King and God Chapter 5

5. The Lesson

"Alright," Beldin said as he stood with Cyborg.  Vella had started tending to Jinx, since there were a few things she'd need that Vella knew how to make.  Apparently that was how she was needed, and she didn't like the idea that her role in the great battle was midwife.  "The first thing I need to teach you is the exact nature of the power you have.  TO do that, I need to know just how much you understand about it.  SO, when you first used the power...tell me everything about it."

"Well," Cyborg said, "Ravager was about to kill Jinx."  He shuddered at the memory.

Beldin nodded.  "Go on."

"Well, I couldn't let it happen, but I knew I wouldn't make it there in time.  But all I could think about was knocking her aside, away from Jinx.  And then...I felt this huge force build up inside of me, made of emotion, energy, and...who knows what.  It seemed to come from all around, but also from inside.  Then I yelled and...thrust all the power out of me, and at Ravager, and the image I had in my mind came true, and she was sent bouncing across the bay."

"Very good," Beldin said.  "You seen to have got the gist of it.  Sorcery - or as those of us who use it call it, the WIll and the Word - is just that.  YOu draw in force from all around you, focus it, and unleash it all at once."

"Like some sort of bio-converter?"

"...yes...let's go with that.  The thing about it is, it is shaped by your mind, your thought.  Gather the will, craft the image, and speak the word.  If your will is strong enough, it will happen.  AN example."  Beldin turned to a nearby stand of dead wood.  "Burn!"

Cyborg felt a rushing surge, and the wood burst into flames all at once.  "Sweet bar-b-que."

"..."  Beldin looked at Cyborg closely.  "Are you taking this seriously?"

"Sorry.  What was that...echo I felt when you did that?"

Beldin grinned.  It was not pretty.  "THat happens every time anyone wields this power: anyone with the same power, or a similar ability, will feel it whenever you unleash it.  The noisiest - and usually the first - thing you can do with your Will is translocation."  He turned to demonstrate.

Cyborg pointed at a nearby spot.  "Be there!"  A large boulder dissapeared from a nearby point and reappeared in the spot he pointed at.  "Like that?"

Beldin smacked him in the head.  "Idiot!  Don't go experimenting yet.  You don't know enough.  And you made enough noise there to wake the dead!"

"FUnny you should say that, brother.  Though it looks like you're in need of another bath."

Beldin and Cyborg turned.  An urbanely dressed young man stood, watching them both.  He had a friendly grin and a polished manner, and his eyes reflected the same ancient wisdom Sambar's had.

Beldin smiled when he saw the man, though his words didn't show it.  "I was rained on last week, Belmakor.  It washed off most of the stink."  His voice was husky with suppressed emotion.

The man smiled.  "It's just Makor now, old boy.  I'm no longer a sorcerer.  Your student is quite talented, I must admit."

"But he hasn't taken the time to learn the rules yet."  He stumped around to face Cyborg.  "You have to be careful when you unleash this force.  If you try to push something-"

"I have to put just as much strength into keeping myself immoble, or I'm the one who gets pushed?  That's basic laws of motion, old man.  That's why I made sure to anchor into the ground with some of my will when I translocated that boulder."

Beldin's jaw dropped, and Makor laughed aloud.

"You forget, old boy, science is much more advanced in this world then back home, as is standard education levels.  Most of the lessons we spent eons figuring out is taught when still children."

Beldin snorted.  "Polgara would have loved it here, then."  He looked at Cyborg.  "All right, then.  This leaves the last two lessons.  First, one of safety.  You can do just about anything with your Will that you can imagine, but one thing you must never do is try to unmake something.  The words 'Vanish,' 'Go away,' and 'Be not' are suicidal when it comes to your Will.  If you attempt to unmake something, your will recoils on you, and YOU are the one that's unmade!"

"What's the difference between destruction and unmaking?"

"...what?"

"Well, for example, if I break something down to its component atomic structure, but leave those atoms intact, is it unmade, or just destroyed?  Also, the stone in my sword exists to destroy.  Where's the line there?"

Makor laughed.  "Beldin and I debated THAT one of and on for centuries.  Neither of us wanted to be proven right badly enough to test it.  Were I you, I'd avoid the whole concept."

Beldin nodded.  "Also, before you go deciding whether or not to do something, consider whether or not it should be done.  And don't try to do something beyond you.  Once you put your will to something, you can't pull it back until the jobs done, and some things will drain your vital energy until you don't have enough to keep yourself alive."

"But...my power core keeps me alive.  As long as I can recharge, I'm fine.  Does that mean if I'm plugged in at the time, I have fewer limits regarding my will?"

Beldin was silent for a long time.  Finally he looked up at Cyborg.  "I don't know.  You willing to risk your life to find out?"

"No."

"Then don't try.  On to the last practical lesson: shape changing.  Watch me do it, but with your mind as well as your eyes."  Unbidden, the image of a blue-banded hawk appeared in Cyborg's mind, and he felt a whispering surge.  Beldin's form softened and flowed into the image.  Standing before Cyborg was a blue-banded hawk.

*Now you try it,* he heard in his mind.

Nodding, Cyborg visualized a hawk in his mind, and willed the change.  After a few moments, he shook himself.  *I wonder if that's what it feels like when BB changes.*  He turned to face his teacher, who was staring at him.  *What?*

Beldin turned to face a reflective surface, and Cyborg turned to follow.  He had indeed become a hawk, but half of him was still cybernetic.  And in place of his robotic eye...was the Pearl of Destruction.

*There's a story here, I'm sure,* Beldin said in his mind, *but for now, you get a treat.  I'm going to teach you to fly.  Now, you have to be careful of crosswinds, and-*

Cyborg spread his wings, and rocket boosters popped out of his back.  They ignited, and he took off into the sky at nearly Mach 2.

*BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!*

Beldin glared after his student before taking off after him, grumbling.