The Subtle Arts Pt. 01 Ch. 02

Interlude

Hal floated in the white nothingness of his dreams. This time, he wasn't so confused. He had been here before, he knew, he just didn't remember. In lieu of memories, he had a sense of déjà vu. Instinctually, he focused his attention to the horizon, and a scene rushed into existence. He was standing in the shower in his father's house, steaming water running down the sculpted body that he knew was his, and yet was not the reality of his flesh. Water cascaded down and funneled off his long, thick penis. He reached up and brushed the wet dirty blond hair out of his midnight blue eyes.

Ally, ethereal and more refined than her natural self, stepped into the shower with him, her medium breasts and tight dancer's body pressing against him. Their kiss was searing fire, and her lips left blazing heat as she broke it to sink to her knees. He hardened instantly as she swallowed him whole, too big for her and yet she made no sign of discomfort. Her big brown eyes drilled into his soul as she slowly, agonizingly, milked his length with her throat. Hal was not disembodied this time, but he could still only watch behind blue eyes as Ally coaxed him closer to release with her wet mouth. He could feel his orgasm building, and yet it seemed to last years. Finally, after an eternity, his first shot of molten release sent him to white oblivion.

Chapter 2: Life Magic

"I think that, even if we forget each other, we'll remember in our dreams."

-Stephen King, 'It'

Hal awoke feeling refreshed, and hard as stone. At least he had a healthy sex life in his dreams...too bad he couldn't remember it. He threw off his blanket and took a moment to look down at himself before getting out of bed. Hal had never been fat, but his 5'11" frame had never been toned or muscular either. Hiking two miles to the Academy and two miles back to his apartment had helped immensely in that regard, he supposed.

Now, at the beginning of May, his body was hard and toned. He had even gained some muscle in his chest and arms. Nothing extraordinary, but enough that he looked good, despite doing no more than his forced daily hike. He must have lost a bit of fat around his groin too, because his cock was looking decidedly bigger than its usual average length. Or maybe he was going through another growth spurt? Or maybe his dream had just been so good that he was extra hard this morning? Whatever it was, he wouldn't complain.

Hal rushed through his morning ablutions like lightning and was out the door in 30 minutes flat. He couldn't remember ever being this excited for a lesson. Even in the first weeks, when the concept of doing magic was new in his mind, the bitterness of his situation had tempered his joy of discovery. Now though, he had completely embraced his new life and was ready to learn a new form of magic since he had passed his first trials yesterday. He didn't know what he would be learning, since the 'curriculum' at the Academy wasn't exactly standardized. All the first years generally started with physical magic, because it was easy to dabble in and was good at building the mental acuity necessary for working more advanced magic. After students proved themselves proficient at physical magic, as Hal had done yesterday morning, the instructor would choose the next topic based on what they thought the strengths and weaknesses of the student were.

Before long, Hal had turned on to the rough trail that led to the Academy and the small town that housed his apartment was out of sight. As he approached a rocky area that the trail had to bend around, he felt a little buzzing in his head, and smiled. Looking carefully at the rocks, he spotted what he was looking for and called out "I see you today Brianna! Come out from the rocks!" He waited, arms crossed, while her pouting face peeked out from over the rocks she was hiding behind.

"How do you always know where I am?" she whined. "I waited here still as a mouse for twenty minutes, and you still knew exactly where I was!"

Hal laughed as he walked up the path towards her "Maybe you weren't as quiet as you thought?"

She answered with a sour look, "I thought you had lost your touch after yesterday."

After a few minutes of walking, she asked quietly "Do you know what you'll be learning today?"

Hal chose his words carefully. Like him, Brianna had come from a golden line. Unlike him, she had known of her heritage for years, and there was a lot of pressure on her to perform. Despite his teasing her yesterday, Hal didn't want to embarrass her by making her feel inferior. "No, Kerrigan just said that we would try something new."

Still subdued, "I hope I pass my trials when they come" she said.

Hal cocked his head at her. "I've seen you practice, you're really strong. You'll have an easy time of it. John too. All three of us will be moving on before we break for summer I'd wager." She smiled at him, her green eyes sparkling. They chatted amiably the rest of the way to the Academy, and Hal found himself sneaking glances at her body.

