Practicing

[Jared Vanders]

The first bullet hit and Jared held the spell together. As the second hit, it faltered, but Jared kept it together. Jared was barely able to keep it together for the final shot. Three bullets hung in mid-air for a second before Jared released the spell breathing heavily. The three bullets clattered harmlessly to the ground.

The spell worked though although that one in particular would need several mages to be effective in actual combat. Of course in combat, he wouldn't be worried about bullets ricocheting back to those who had fired them in the first place.

The practice session was a reality check. Jared had thought that he had kept his skills in practice, but he was tired now. He had never manipulated that many spells, even small ones, at once. It was tiring and Jared got the full scope of how much more he had to practice.

"Shit, I'm not used to doing this much,"
Jared said finally catching his breath.

Jared was already sitting and he pulled out his pack of cigarettes from his pocket. He opened the pack, prepared to pull one out before continuing. "Sorry, are you okay with this? I don't want to breathe smoke into the air if you don't like it. And would you like one?"


Jared stood and he kept his balance. He hadn't worn himself out as much as he thought, but it would be good to catch his breath. "It takes a lot out of you sometimes, and I never really practiced it too much. Preferred to use my hands. I'll be ready to go in a few minutes. So tell me your story Hollywood. What brought you to the Legion?"

[Jay Carpenter]

In the span of those few seconds, there was nothing but the weapon and a target. During those seconds, Jay was aware that the shots weren't actually hitting anything. The information was assimilated, processed and filed away. But there was no room for an emotional reaction. Merely fact. He was firing shots. The bullets were stopping in mid air. Done.

When he lowered and secured the weapon, he was finally free to react. Focus and aim shifted into shock and disbelief. A moment later, the three bullets dropped to the floor and rolled away benign.

"Hot damn, Vanders!"
He turned toward the man, barely noticing the pack of smokes. "That was incredible!"
His smile grew until he was shaking his head and looking the other man over all new again.

While Jared recuperated, Jay backed up to a table shoved against the wall to make for easy leaning. The pistol was placed safely aside and he waved for Jared to smoke away. Jay wasn't a fan, himself, but so long as he wasn't down wind, he didn't mind too much.

Jared was a good strong guy, but apparently spellcasting was tiring work. It'd be a problem in an actual firefight if their wizard pooped out a few minutes in. They'd have to prioritize his use.

Damn. He was already thinking of Jared as a living weapon rather than a man. The ultimate curse of the soldier.

"My story? Nothing too interesting. I was a MARSOC Raider. Discharged. Kinda my fault. Kinda not."
He shrugged. "What about you? You must have some good stories. Being a real-life mage and all that."

[Jared Vanders]

Jared laughed as he blew smoke out, making the effort to blow it away from Jay. "It's not really all that exciting. People like me have been disappearing, so we tend to keep it to ourselves. I've barely used it until now. You're one of three people that know besides myself."


Jared had heard Jay mention the discharge, but he didn't worry about it. It was in the man's past and they were brothers-in-arms now. If he was good enough for the Legion, he was good enough for Jared.

"I was in MARSOC too. Worked in special recon. Commando and intel gathering and shit like that. My unit was doing a training exercise, when my partner was injured. Nothing bad - just a cut from a nail, but I felt the need to call it in. Suddenly before our eyes the wound just closed. That's the first time I used magic."


Jared sighed as he put out his cigarette. "Got sick after that - apparently some sort of side effect. It goes away after you learn to control it, but it's how the kidnappers or whoever the hell they are find you. Anyways - since then, I was a member of SWAT for the Roswell Police Department and then came here because civilian life just wasn't for me."


Jared picked up his gun from the table and holstered it. "I thought the rest would do me good, but I'm still exhausted. I've seen others do much more than that, so hopefully it's like a muscle and the more I use it, the stronger it gets, but I don't think I got anymore in me right now. Thanks for your help man, hope I didn't waste too much of your day."
Jared said grinning as he turned with the other man to leave the basement.

[Jay Carpenter]

"You worked recon? Damn, Vanders! Its a hell of a coincidence I didn't hear about you. Guess you must have been good at your shit."
Hollywood thought that over for a second. Supposing not every MARSOC was as famous as himself. And by fame, Jay alluded to infamy. He was gossiped about more than the tabloids on Spectra Lin.

Vanders went on with his life story. Roswell SWAT huh? So, shaking down aliens holed up in RV's? Or just the crazies that were sure they were abducted by aliens? Sounds like a hell of a good time! Vanders had to have a story or two about those days.

