Hector would have liked to ask Zeff directly, but he didn’t think shouting through the water would work, so he just motioned with one hand for Zeff to stop and hoped the man would take his meaning.
Zeff seemed to.
Hector relayed his question to Garovel.
‘Hector would like to know how you’re able to hold this water in place.’
Zeff annihilated the water around Hector’s head so that the young lord could hear him. “I am applying a counter-force technique,” he said.
‘Are you talking about a velocity state?’ said Garovel.
“No, but that is the first step. I apply an upward velocity to my creation, which counters the downward effect of gravity.”
“I’ve tried doing that,” said Hector. “It never works, because gravity is a constant force, and I can only apply velocity once.”
“You are correct,” said Zeff. “That is what makes this technique more difficult. The key is to think in layers. Yes, you can only apply a velocity state once per creation, so the solution is to break your work up into many creations. Layers.”
Hector’s brow rose. “Oh...”
“With each layer, you apply a slightly stronger velocity state, because each new layer must not only counteract gravity but also support the layer on top of it, which has begun to be affected by gravity.”
Hector had very nearly forgotten to keep listening, having felt for a moment as if Zeff had just handed his brain a light bulb. Layers! Of course!
As excited as the idea’s potential made him, however, he did have concerns. “That sounds insanely hard. You’d have to constantly be applying higher and higher velocity states, or it’d completely fall apart, wouldn’t it?”
Zeff gave an affirming nod. “Applying a counter-force like this for an extended period of time is a good way of measuring a materializer’s overall skill level. Even the most powerful servants in the world will eventually have difficulty creating high enough velocity states to keep their work perfectly still.”
“I see...”
A dark serial novel. Set in a modern fantasy world called Eleg. Mature language. Updates every day at noon PST by ~400 words.
Thursday, January 5, 2017
Wednesday, January 4, 2017
Page 1256
((The Wednesday Triple: page 3 of 3))
Hector and Zeff found an empty side street and put some distance between themselves and everyone else.
Hector wasn’t entirely sure why this was necessary, and moreover, he was beginning to worry that he’d been suddenly drafted as Zeff’s practice dummy.
‘Would you mind explaining your work to Hector as you go?’ said Garovel, who Hector noticed was observing from a distance. ‘Truth to be told, I’ve been hoping that he would get an opportunity to learn from a fellow materializer.’
Zeff rubbed his hands together. “Very well.”
‘And don’t leave anything out,’ Garovel added. ‘Pretend he’s a total idiot who doesn’t know the most basic stuff.’
Hector frowned. He might’ve protested more, but he was starting to feel woozy and having trouble even just standing here.
Qorvass decided to chime in. ‘Alternatively, pretend he’s Asad and that he’s forgotten everything he’s ever learned.’
“Hey...”
“I understand,” said Zeff.
Hector tried simultaneously to both listen carefully and also brace himself for whatever was about to happen.
“For this to work,” Zeff began, “I cannot simply douse you in freezing waters, because the extreme heat here would cause it to flash boil and explode. Which would probably kill you.”
“Oh,” Hector mumbled exhaustedly.
“Enhancing the water with soul power is a possible solution, but if I were to make a mistake, it might still flash boil and simply create an even deadlier explosion.”
“Fantastic...”
“Instead, I will begin with a cloud of steam.”
And sure enough, steam appeared all around him.
“Next, I will add a layer of water around you.”
Hector was immediately engulfed. An unsupported batch of water suspended itself in midair all around him.
And that certainly grabbed his attention. How was Zeff holding it in place? From everything Hector knew about materialization, Zeff shouldn’t have been able to control the water once it was created, and yet here it was now, holding an impossible shape and remaining almost perfectly still.
Hector and Zeff found an empty side street and put some distance between themselves and everyone else.
Hector wasn’t entirely sure why this was necessary, and moreover, he was beginning to worry that he’d been suddenly drafted as Zeff’s practice dummy.
‘Would you mind explaining your work to Hector as you go?’ said Garovel, who Hector noticed was observing from a distance. ‘Truth to be told, I’ve been hoping that he would get an opportunity to learn from a fellow materializer.’
Zeff rubbed his hands together. “Very well.”
‘And don’t leave anything out,’ Garovel added. ‘Pretend he’s a total idiot who doesn’t know the most basic stuff.’
