly you don't know him that well yet," Andrea chuckles.

"I would like to try casting a spell," Horace says, glancing dryly at his granddaughter.

[copycast]

Temple is more than happy with guiding Horace through the steps. They can even take the opportunity to see if Horace can use a spellbook while intangible.

[maggie_of_the_owls]

Well, he's telekinetic.

[copycast]

That helps, it also turns out that as long Horace intersects with the spellbook the intuitive feeling of "magic" presents itself to him, just like it would to any other word-magic user.

[maggie_of_the_owls]

So he casts--

MINOR LIGHT.

[copycast]

A globe of light sparks into existence.

"A family of naturals!"

[maggie_of_the_owls]

"You jest," Horace says smugly, "but our family have been magicians going back as far as we have any record of.

[copycast]

Temple looks at Andrea and back at Horace. "I'm jealous. Neither of my families were really magically inclined, despite the fact that they let me pursue the career."

[swordofdamocles]

"Why wouldn't they have let you?"

[copycast]

"Oh, without my lovely spell to help, the ways to get your innate spellword can take years. And you need your innate spellword before writing spellbooks and generally being considered someone in the magic circles, so they agree to trade their hoarded spells." He grins. "Of course, I did my best to change that. I think it caused the magical equivalent of the industrial revolution in my world."

[swordofdamocles]

"...Nice."

[copycast]

"It was a bit... intense, but luckily I learned to temper my magic enthusiasm, or so I hope."