Chapter twelve

Sky learns Magic and Martial Arts

Sky was silent listening in rapture. She was learning about her heroes and how they met. She never knew just how talented the two men were. “Wow, you guys are stellar, and I’m part of your super elite team. I hope I can keep up with your amazing talents. You're going to have to show me how I can be as awesome as you guys. Could you teach a little girl like me to be one of the few super elite soldier mages”?

Fred and Joe smiled at her, yet Fred answered her. “I think my young ensign Sky you have an edge to start with. You have the speed, agility, and strength already. You already meet the basic requirements to be one of the few. Not to mention the magic talents you have. I can teach you, but it won’t be easy for you. Joe and I were known to cause almost everyone who trained with us to drop out after two days. Nova, we’re used to training one or two mage soldier at a time. You’ll be our first trainee in two years. It’ll be good to start training someone again.”

It was only half an hour before Fred and Joe were dining on roasted chicken and potatoes. Which they thoroughly enjoyed undercooked by Sky’s taste. Fred announced they were going to the training room to practice with their new gifts, increased magical well and that Sky was required to join them for new training. Since she was done first, she told them she was going to do some organizing in her bunk in the women quarters, saying something about making her locker bigger to fit all her stuff. She was not aware of the fact the pocket space spells were a closely guarded secret in a magic guild and were not to be used so freely.

Fred and Joe were going to have to mention it to Sky, right after lunch and when she showed them the spell also. Fred couldn’t have her changing too many things in her quarters. There would be a lot of questions about how the ship had so many modifications with the guilds secret spells. There are always records of any such spell modifications.

What Sky wasn’t going to tell them she had to change her dress for the real ensign uniform and the one they saw was an illusion like the one she had given her parents. Joe made such a big thing over the trans-morphing spell she didn’t want to tell him it was just an illusion no real complex magical spell. Maybe it would be worth considering once she has time to work on such mundane spells.

Sky once she reached her barracks she went to her locker and expanded it much like the interior of the ship. Now her locker was like a large walk-in closet that was bigger than the entire room. She changed her clothes and left for the training room. She met Fred and Joe in the corridor and fell into step behind them after giving them a brief salute. Joe thought to himself today's’ practice promised to be very interesting. Once in the practice room Fred turned to Joe and told him to meditate on his new magical wells. Then turns to Sky and inform her “You have been using many spells that are not known and some that are carefully guarded secrets that make up their lively hood if you use those spells and create too many of these items. Some mages guilds are going to get upset for using spells like theirs so freely. You can’t show just anyone you know the spells like the pocket space. That is the one you can’t show just anyone because it’s a secret guild spell which they use to make money for their lively hood. Your advanced healing spell is another one is used by another guild to heal old wounds and scares. You can show us your spells, but the new crew that we’re picking up might not be a good idea. Till we can trust them enough if you want to, but remember every pocket space you make or old scare you heal might take money from the guilds who control those spells as part of their way of life.” Fred said trying not to sound like a kind of preacher for the two guilds. He could not afford to get rid of the scare on his arm. The healing guild was charging way too much money for such a vain thing as cosmetic magic. The pocket space spell is another he could not afford to get any large items in. The one William had his house in, and Rocssanna’s pantry purse. The two must have cost a small fortune to buy. They both seemed quite large the way they used them. They didn’t compare to the one Sky had created for her large sack of rocks.

Sky nodded her head in understanding. “I guess it wouldn’t be fair to show everyone spells if the guilds used them to generate money for their income to live off. Would it be okay if I show you guys any magic you can use that I might figure out”?

Fred looked to Sky and gave her a mischievous smile. “I think all of us here would keep the spell a secret from anyone who would tell the members of any guild. I could have used a pocket space spell quite a few times and had to buy one that was smaller than the one I wanted. The healing spell you came up with is like the one I was going to pay a months’ salary to get the scare on my arm healed neatly. When I thought about it, I could use the money for better things and my wife doesn’t mind the scar. I don’t need to know the spell you used to heal the scar. But if you could show us the pocket space spell that would be great”?

