Rising of a Mage by J. M. Fosberg Read Free Book Online

Gabriel nodded and then asked for a ring of light and he did the same, starting dim this time, then brighter, and expanded the ring until it reached the walls. Master Gabriel asked him to illuminate the room and then with light coming in all directions so there was no shadow in the room. “Good, it seems that you have mastered the use of light.”
    “I can do more,” Anwar stated.
    “Ah well, these are the only things I have taught you, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. What else have you figured out?”
    Anwar made one area across the room light up but not illumine any other part of the room, then he changed the light from white to yellow to red to blue then green and purple. Then that area of light moved, without changing size, all across the room and, as he changed it back to white, it rotated and instead of illuminating from floor to ceiling, it illuminated wall to wall. Then he put the light out.
    “And you continue to impress and surpass all expectations, Anwar. You have shown true control. I have no doubt you could use light for any purpose you chose. I do believe we are more than ready to move on.” Master Gabriel lead Anwar to a small fire pit outside filled with logs, and they sat down. “Now, Anwar, I will explain something you may have discovered for yourself. What we are doing is mastery of magic. Light and fire can be accomplished with spells along with anything else. What we are doing is simply guiding the flow of magic to a purpose so that no words or spells are required. Again, as you progress, many of the things we learn will be spells, but first we will master the things we can.”
    Anwar nodded. He had read enough to know what they were doing. Master Gabriel then waved a hand over the fire pit and it burst into flame. When he snapped his fingers the fire was gone. He explained to Anwar how he used the magic as heat to create fire. “Anwar, you will the fire as you do the light. Once you have made the fire, however, it is just a normal fire unless you continue to will it magical. Putting out the fire is different; you have to know how the fire works—what will make it not fire anymore. Fire needs air so you use the magic to take away the air and the fire is gone, or you can use water, but—”
    “That’s more of a mess,” Anwar cut in.
    “Yes, you are correct, Anwar. I think I will leave you to it. Once you have mastered making the fire and putting it out, work on controlling the size of the fire. There is a box of candles in my study; when you are ready come get them and practice lighting the wick of the candle.” He whisked out of the room and left Anwar alone. So he made a blue flame appear in the fire pit like the one he had made in his palm for his parents, but it was just a light. Then he willed the flame to life with heat and the burn pit was on fire. The first couple of attempts to suffocate the fire caused it to falter but not go out completely. Then he figured it out and, once he had, it was a simple thing to do. He spent the next hour making fire and then putting it out, starting it big, then smaller and putting it out. After a few hours of starting and putting out all sizes of fire, his clothes were soaked in sweat and he was exhausted. He went to his room, bathed, and was asleep the moment his head touched his pillow.
    Mariah waited in the courtyard for over an hour; she sparred with a couple of the guards but they were no longer a struggle for her, as dealing with both ends of Anwar’s staff made it much easier to deal with a sword. After the hour passed, she began to get worried. She had met Anwar here ever day after their studies and he was almost always there waiting for her when she arrived. He was often reading one of his books. Now he had not shown up. Anwar was her best friend—her only friend. Was he more than a friend? Why hadn’t he come? I hope he isn’t upset with me for something, she thought. But that’s not like Anwar; there must be some reason.
    So she