Lowborn spells and Highborn Sorcery

The smell of scorched air and static filled Sophie's nostrils as she was led into the garden. High walls surrounded the area, red brick hung with a fine silver netting that trailed onto grass and made her head spin at the display of wealth. The manicured lawn they walked around encircled an oval, about the size of a tennis court and made of a flat, grey stone, upon which two teenagers in thick gambeson stood across facing each other. They were intent, staring each other down with their left arms outstretched and their palms out. Both were breathing hard. A portly man stood off the oval, presumably the teacher. He saw Sophie and her master and motioned them subtly over.

As Mr Fletcher walked her along the outer wall of the garden Sophie watched the nearest pupil. Without warning he swept his right arm upwards in an arc, before stepping forwards and slashing it back down across his body. A hot wind rushed across the garden, whipping Sophie's hair across her face. A bright gout of flame burst into life above the boy and rushed downwards at the other student. The young woman threw both her arms forward and turned her face away, and abruptly the flames splashed inches away from her palms like rain off a roof.

'Parry and move Cas, don't just block!' The big man at the side shouted. 

Mr Fletcher and Sophie stopped near him, but a good few paces back as the boy repeated his attack. This time the girl spun as the fire approached, invisibly ensnaring the heat and whipping it around to shoot back at the other student. Her aim was off, sending it over his head, and the fireball crashed into the netting on the garden walls where it fizzled out instantly without a mark on the bricks behind.

'Enough' The fat man shouted, his Greek accent thick in his annoyance. 'We're finished for today. Both of you go home and practice! You too, Peter. Those moves were sloppy and you know it, Bethany would have taken your head off if she could aim.'

The teenagers bowed to the teacher and each other before heading out of the garden, though they gave Sophie curious glances as they left. She must have been a strange sight, a foot taller than them in her commoners clothes, compared to their expensive duelling armour. Not knowing whether she should bow or acknowledge them, she chose instead to approach the man along with Mr Fletcher.

'Master Maldova, this is Sophie Horner.' Sophie gave a curtsey to the unimpressed looking teacher at the introduction, not knowing what the proper formalities were.

'Hmph, what do you mean by this Fletcher? Where did you find this woman?'

'In the market, she's a farmer's daughter and was carting her wares. Some sailors from the docks tried to rob her, but by the time the sergant turned up she was the only one left standing, and nobody would come within 10 yards of her!' Fletcher grinned as he told the story but Sophie looked at the ground, her cheeks burning as she toyed with the edge of her torn sleeve. 'I saw the whole thing, and convinced the Watch to let me bring her here instead of causing more commotion by trying to bring her in. You should have seen it Dimitri!'

The big man turned his attention fully to the grubby girl. 'You. You can weave magic?'

'I...yes sir. Some, sir.'

'You have been trained? Taught at all?'

'No sir. We couldn't afford-'

Maldova clicked his tongue in annoyance and turned back to Mr Fletcher.

'What am I to do with her? She's a grown woman already, I have enough students. Take her back to the watch.'

'She's only seventeen. Test her, let her show you what she can do.'

Maldova waved his hand and turned to walk away.

'Five crowns. If she impresses you. She's strong, Dimitri.' Fletcher pulled out a small leather wallet from his jacket pocket, and Sophie's eyes went wide at the sound of coins. Almost a season's pay, causally being wagered. Her mouth felt suddenly dry.

The bigger man turned back and eyed his slender friend.

'Deal.' He said, and motioned Sophie towards the stone platform.

Hesitantly she moved across the lush grass and stood where one of the duelists had stood, her cotton tunic seeming paltry in comparison to the bright silks and padded armour the previous pair had worn. Master Maldova took his place opposite and bowed, which Sophie quickly returned.

'Can you show me fire? Something like you saw before, Mistress Horner?' He called to her. Sophie felt faint panic rising, and looked over to Mr Fletcher, who nodded encouragingly.

'But...there's nothing to set alight, Sir.' She answered, her voice high. She could make fires, but had only ever done so when there was something to burn.

'Nothing to... You make it girl! Like this!'

With an impatient flick of his hand the master send a gout of flame the size of Sophie's head into the air, where it extinguished smokelessly. She ran her tongue over her dry lips as she watched it, trying to work out what to do. Throughout her life she had been able to summon magic, but without formal training she'd only ever been able to act by instinct and self-taught skills. Easily able to set paper, kindling, even dense wood alight,she did her best to set the thin air above her hands aflame. Moments passed. A curling wisp, no bigger than a candle, spluttered to life over her cupped palms.

'Hmmph.' Maldova made an unimpressed noise. 'Next. Move this.'

With another dismissive motion a leather ball flew from Maldova's pocket and came to rest in the centre of the arena. Sophie stared for a second, but felt a spark of hope at something she could do. Instinctively she summoned the ball, calling it from where it was and catching it in her outstretched hand.

'Good. Now strike me with it, as hard as you can!'

Sophie blinked in surrpise, but prepared herself. Object direction was easy, and she built a pressure of energy in the ball, but the moment she went to unleash it the leather leapt from her hand. Her built spell fired, but the tug of direction from Master Maldova send it ricocheting away over the garden until it was brought looping back at the teacher's direction and placed gently back in the centre. Sophie gathered to try again, wrong-footed but still determined, but the magic master had already turned to Mr Fletcher.

'What do you bring me here, Lucas? She weaves like a child yet she is full grown.'

Fletcher was looking between Sophie and Maldova, his face crestfallen.

'She's just nervous Dimitri. I saw her at the docks-'

'No, she is simply weak, and your sailors were fools.' Maldova retorted. 'You waste my time, I will take my money, and my leave.'