“I could show you but would that be ethical to show a customer of that guilds secrets? I wonder if you could teach me spells that are not guild secrets and I could modify it to one that was like or better than one of the guilds secret spell. Would that become a taboo spell to use simply because a guild uses one like it to make money? I was never taught any spells. I see the spell circles and never understood what they were until I found out magic was real. I was in the library and found a book on magic and magical theory before I was attacked. After seeing all the spells on this spaceship, I figured out how much math was the base of all magic spells. I was always able to see spells but never seen so many until now. I can replicate any spell I see and can modify them in an instant. So, is it taboo to see guilds secrets if I have the gift to? I didn’t intend to use secret guild spells intentionally. To me they’re just spells and incantations I can puzzle out and sometimes make it better because I have all the elements at my disposal. I think the rogue mages are trying to achieve what I am by taking other mages elemental affinities for themselves. If it comes to it, I will share all my elemental affinities with you and Mr. Joe to even out the playing field. So, I suggest you learn any defensive spells or incantations regardless of the elements needed. As for showing you the pocket space spells I learned and modified I can show you them later when we have time to spare’. Sky was talking with the maturity far beyond her years.

Fred could only glimpse some of the spell circles others caste, and only if he knew the spell. He never heard of someone being able to see a spell or incantation after it was cast over five minutes later. Most spells left no trace of the incantation after it was cast. He was going to have to be careful around Sky when he uses any offensive spells. Since she could see spells even hours after they were cast it meant, she could use any of the spells her parents used but never told them she could. “Sky do you know any spells your parents don’t know that you know? I’ve seen those using spells that are rare, and they seem reluctant to show you. By what you’re telling me you already know them, but never used them.”

Sky looked a little shy when she answered Fred’s question. “I knew the spells, but I didn’t know it was magic. I always thought it was some science or higher mathematics. Remember I was never told there was such thing as real magic just stuff that made believe. Most of the spells they used I didn’t need to use. I did no cooking, and until now I needed no extra space, and I never saw a healing spell until I saw the one Mr. Joe used on me. Now that I know magic is real I can copy and modify all the spells I have ever seen. Until now though on a planet that shuns the use of magical items and has no magic users, you don’t see a whole lot of magic or magical items. Now after being attacked repeatedly by the aliens, I’ve found a way to invert my magic spells and incantations, so they release not spent magic directly. That way there is no magic to suck up after each spell is cast the spent magic kept in something like a small pocket space that has a time limit that dissipates the spent magic slowly.”

Fred was amazed at Sky’s use of magical spells that most people couldn’t even think of casting simultaneously even if they knew both spells by heart. The spells to work the way she described had to be three or more incantation cast at the same moment. “Could you show me an inverted light sphere spell to see what you’re talking about?” Fred knew what a light sphere spell looked like it was a one-tier spell quite simple. What Sky showed him was six tiers high and one of the most complex spells he had ever seen. He couldn’t even see where the light sphere spell was inside the spell circles. “Could you cast it Sky, I want to see what the light looks like.”

Sky flicked her finger, and the light sphere appeared with no feeling of magic being used even though he was standing right next to her. “Is that what you wanted to see? It’s the same looking light sphere it’s just that the spell’s different, a little more complex than the one you know. The incantation that I used to show my magic wells is the most complex I have ever tried yet. That one covers the three axes, X, Y and Z. Inverting an incantation that complex would be large enough to fill this practice room, it’s a good thing it doesn’t matter if it goes through walls or anything as it takes form. I’m not sure what will happen if it touched another active spell circle. Well, shall we get practicing I’m eager to learn some more magic or anything else you want to teach me”?