Hector frowned. He might’ve protested more, but he was starting to feel woozy and having trouble even just standing here.
Qorvass decided to chime in. ‘Alternatively, pretend he’s Asad and that he’s forgotten everything he’s ever learned.’
“Hey...”
“I understand,” said Zeff.
Hector tried simultaneously to both listen carefully and also brace himself for whatever was about to happen.
“For this to work,” Zeff began, “I cannot simply douse you in freezing waters, because the extreme heat here would cause it to flash boil and explode. Which would probably kill you.”
“Oh,” Hector mumbled exhaustedly.
“Enhancing the water with soul power is a possible solution, but if I were to make a mistake, it might still flash boil and simply create an even deadlier explosion.”
“Fantastic...”
“Instead, I will begin with a cloud of steam.”
And sure enough, steam appeared all around him.
“Next, I will add a layer of water around you.”
Hector was immediately engulfed. An unsupported batch of water suspended itself in midair all around him.
And that certainly grabbed his attention. How was Zeff holding it in place? From everything Hector knew about materialization, Zeff shouldn’t have been able to control the water once it was created, and yet here it was now, holding an impossible shape and remaining almost perfectly still.
Page 1255
((The Wednesday Triple: page 2 of 3))
Asad scratched his cheek and gave Hector a stiff look. “...Sorry.”
“It’s fine,” said Hector, feeling more amused pity than disappointment. He looked over the reapers. “But, uh... what now? I mean, uh, I don’t want to be a burden on you guys, so if it’s easier to just go on without me, then we should do that.”
‘Mm, yeah, maybe that’d be best,’ said Garovel. ‘I’ll just revive you from scratch when we’re back at Warrenhold.’
“No, no, no,” said Asad, “that will not be necessary. This is my doing, so I will make it up to you.”
“Uh, how?” said Hector.
“I will simply follow you around, making temperature-controlled armor for you,” said Asad. “Whenever it begins to melt, I’ll remake it.”
Hector bobbed his head. He supposed that would work, but it sounded like a lot of trouble to go through. He didn’t get a chance to voice his concerns, however.
“Allow me to do it,” said Zeff, still carrying the wounded Ramira in one arm.
Asad blinked at him. “Why? It was my mistake.”
“There is a certain technique I am trying to develop,” said Zeff. “I think this might prove a good opportunity to practice it. And besides, I owe the both of you so very much. So, please.”
Asad could only return an admissive nod.
Zeff looked to Hector now. “Remove the suit,” he said. “It will only get in the way.”
A bit hesitant, Hector did as he was asked, but he needed help toward the end. He couldn’t feel any pain from the heat, but he could certainly feel the way it turned his muscles to jelly, even in spite of the regeneration’s best efforts.
Asad scratched his cheek and gave Hector a stiff look. “...Sorry.”
“It’s fine,” said Hector, feeling more amused pity than disappointment. He looked over the reapers. “But, uh... what now? I mean, uh, I don’t want to be a burden on you guys, so if it’s easier to just go on without me, then we should do that.”
‘Mm, yeah, maybe that’d be best,’ said Garovel. ‘I’ll just revive you from scratch when we’re back at Warrenhold.’
“No, no, no,” said Asad, “that will not be necessary. This is my doing, so I will make it up to you.”
“Uh, how?” said Hector.
“I will simply follow you around, making temperature-controlled armor for you,” said Asad. “Whenever it begins to melt, I’ll remake it.”
Hector bobbed his head. He supposed that would work, but it sounded like a lot of trouble to go through. He didn’t get a chance to voice his concerns, however.
“Allow me to do it,” said Zeff, still carrying the wounded Ramira in one arm.
Asad blinked at him. “Why? It was my mistake.”
“There is a certain technique I am trying to develop,” said Zeff. “I think this might prove a good opportunity to practice it. And besides, I owe the both of you so very much. So, please.”
Asad could only return an admissive nod.
Zeff looked to Hector now. “Remove the suit,” he said. “It will only get in the way.”
A bit hesitant, Hector did as he was asked, but he needed help toward the end. He couldn’t feel any pain from the heat, but he could certainly feel the way it turned his muscles to jelly, even in spite of the regeneration’s best efforts.
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