Issue #6 - All Things Astral

Jake kept moving, feeling the heat of the magma, and he picked up more speed. The pillars could help him. Jake dodged along the magma, between various pillars, seeking out the water ones and rushing past, almost through them, and using it to keep cool as he did so. He gave a yelp of excitement. Now this was fun!

***

Health 2/2
Energy 3/15

Action 1 - 3 into Empathy + Int + 3 modifier = 6, 3 to keep moving, 3 into defense using the water pillars
Health 2/2
Energy 0/15
Defense 3
Mental defense 4 (Intelligence 2, Empathy 2)
Useful modifiers: Empathic Awareness 1, Psi of the Highest Order 3

While it may have been fun, it was dangeorus... and perhaps it was exactly what why it was giving the teenager so much excitement! He felt the power of moving through this plane, the heat beneath his feet, behind his back, the moisture mist around him and the powerful hurricane closing in with eyes of thunder. Wait, what? The clouds on the horizon shaped themselves into the face of Emmanuel whose eyes were replaced by electricity-generating stars!

Jake let out another whoop! of delight as he skimmed the lava, keeping himself cool with the help of the water pillars.

He looked up as the face of Emmanuel formed in the clouds.

Hey! That's cheating,

he called out, glaring at the face playfully. He'd have to be careful, he knew. So as he moved, he tried to keep pillars between himself and the face/eyes in the clouds, dodging behind a blood pillar after cooling down by a water pillar.

***

Health 2/2
Energy 3/15

Action 1 - 3 into Empathy + Int + 3 modifier = 6, 3 to keep moving, 3 into defense using the water and blood pillars
Health 2/2
Energy 0/15
Defense 3
Mental defense 4 (Intelligence 2, Empathy 2)
Useful modifiers: Empathic Awareness 1, Psi of the Highest Order 3

How can it be cheating? I am merely training you... and you should be more careful!

When he said the last word, a lightning blast came Jake's way and only thanks to cover that a rock pillar gave him, he was able to dodge it! Now, it was becoming more and more difficult to survive...

Jake dodged again, hiding behind various pillars. He was so tired, but he was still going and going and going, living off adrenaline mostly. It was fun, but he knew he couldn't keep it up forever.

Still, he tried, dodging from pillar to pillar to pillar, flying a little higher above the magma where the heat wasn't so bad.

***

Health 2/2
Energy 3/15

Action 1 - 3 into Empathy + Int + 3 modifier = 6, 1 to keep moving, 5 into defense
Health 2/2
Energy 0/15
Defense 5
Mental defense 4 (Intelligence 2, Empathy 2)
Useful modifiers: Empathic Awareness 1, Psi of the Highest Order 3

The face in the clouds smiled as it blasted one more time, from both eyesockets! The lightnings hit the rock pillar Jake was hiding behind, but he quickly manouvered and so wasn't harmed... but then the second lightning bolt ricochetted and hit him right in the back, sending him and his earthen skateboard straight face-to-face to the meeting with magma!

Jake grinned as he dodged the first attack, laughing a bit. But then the 2nd one caught him off guard and send him tumbling. "No!" Jake cried out as he was heading towards the lava. But he'd lost his bit of earth. What did he do now?

But.. this was the Astral plane. Emmanuel did amazing things that hardly seemed possible, surely it shouldn't be impossible.. Jake tried to stop himself without the earth, wind or anything, he simply willed himself to fly.

***

Health 2/2
Energy 3/15

Action 1 - 3 into Empathy + Int + 3 modifier = To adjust the Astral plane and his form, making himself fly and avoid falling into the magma

Health 2/2
Energy 0/15
Defense 0
Mental defense 4 (Intelligence 2, Empathy 2)
Useful modifiers: Empathic Awareness 1, Psi of the Highest Order 3

Jake used all his willpower to stop himself from falling... and he did. He was levitating, haha! Right above the magma, almost feeling its burning substance, but still hovering above it, unharmd. He smiled to himself and grinned at the clouds. The face in them was... laughing?

You lose.

The whole scenery changed. Once again they were in the beautiful garden. Emmanuel was himself again, looking at Jake. He shook his head.

Jake grinned as he stopped himself, but then everything faded and they were back in the garden.

Wait... I lose? But why? I saved myself.. avoided your attacks mostly...

Jake thought he did pretty well!

You forgot the primary objective - stay on the ground.

Emmanuel said with a smirk.

Jake cursed softly. "Oh yeah!" he said, finally remembering. "Whatever, I still say you cheated, always trying to break up the ground and take it away. I did fine until you practically destroyed it out from under me." He grinned a bit and shrugged, "So how'd I do for my first time?"