Fred didn’t know where to start in Sky’s magical education and was leaning on the side of caution and teacher her only defensive spells and incantations. “I’ll show you some defensive spells and some spells that could be used for distraction, I don’t want to show you any offensive spells just yet, I know if we enter in to close quarter magic battles you’ll see any spells or incantations we use; or even they use and can copy them. Knowing you now you’ll tweak them, juice them up with ten times the magic and destroy everything for kilometres around.” Fred said the last part with a raised an eyebrow letting Sky know it was a partial jest. “Sky remember you have a lot more magic than anyone I know, even without talismans and all. Just because you have the magic to spare doesn’t mean you should supercharge all your spells or incantations. I could show you how to make magic tomes that can be used to heal magic burn and recharge a magic user’s also. It could make you quite a bit of money too if you sell them to the right people. It might even get you a promotion in rank if they’re given to the right people. Sky the tomes are easy enough to make, but the magic you put in them is very important. The lightening element is the most common and anyone can use it. But any of the other elements are used for special for some magic uses. Just think each tome like a bag of rocks, the more magic in the tomes the bigger the bag. I can use the earth and lightning element tomes; but not the others, till now at least. Specific elemental filled tomes matching the magic user’s affinity can be used right away without changing your spell castings during a fight. Since the last great war there has been little need for powerful tomes, but there still a need for them by the guilds that make magical items. I’ll get you some blank tomes to try; well make some magic tomes. Wells let’s start training is there something you want to learn”?

Sky pounder for a bit and an idea came to her. Her face lite up and her eyes twinkled as her lips curled up in a smile. “I used to watch old, old, really old movies that had martial artists fighting on Earth. I think it was Kung-Fu or something maybe karate. I looked them up on the information terminals in the library with no success. Could you get me an instructional vid or manual or anything I could use to learn one or both? I think going through the motions would be great to improve my stamina and hand and eye coordination. I got really tired fighting those giant spiders because I don’t get much exercise. I didn’t realize I was out of shape in endurance and coordination in my movements. I would have been better at defending myself if I could have had been in better shape. Being strong and virtually indestructible doesn’t mean you’re a good fighter. It just means you can make more mistakes and live longer. So, do you have any on martial arts?” Sky looked up at him with a grin and twisting back and forth her body like kids do when they wait for a positive answer.

Fred smiled at the little girl who could move faster than him even with augmented strength speed, considered herself out of shape. Fred wondered how long it would take to teach her the martial arts of the Empire. “Sky there is an official martial art of the Empire I could teach you if you would like? It may take some time though; there is no manual or vids of instruction for it. It is taught to you in basic your training as part of being an Empire soldier. So, I guess I Have thread o train you anyway now that I think about it. Stand and face me. I am going to show you what three thousand years of perfecting martial arts looks like. The picture the best of all the martial arts rolled into one. It’s pretty intense so follow me the best you can, follow my arm and leg positions and movements as precisely as possible. I’ll show you the first kata then the second. Kata is the basic movements you learn at each skill level. There are twelve katas’ after each skill level. Joe is a master level five, and I’m level eight in the Imperial martial arts. So, watch closely, and I’ll see how fast you can learn the katas.”

Sky held up her hand before he could start the first kata. Fred nodded her to go ahead and speak. “Master Fred Sir I believe if you perform you’re inside of one of my new bubbles I could follow you along with no great difficulty.”

Fred looked at her with the question in his eye. He was trying to fathom what she was trying to say. So, filled with questions he had to ask at least one. “Okay, how is performing it in a bubble going to help you follow what I’m going to do”?

“Well first off, it’s not going to be a regular bubble, but more like an inverted eyeball, so I can see you from every angle possible.” Fred got a shocked look on his face and shocked his head as if getting rid of the thought. Then Sky started speaking again. “Don’t ask who taught me the spell; I just came up with it just now. I think with the spell.” Sky paused, stood to attention and spook loud and clear. “Actual I know with this spell cast I can follow you with near perfect precision after the first time seeing it. Don’t worry you won’t even know it’s there. It will be centred on you and follow you around while you're teaching me the katas. I’ll be your best student ever if you let me use the new bubble spell. Well even if you don’t, I could probably copy you with eighty to ninety percent accuracy.” Sky looked to him with hope in her eyes. “Please. Pretty please with red fruit on top.”