Brianna was short, about 5'2" with shoulder length dark red hair and sparkling emerald eyes. She had an athletic build with large perky breasts that were almost too big for her petite frame. She always wore skintight pants that showcased her ass perfectly when she walked. It was sculpted and firm, almost as nice as Ally's... He checked himself at that thought. He had a girlfriend, and even if she was likely to dump his ass when he got back to Texas, he should keep his hands (and thoughts) to himself.

"Umm Hal?" Brianna asked, a lilt in her voice.

Hal shook himself "Yea?"

Brianna smirked, "We passed Kerrigan's tower."

Hal's mental self cringed so hard he was sure all the life left his eyes. "Sorry I zoned out" he said, while his mind was going zoned out? Really?

Brianna's smirk grew, "S'ok, I know I've got a nice ass", and with that still hanging in the air she winked and swayed off to her lesson. Well, I won't be living that one down either Hal thought to himself as he slunk back towards Kerrigan's tower.

Entering Master Kerrigan's solar, Hal was stopped halfway through the door by a blast of light and warmth. The large circular room was usually dimly lit by the bed of dying embers in the hearth and as such just a few degrees above chilly. Today, there was a roaring fire and all the wall sconces were lit. In the center of the room were two oversized poufs, almost the size of beanbag chairs. He edged into the room as Kerrigan came down the stairs from his private quarters. "Hal, please sit down on a pouf, I'll be with you in a moment." Hal just blinked. He had never been asked to sit before. After of moment of standing dumbly in front of the door, Kerrigan gestured pointedly to the center of the room, and Hal finally sat.

After putting another log on the fire, Kerrigan joined him. "Today, we will embark on a journey into one of my favorite branches of magic," Kerrigan began. "It is extremely rewarding for those who master its secrets, yet also extremely perilous; both for you and for those around you." Hal knew better to interrupt, and after a short pause his master continued: "I am referring to what we call 'Life Magic'. Formally speaking, life magic deals with the fundamental human nature. The human nature is split into three components. Do you know them?"

Hal didn't, but Master Kerrigan never asked him a question that was obviously beyond his knowledge, so he took a guess. "The body, the mind, and the spirit?" he queried. Kerrigan smiled.

"Just so. The body is the part of us that responds to, and interacts with, the physical. The mind responds to and interacts with the logical, and the soul responds to and interacts with the ethereal."

Hal let that sink in for a moment and ventured, "You make it sound like logic and ether can be seen and felt just like physical objects".

Kerrigan's smile broadened, "That is correct Hal. Humans are obviously most in tune with their bodies, as such we can feel and interact with the physical realm most easily. Some people began long ago to tune themselves in to their souls and have begun to glimpse the ethereal. Still others have recently opened themselves to the logical. Sadly, these two groups are at odds, and only with their reconciliation will true fusion of the human form be achieved." Hal felt like that last part was important, but he couldn't quite process it yet.

Quietly, almost to himself, Hal said "If logic is magic, I'll bet that's why my mom is so damn successful".

Kerrigan heard him, "Well, I would not say that logic is magic, rather our magic lets us interact with logic on a deeper level than most humans. But...yes. Your mother is extremely skilled in this form of magic. She always was cold and calculating, I think because she spent so much of her time examining her decisions through the flows of the logical."

Hal couldn't help himself "Wait, you knew my mother?"

Master Kerrigan gave him a puzzled look. "Of course, she didn't tell you? I was her teacher more than twenty years ago. I was her father's teacher more than twenty years before that."

That surprised Hal. "I didn't know that, but I'm not surprised she didn't tell me. We don't exactly get along. I've only seen her a handful of times in the last fifteen years, and the last time was when she told me that I had to give up all my dreams, leave my girlfriend in Texas, and travel halfway across the world to join a secret society of mages I didn't know existed." Kerrigan winced at his words, and he hastily added, "Don't get me wrong, I actually love it here. Learning magic has been exactly the kind of challenge I was looking for in university. I'm just bitter that my mom handled the situation so poorly. Because of her, I've been feeding my girlfriend excuses for why I can't transfer back home, and she's getting suspicious of my cover story."