Jake nodded, knowing that Emmanuel didn't give praise easily. He figured he did pretty well and was glad that he had lasted as long as he did.

Emmanuel said to attack him, so Jake readied himself, summoning forth his big two handed ruby sword once more before swinging at Emmanuel. This time the sword was different. It was far more wicked looking, and far longer.



***

Health 2/2
Energy 12/15

Action 1 - 4 into Empathy + Int + 3 modifier = Create Ruby Greatsword: MN1, Options: Class Material 3 (3), 2x Damage (2), +1 range (1)
Action 2 - 3 stones into CC + 1 weapon modifier = 4 stones to attack Emmanuel, Class Material 3, 2x damage

Health 2/2
Energy 5/15
Defense 0
Mental defense 4 (Intelligence 2, Empathy 2)
Useful modifiers: Empathic Awareness 1, Psi of the Highest Order 3

Jake created a wickedly dangerous two-handed sword made of ruby crystal and with it in his hand he attacked, not really closing in thanks to the weapon's reach! Emmanuel, however, was a master of astral combat and without any effort blocked the attack with his own weapon of choice - a diamond quarterstaff.

Is this all you've got?

Jake shook his head.

Of course not. But, you know, it takes some effort for me to get started here.

Then he grinned, stepping back a little. His sword was massively long, just like his other sword in his pants, and he used it to his advantage to try to stay out of reach of Emmanuel.

He held back and then lashed out again, his weapon swung forward, right at Emmanuel.

***

Health 2/2
Energy 8/15

Action 1 - 3 stones into Social Skills to make Emmanuel think he wasn't really ready yet
Action 2 - 3 stones into CC + 1 weapon modifier = 4 stones to attack Emmanuel, Class Material 3, 2x damage

Health 2/2
Energy 2/15
Defense 0
Mental defense 4 (Intelligence 2, Empathy 2)
Useful modifiers: Empathic Awareness 1, Psi of the Highest Order 3

Jake tried to trick Emmanuel into believing that he wasn't yet ready, but would he succeed in lying to a telepath? He certainly tried as he swung his weapon at his teacher, who dodged it with a graceful jump to the side and blocking the rest with his own long quarterstaff.

Then stop playing and fight.

Jake growled, getting slightly frustrated. He rushed towards Emmanuel, but then stopped several feet away, swinging his weapon in a wide arc, this time specifically targeting Emmanuel's weapon with his own ruby sword.

***

Health 2/2
Energy 5/15

Action 1 - 3 stones into CC + 1 weapon modifier = 4 stones to attack Emmanuel's weapon, Class Material 3, 2x damage

Health 2/2
Energy 2/15
Defense 0
Mental defense 4 (Intelligence 2, Empathy 2)
Useful modifiers: Empathic Awareness 1, Psi of the Highest Order 3

Jake targeted the telepath's own weapon made of diamond-like substance, but he didn't even manage to get close to hitting it! Emmanuel dodged the arc, then acrobatically jumped at the boy, swinging his quarterstaff at him. It was a fluke that he managed to block the attack with his sword!

Let us end this.

With a quick motion, Emmanuel's weapon disappeared, throwing Jake off balance, long enough for him to recreate it in his other hand and struck him through his head with it. Pain.

Blackness.

And the reality. They were back in their bodies, sitting in Emmanuel's office.

"What have you learnt from this session?" he asked, standing up. "Can you guess why I showed you this?"

Jake moved towards Emmanuel again, trying to strike his weapon, yet once again he failed to connect and Emmanuel reversed the situation. Before Jake could even blink, Emmanuel had recreated his weapon and struck Jake with it. The pain was rather intense.

Suddenly Jake was back in his own body, and he rubbed his head while giving Emmanuel a glare.

"What have I learned?" Jake repeated Emmanuel's question, "That you're a bit of an ass and don't like to let your students win." But then he grinned a little, "Or maybe it was just that there'll always be someone more powerful than me or something I don't know - and to always remember the rules, like keeping my feet on the ground."

Emmanuel laughed, "Good," he said firmly, "you've learnt your lesson. Never expect me to be easy on you. I may have your own safety and your well-being in my mind, but when we train, don't expect that I'll let you win if you don't do it by yourself." After that he smiled, "You may go. Rest, we'll talk tomorrow."

Jake's Empathy gets a new option! Astral mastery option is what enabled him to control the Astral Plane with such ease. It's actually an another Action - Mastery of the Astral Plane, combined with your Empathy. It has: Unlimited manipulation, Ruby form [spend stones and gain Astral Toughness at AN; as long as you keep stones in Empathy, you retain its benefits], Astral weapon [works as Psi-weapon, but only on the Astral Plane]. Anyway, for this training Jake gains 4 MENTORING LoEs!