Everything is Bigger in Texas (ch 2) by experimentalDeity, literature
Literature
Everything is Bigger in Texas (ch 2)
Dave led the trio back into the hall. “You guys know where the bathroom is,” he began. “We also got a couple of guest rooms for you guys. John, Sol, I guess you two wanna share?” Getting a nod in response, Dave pointed to a few doors down the hall. “All the way down, second and last on the left, take yer pick. Another bathroom’s down there too.” he added. “The door on the right’s my room.” Next stop on the tour was the door John had been standing at earlier. “This here’s my recordin’ studio!” Dave explained, a mote of pride in his voice as the three looked inside. Contrary to the rest of the house, Dave’s studio looked rather modern. The walls were lined with acoustic panels, while Dave’s turntables and mixing board were set up against the far wall beneath a window covered by drapes. Against another wall, Dave’s high-end PC was set up atop a writing desk. Lastly, sitting neatly in the corner on a stand was a beautiful red acoustic guitar. John whistled at the sight. “Wow, Dave… this
“Okay...” Cain held his staff in his hands loosely before tossing it on the bed. He closed his eyes and tried to bring forth that Pan-thalassic feeling he had used for what he was jokingly calling “shadow-bending”. After a moment, the feeling welled up in his mind, and Cain stretched a hand out to the staff, fingers ready to snap. “Come.”
Cain snapped his fingers as a tendril of shadow lashed out and grabbed the staff, clumsily retracting to his hand. The wood smacked his palm hard and Cain immediately dropped it to wave his hand about from the sharp sting. “Ow! Ow... Okay, let’s try that again
Cain listened attentively as Professor Dex explained the assignment. In his mind, he could already picture his shadow tendrils snapping out at a person with a gesture. Granted this was technically something he could already do with them, but Cain felt that the gestures he used were rough, and once initiated the tendrils were reluctant to change their course
After a class of taking careful notes, Cain retreated to his dorm room with a book on Tai Chi for Beginners from the library to focus himself. He sat down on his bed, Splashdown curled in his lap, and thought about magic for a while, clearing his mind. Briefly, Cain glanced at his shut-do
Cain allowed himself an hour or two to relax after class the week after the cave assignment. His next two assignments would prove to be more difficult: redirecting Splashdown’s magic, and healing oneself using that magic, which would be even more tricky, but useful for Cain as a doctor.
The pair stood outside, with Abel standing nearby, willing to act as the target for the redirection. Sitting on a shadow-forged table was a stack of towels bearing the Academy’s logo that Cain had borrowed from the bathroom.
“You sure this is safe?”Abel asked, nervously. “I mean, I’m gonna be able to walk away from this ri