Kerrigan flashed him another puzzled look, "Why didn't you just tell her the truth?"

Hal was dumbstruck. "I would have buuut.... isn't all of this supposed to be a big secret? You know, the magic and everything?"

Kerrigan was shaking his head, "Well yes of course, but we realized centuries ago that if we were going to intermarry with non-magical families, we would have to find a way to tell those of them that were closest to us about our true nature. It's a simple thing really, you just have to convince the swear a binding oath of secrecy." Hal was staring, openmouthed. "Your mother could have done it, she did it for your father after her first year here after all. I taught her the oath myself."

Hal's whole body was vibrating in anger. Finally, he managed to speak, "Master Kerrigan? May I be excused for a moment to compose myself?" Master Kerrigan assured him that he could, but that they ought to get back to their lessons when he had control over himself again.

Hal found himself outside the tower, his mind reeling. He thought back to that dinner with his mother. She had specifically forbidden him from telling Ally, and even encouraged him to end their relationship before flying out here to the UK. That bitch, he thought, that is the last straw. Of course, he hadn't told Ally anything, she wouldn't have believed it anyway. But now, I can convince her. All I have to do is work some magic in front of her like mom did to me. When he got back, he would hunt down his mother and make her teach him the oath, then he would confess the whole thing to Ally.

When he had calmed down, he came back into the solar and sat across from his master. Kerrigan spoke first, "Hal, I'm sorry there is a rift between you and your mother. I'm sure she had her reasons for her silence about the oath of secrecy, but I see no reason why you could not tell your girlfriend, especially if you are serious about her. Therefore, I will teach you the oath myself, before you leave here at the end of the month. Besides, it should fit in nicely with our final lessons of the term. Now, let us return to the subject at hand."

Master Kerrigan clapped his hands and dove in again. "Now, even though we as humans are more in tune with our bodies than our minds or souls, that is not where our study of the life magics will begin. As you know, magic of any form is a predominately mental exercise, and so it is a natural extension of your previous lessons to begin with the magic of the mind. Mental magic is a subtle art, and difficult, but with it you can read the intentions and even influence the actions of another."

Hal was excited now, "You mean I can read and control minds?"

This did not please Kerrigan, who said "A mind is not a diary to be opened and read, or written in. It is a complex and subtle organ, full of shadows and symbology. You will find even the most well-ordered minds to be labyrinthine, and even the most lucid to be full of double entendre. With practice, you may learn to read the portents of thought and discern intention. With mastery, you may be able to place the seed of suggestions that flower into action. With carelessness, you will lose yourself among the hellscapes of another's subconscious."

A few hours later (Kerrigan had decided that from now on, history was not as important as his magical education), Hal stepped out of the solar and into the sun of noonday. He felt like he had after that day he had three AP exams in a row, dazed with a throbbing head and annoying sensitivity to light. He began to shuffle his way towards the great hall. As always, he was starving after his magical exertions.

Hal found it very easy to enter his master's mind, but navigating it was a different story. After reaching out with his thoughts to his master, he had opened his eyes to a dazzling landscape: a windswept shoreline that gave way to rolling plains and towering mountains in the distance. After walking along the beach for an hour two, he discovered that, not being reality, he could fly around and cover distance much more quickly.

Unfortunately, that discovery only led to another: the vast landscape he found himself in was endless, and apparently devoid of sentient life. He had wandered around in the subconscious of his master for two days before he turned around to see Kerrigan standing behind him, arms crossed and smiling.

It was definitely Master Kerrigan, but younger than his current eighty-something years. He wore rough spun brown robes. "I must apologize Hal, for letting you wander around so long, but this is your first lesson. You can wander around in a subconscious mind for all eternity, and never escape."

Hal blinked. He had not even given thought to escape. "Master, how do we get out?"

His master laughed, "We don't. This is my mind; I'm not going anywhere. But you can leave the same way you got here, but backwards." At that, Kerrigan turned around and left him standing on the beach, puzzling at his words. It took another few hours, but eventually Hal opened his eyes in the solar, revealing the older Kerrigan gazing serenely at him. It had only been about half a second. The second lesson had been about time and was related to the first. "You can spend lifetimes in the mind, and only pass a second." Kerrigan had said. All in all, it wasn't hard to convince Hal not to go messing around in people's heads without more training.