'Sir, I just don't know these particular magics!' Sophie said, her stung pride overriding her nerves for a moment. 'I'm untrained, but I can cast! Just not the way that you want me to-'

She bit off her words as the duelling master spun back towards her, his face like thunder.

'How dare you speak to me like this in my own garden!' He spat, red with rage. 'How dare a lowborn like you come into my home and tell me that I do not know my own craft!'

He marched back to his position on the flat arena. 'If you can cast then show me. Strike me! Strike me now, with whatever magic you please. But if you fail, I shall have you beaten and thrown off my land.' He spread his arms. 'Well?'

'Dimitri, please...' Fletcher tried, but Maldova ignored him as he stared furiously at Sophie. Blood was pounding in her ears and she looked back at the huge man. The familiar rush of magic was making her limbs feel light, but the situation had spiralled so far that she didn't know what to do.

'Fetch the guards!' Maldova shouted. At that moment he slashed one arm upwards and sent the leather ball rocketing up at Sophie's head.She watched it growing in her vision, and that's when she acted. Her instinct for self preservation took over, just as it had on the dockside.

In an instant she had crossed the distance across the arena, the magic collapsing the space and transporting her in front of the fat man. Time flowed like syrup, moving her through a red-tinted world that had slowed to a crawl. The ball hung in the air behind her, barely moving. Sophie thrust energy forwards, a probing spell that splashed off the teacher's shield as the student's fireball had before. Maldova's forcefield was always up, surrounding the master like armour. No matter. Sophie applied pressure, leaning her magic against the impenetrable barrier. She couldn't pierce the magical protection, but by rooting herself down she could move it, push the barrier backwards until it exposed the large man, applying force of will until he fell outside its sphere of protection.

Maldova's finally slid free of the shield, his eyes turning to track her in the slow, silent world. He had told her to strike him or be beaten, but even in this moment Sophie knew she couldn't lay hands on someone of his rank. Instead she sent a blast of magic into his mind, a simple stun that would blast his every sense with lightning.

The spell struck, and the moment it did the world rushed back. Time snapped back into place, sound roared into Sophie's ears, and both she and Maldova tumbled gracelessly to the ground; him from her attack, and Sophie who had been off-balance in her moment of strange time but hadn't felt gravity enough to correct. The magic master hollered as he hit the ground, and both Mr Fletcher and an attendant in bright livery came rushing over to the arena.

'It's okay, it's okay!' Maldova shouted, waving his arms and sitting up at their approach. The pair came to a stop and hovered nervously nearby as he shook his head like a dog and blinked a few times. Sophie cringed back, unsure of what was happening. After a moment he collected himself and looked at her, his outrage completely gone and replaced with absolute astonishment.

'Who...who taught you those things?' He breathed.

'Nobody, I taught myself sir. I've always just done what comes naturally.

He rubbed his eyes again. 'I apologise for threatening you my dear. I knew you had to be baited in order to see your power. But, to be able to transport yourself when you cannot even summon flames. To alter your personal flow of time... Mistress Horner, do you have any idea how dangerous that is? What you would do to yourself if this went wrong? To move another magician's shield... Even I hesitate to dabble in these magics, and you cast them as if...'

Shaking his head he heaved himself to his feet. Mr Fletcher stepped forwards and helped Sophie up as well, seeing that the immediate danger had passed.

'Reckless. Stupid. Dangerous to yourself and everyone around you...' The magic master continued, almost to himself. 'Before even the elements. And you swear you weren't taught, weren't instructed?'

'No Sir, we could never afford it. I've just always been able to do these things.'

'Remarkable, absolutely remarkable.' Maldova seemed to come to a decision at that moment, and his previous brisk manner came snapping back. Turning to the servant, 'You. Go and make rooms ready. Instruct that training tools are provided, as well as- are you literate Mistress Horner? Good. -as well as books on magical fundamentals.'

'Sir, I have a family. I have siblings and parents that I must be there for.' Sophie protested. Her head was whirling as the attendant hurried off to carry out the instructions. 'I'm honoured, but I cannot just abandon them.'

Dimitri Maldova turned to her and rested a hand on her shoulder. 'Mistress Horner, you are something special. You have taught yourself magics that masters barely dare to touch. I can train you, make you powerful and wealthy beyond your dreams! This talent cannot go to waste!'

'I'm sorry Sir.' Sophie hung her head, then raised it again to look him full in the face. 'I cannot just abandon the ones I love.'

'Tch!' Maldova threw his hands up theatrically and turned away, muttering out a stream of Greek. 'You see the kind of people you bring me Fletcher?' He said, clapping the smaller man on the back. 'Even the gifted ones turn down what a thousand lesser weavers would kill for! Okay.' He turned back to Sophie. 'I can give you a stipend of three shillings a week to study under me and become my personal apprentice. You may send as much to your family as you wish. You may have leave to visit them on agreement with me, and I shall provide room, board, and everything you need to study. Already you have cost me five crowns! You must see that this is important. Not just to me, but so that you are not wasted by splattering yourself across the multiple dimensions next time you try to discipline ruffians in the market!'

'There are multiple dimensions?' Sophie asked. A whole new world of possibilities beyond the farmhouse had just opened up in front of her. To be the personal apprentice to someone of Maldova's rank, whatever that was exactly, would mean a better life for everyone she loved.

'There are many things you can learn.' He said, looking down at her. Fletcher was nodding behind him, encouraging.

'Make it four shillings a week.' Sophie said, her heart fluttering. With a booming laugh, Maldova began to lead her towards the house.