Technomancy

"You have access to all five elements," he continued. "Each is different. However, they all have their strengths and weaknesses. You already know about Iron, try one of the others."

Iris complied. Immediately she felt a burn in her chest. She felt a strange warmth starting at the core of her body and then stretching, slowly wrapping itself around her whole body. She felt a slight tingling sensation on her fingertips. But more than that, she felt enveloped, along with the cloak. Protected.

"Tickles," she said, looking at her hands and then touching her face. 

"That´s Aegis," Ed said. "It functions as a sort of invisible shield around your whole body. Effective against physical attacks and metallic weapons. Against Obsidian, however, not so much."

So that´s why the soldiers carry around those weapons, Iris thought.

 "Will . . . Obsidian pierce through normally, as if nothing´s there?"

Ed gave her a flat look. "Well, think of Aegis as a thick pocket of ionized air wrapped around your body. Obsidian will get slowed down a bit, yes. But given enough power or speed, it will pierce through."

Iris considered possibilities where this could come in handy. Aegis, she concluded, wouldn´t be much help against soldiers or Prowlers. Except, as she used it, she also felt something else, something she couldn´t quite put a tab on.

"Thick, isolating pocket of air around your body. Can you think of any other benefit?"

She thought about it, and just as she was moving around her limbs to get used to the feeling, she understood. Her body felt a little lighter, her footsteps didn´t echo throughout the tunnels anymore. Almost like she was floating a few millimeters off the ground. 

"Stealth," she finally replied. 

Ed nodded, clearly satisfied. 

"Now, another one . . . ah, that´s Obsidian. We covered that already."

 Iris stopped at once. It was still difficult telling all five of them apart. She focused on a different one.

Just like that one time before, a translucent version of Ed filled her vision. Ed, the real Ed, smiled, and just then Iris noticed a punch flying towards her through the translucent figure. She reflexively ducked, and saw the real Ed following through and throwing a punch now, only, it went clean over her head. The figure faded away, and Iris got back on her feet.

"Chrona," Ed said. "It lets you glimpse briefly into the future. And, as you just saw, those moments could be crucial during fights."

"What kind of technology does something like this?" she said, sounding baffled. 

Ed simply smiled. "Excellent question. I . . . don´t know. However, advanced tech simply tends to look like magic to those who don´t understand it. Maybe you´ll be able to figure that out someday."

Interesting, Iris thought. She reached in again but noticed her Chrona reserves had vanished. 

"I ran out."

Ed nodded. "Chrona is the fastest depleting element, of all the five. That tablet I gave you was enough for maybe about five seconds."

"Now, there´s something more you need to know about these. Each one comes at a cost. A weakness, a bad side, if you will. Take Iron. It increases strength and sensory perception, but that also means that you feel pain with heightened intensity. Injuries became much, much more excruciating. One loses focus. Aegis, of course, breaks with enough pressure, especially with Obsidian."

"What about the rest?"

"Obsidian creates a temporary connection between two minds," Ed continued. "The more complex, powerful, or longer the connection, the greater the strain on the user´s mind. Also, it creates a feedback loop, where stronger-willed targets might influence the user´s thoughts instead. It´s a tug-of-war."

"Chrona makes you disoriented. Confused. It takes a toll on your body as it tries to keep up with its surroundings."

Iris nodded, taking it all in. Then she reached in for the last time and used the fifth and final reserve, which she was still unfamiliar with. Nothing happened.

"Ah," Ed chuckled. "Careful with that one. Using Arcane in the wrong way is the quickest and surest way to die."

Her eyes widened slightly, then narrowed, alarmed at the thought. Ed smiled. 

"However, this is by far the most versatile one. Think of it as raw energy. Rub your fingers together."

So Iris rubbed her index and thumb against each other. She felt some strange force of energy she couldn´t really explain. Pulsing. 

"Use it on yourself, and you can overclock your body. This means you can increase your elemental capabilities beyond your normal capacity for a short time. Most use it for this. Apart from throwing oneself into the air by pushing against the ground."

"I can fly?" Iris asked, hopeful and excited. Even Ed looked at her in disbelief at the sudden outburst of emotion. He smiled. She always acted so seriously otherwise. Serious and distant. 

"Well, more like leap high in the air," Ed corrected her. "Follow me."

Just then a shriek came from Iris, followed by a thud. Ed turned around. Iris had already released a burst of Arcane, propelling herself off the ground. However she´d launched awkwardly, the energy dispersing unevenly. She´d tumbled sideways before crashing head-first into the ground. 

"Ow," she muttered, getting up and wincing as she rubbed her shoulder. Ed chuckled softly. 

"Shoulda known you´d try that," he said, sounding almost amused. Iris flushed in embarrassment and Ed gestured again to follow him. 

They left the practice spot, venturing down one of the many winding paths in the underground network. The tunnels grew darker as they moved away. The echoes of their footsteps seemed to stretch endlessly into the depths. 

After a few minutes, arrived at what seemed to be a massive cylindrical chamber with cold, rough walls that disappeared into the darkness below while also stretching impossibly high above them. A faint glimmer of light was visible at the top, but it was so far away that it almost seemed like a bullet hole in the ceiling. 

Almost like a star, in the night sky. Iris had heard of those.

The air was really cold. 

"This," said Ed, gesturing, "is where you´ll really learn to use Arcane. The goal is to thrust yourself up to the top using elemental energy and write your name on the ledge." He looked at Iris and found himself being stared at again. 

"Now go jump over and try it."

"What?" Iris glared at him, dumbfounded. "I . . . can´t."

 She looked down at the hole. She couldn´t see the ground. Only darkness. "This is nuts. I´ve never even used my powers properly before."

Ed agreed, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You´ll get there someday, watch."

He stepped forward, his posture relaxed but his focus intense. He closed his eyes for a moment and then, with a powerful pulse of Arcane, shot into the air. His ascent was smooth and controlled, a streak of shadow against the stone walls, as he pushed against the air below him again and again, maintaining his balance flawlessly. Within seconds, he flew out of view.

Then he descended just as smoothly, his figure growing larger until he finally landed softly beside her. 

"The tube doesn´t end at the ledge," he said. "It goes further. I´d say maybe even as far up as the surface."

"Have you been to the surface?"

"Eventually, the Shroud blocks your way, no matter which direction you go in." 

"Your turn," he added.

Iris swallowed hard, nervous fluttering in her stomach. Her heart hammered against her chest as she eyed the abyss once again. She focused on her Arcane reserve and felt a warmth growing inside her body, a low hum that spread to her legs and feet. 

Then she let go. 

For a moment, she soared. She launched high once, a gust of wind filling her ears. But then she reached the apex of the leap and the energy wavered. Her focus slipped for a split second, and then suddenly, she was falling.

Her body cut through the air and a sharp fear spiked in her chest. She shrieked. 

I´m dead. 

But then, in a flash, Ed propelled himself off the ground with a burst. He jumped and caught her in mid-air. They dropped together, he skillfully redirected their descent with another burst against the curved walls, slowing down until they landed softly on the stone floor.

He laughed. 

"First time´s tough. Arcane is all about riding that fine line between control and chaos."

She pushed herself away and quickly got up, straightening her clothes. 

"You´re out of your mind," she said, almost smiling but frustrated at the same time. 

"That´s enough. Let´s go back," he concluded, and soon they made their way back out of the underground.