This time, Hal was the first of his friends to arrive in the great hall and stirred his beef stew thoughtfully. Once they arrived, they were eager to learn what Hal's lesson had been about, and he obliged them. Oddly, Brianna wasn't impressed. "Pff life magic? Mother says the only ones who care about life magic are grumpy old druids and greensages."

John was more thoughtful, "Hmm I don't know. It certainly isn't mainstream, but it's supposed to be quite powerful if you can master it..."

Brianna just snorted at that. "No way, life magic is just a bunch of holistic healing and chakra crystal nonsense!"

Hal was confused. "Well, I don't know about that, but I spent the whole morning poking around Kerrigan's head. It was fascinating."

Brianna still looked skeptical, "What, like with a needle or something?"

Hal shot her one of his blazing glares that could melt glaciers, but his voice was cold. "No, I mean inside his head. As in, in his mind." That finally got the reaction Hal was fishing for.

At once Brianna's demeanor changed. "Ooooh can you tell what I'm thinking??" Inwardly smiling, Hal regurgitated Kerrigan's speech about the mind being a subtle organ with as much contempt as he could muster.

They weren't fooled, so he went on, "I can't, not yet anyway. I've only had one lesson. Besides, it's dangerous for me, I could get trapped wandering around your subconscious without more training." Brianna finally relented, but only after he promised to demonstrate his new skills as soon as possible. She's gonna get me into so much trouble Hal thought as he finished his lunch.

The afternoon session with Master Kerrigan was a bit more relaxed. As they sat down on their poufs, Kerrigan began his monologue. "Now, despite all the warnings I gave you earlier, I know you eventually will give in to temptation and try to enter the mind of another away from our lessons. Instead of forbidding it, I will teach you how to do it safely. The technique we learned this morning was a deep dive into an external mind, but it is possible to catch a quick glimpse without diving in headfirst. But before we get into it, we need to perform a sort of thought experiment to prepare you."

"When you first reached out to touch my mind, you should have perceived my mind as a vision. What did my mind look like to you?"

Hal's first foray into Kerrigan's thoughts had been memorable, and it didn't take too much thought. "Well, the only way I can describe it is like this: once I moved outside my own mind I was in an endless void, like space. Your mind looked like a planet to me, and I was a traveler. Once I thought that, it was easy to move down through your 'atmosphere' into your subconscious."

"A good analogy, and one that will prove useful moving forward" Kerrigan said. "Now, if a mind is like a planet, and you are a traveler, you can obviously glean a lot of information by visiting that planet; but let's take a step back for a minute. If you were a traveler visiting Earth, you would learn a lot by visiting England, but that knowledge would be specific to England, and not necessarily applicable to the rest of the world."

Hal was catching on. "I see" he said, nodding. "So, if we want more general knowledge, we need to look at the mind in a broader light?"

"Yes, exactly," his master praised. "Let's give it a try. This time, when you encounter my mind, do not visit the surface. Instead, imagine yourself like a satellite orbiting my mind. From your orbit, look down and tell me what you see."

When Hal did, the difference was immediately noticeable. He saw vast oceans, jagged mountains, rolling plains, and arid deserts, all from far above. The landscapes were varied, but they were all in harmony. No storms raged, no harsh winds blew, no armies roamed the surface. "I see peace." Hal said simply.

"Good!" Kerrigan beamed. "You see the big picture, not individual scenes. This is good." You can use this method to get an idea of what lies on the surface of someone's mind. The thoughts and feelings that are risen to the surface, but many of the more complex and subtle thoughts will remain hidden from this view."

"Master," Hal began, "I'm wondering. How do emotions play into this?"

Kerrigan gave him a measured silence before replying. "Emotion is the jurisdiction of the soul, not the mind. But...the two are intrinsically linked. When you look into the mind, you will see the basic emotions that a person is feeling: anger, jealousy, lust, things like that. More complex emotions like love will remain hidden until we begin our journey into the soul."