Like closing up a cut from a nail. That would have been handy a few days ago. If he'd been around, he could have done some chanting, laid on of hands, and poof! Jay's leg might have been Mr. Wizard'd on up. Instead, he got to hang out with Natalie and the runt. Better still, he could still feel Natalie's hands on him when they'd huddled behind the wall. Adrenaline had rushed his bones and he'd felt like a million bucks firing golden slugs dipped in sugar. Which made no sense, both metaphorically and literally.

The thought drained Jay's face of expression. "Hold up a sec, Mr. Wizard. Do you think its possible to uhh, make someone feel good with your spells? Not so much as patch them up like your partner. But flood you with so much energy you feel unstoppable even if you're on the verge of death?"


Damn.


Edited by Jay Carpenter, Aug 23 2014, 10:23 AM.

[Jared Vanders]

Jared pace slowed for a moment as Jay asked his question. The question didn't seem out of place, but the tone with which he spoke it and the slight hesitation caused by the uhhh implied that Jay may have had an experience or heard of such a spell. For a moment, Jared thought maybe Jacques had told the man, but Jacques didn't seem like the type to do so.

"You mean a spell that would be used when someone's exhausted that gives them an unnaturally fast energy boost. Yeah that's possible. I used that spell on the Commander just a couple of days ago."


He had warned Jacques about the dangers of the spell and felt like he should warn Jay too. If he had experience with it and knew someone who could, it would be good for him to know. "It's kind of a two-edged sword though. Even though you don't feel it, you're body is tired. In that instance, it would be easy to overwork yourself. For instance, I take it you've been on painkillers for the past few days. Technically, the pain is still there, but you just can't feel it. Make sense?"


Jared's curiosity was sufficiently piqued though. "A question if I may, why do you ask?"



Edited by Jared Vanders, Aug 23 2014, 10:51 AM.

[Jay Carpenter]

Jay blinked. Vanders cast a spell over Danjou himself? The guy hadn't dropped dead, or at least Jay thought he'd hear about something like that. Then again, Jay wasn't dead either. Also something he'd likely notice. Maybe the spell was safe after all.

Were they really talking about this? Having a serious sit down heart to heart over magic? Awesome.

"Actually I haven't had any painkillers since .. uhh. a while."
He didn't sound proud about it. Jay wasn't trying to be a hero. He was just being practical. There was a limited supply of that stuff and there were other people worse off than him. "But I get what you're saying. You feel like a million bucks, but you're still on the verge of dropping dead. Playing with fire. Dangerous, got it."
Which was why a spell like that should only be used as a last resort. Like when a team was under heavy fire and one of the four couldn't walk.

Why did he ask? Well, because he had a sneaking feeling he'd already experienced something along those lines. He also had a significant feeling who was responsible.

"Uhh, no reason, Mr. Wizard,"
he clapped Vanders on the shoulder. He grinned awkwardly in a way he assumed was convincing. Turns out, though, Jay was a terrible liar.

They returned topside. Jared made the steps a bit weary, but he was a spring chicken compared to Jay. Turns out, climbing stairs without bending your left leg was damn hard.

He was sweating like a pig by the time they made it to the main floor. They received a few strange looks from the men walking around who no doubt were wondering what the hell was going on downstairs. Jay shrugged apologetically. He couldn't say why. But the Legionnaires were understanding. In fact, one guy that Jay recognized from having brought him food those first few days he was weak as a kitten.

He quickly turned to the Wizard. "I'll see you later, Vanders,"
and hurried, hobbled really, after the other Legionnaire.

[Jared Vanders]

Jared went with Jay up the stairs glad that the younger man recognized the danger of such a spell. Jared had to admit the discussion was refreshing. After many years of keeping his abilities secret, it felt good to talk about what he could do - not to mention test out his abilities.

"Uhh, no reason, Mr. Wizard."
Jay's answer to Jared's question was a lie. Jared could tell - the grin awkward enough give away the fact that Jay knew more than he let on.

Jay was sweating by the time they reached the top and Jared made a mental not to find another practice space just in case he would need Jay's help again. Jay saw another Legionnaire and bid Jared farewell. Jared smiled at him as he hobbled away.

It didn't bother him that Jay had lied, and to be honest, Jared had enough on his plate already, but he could observe and make connections. In fact, Jay's question might give him a link to finding another mage. There had to be at least one more in their company. Hopefully, the younger man would reveal what he knew in his own time. Jay had certainly seen much more than he had probably thought he would today and Jared could give him time to digest the information. Jared, however, had another duty shift, and he was exhausted.