Fred couldn’t say any right off, but he had to correct her behaviour. “Sky that’s how you ask your parent for something, not your commanding officer. A simple please will do without the bribery. I want to see the spell before you cast it. If it looks harmless enough, I’ll let you try it. It doesn’t have to be inverted if you think it might be too complex to do.” Fred had to smile and frown at his answer.

Sky looked at him and shook her head. With a big grin, she asked him a question. What’s the most complex spell you can do without a MAD, (magical added device)? Could you show me; you don’t even have to tell me what it is? You’ll see why I’m asking once you see my bubble spell of learning Kata’s.”

Fred thought about it for a second. The most complex spell he knew of without any MAD, was a ranged punch spell. He conjured it up knowing Sky could figure it out. He thought to her it would be as effective as a half-powered push. The four-tiered spell took form in seconds. It was fairly complex for an unadded spell. Sky glanced at it with a smile and waved her hand, dissipating the spell circle instantly. Just as it faded from sight, he could swear there were some changes to it. What a cheeky little girl Fred thought waiting to see her new bubble spell.

Sky Looked at Fred and asked him. “Are you ready, I wouldn’t bother trying to scan this spell as I told you the original was on the three axis and each one was ten tiers along each axis from the zero point? The new one had to be ten times that, and after inverting it, it tripled again. So, to keep it visible I must condense it down. So, if you ready give me a sign. Fred waves to her to continue, not knowing what to expect. Sky brought her hand up with a red ball in it and presented it to Fred. He looked closer and to him, on closer inspection was just an odd shaped ball. He looked at her with a frown of his own. Sky got the hint. “Sorry it must be too small for you to see; I’ll make it fill the room. Since Joe has his eyes closed, it shouldn’t bother him if it passes through his body.” With that, she released it into the air and let it expand at an alarming rate. At over ten meters it still looked somewhat solid. Filling the space in the room was the most complex spell ever devised hands down. Fred never knew a spell could be as complex as this one around him. He looked at the closest spell circle to him because it was right in his face. The spell circle of that tier was more complex than his ranged punch spell, and there had to be hundreds of them in that axis point. His eyes were as big as saucers, and his mouth gaped open.

Fred didn’t know what to say he couldn’t make out much of any part of the spell, just that it took almost all the elements but fire, hence the red in the visual effect. “Are you sure that it will work, it looks a little too complex to me? I have never heard of a spell so complex before. And you’re telling me this is so that you can see me from all angles. I am not sure your new spell has to be such a complex spell. It’s normally done before with a couple of mirrors not all of this.” Fred said as he gestured to the spell sigals after got his reaction under control and standing straight with three spell circles going through his body. It was an odd sensation seeing something in your body without feeling it.

Sky looked at Fred al she got was not a ‘no.’ “Mirrors would work okay I guess, but this bubble would let me see every angle at once. Just picture a thousand cameras on you from every angle zooming in or out, to see how you move in a particular way allowing me to move accordingly. I know it will work, and it won’t be overpowered thanks to your idea of how to better regulate my magic flow. There is no outward force in this spell; it is simply passive. You wouldn’t even know me to cast it if I inverted it. I’m asking you because you wanted me to inform you of any magic I might use. I promise you won’t get anything from it but a near perfect student.” Sky’s eyes had such a passion for knowledge and to do her best always.

Fred looked down into her pleading face. “You can cast the spell, but if I feel it or am uncomfortable at all while it’s there, you’ll have to dispel it. Is the clear ensign Sky? I will judge you for this spell if it has any adverse effects. Do you understand what I’m saying, if this spell goes bad I will be less likely to trust you on any other spells you come up with so complex? In reality, you’ve only known magic is real for less than three days and claim to know how it works better than I do. So, remember that as you cast your spell bubble.” Fred looked at her; she didn’t move, just smiled. “Well let’s get your first martial arts training going. Stand behind, and I’ll start.” Sky quickly walked behind him and waited for him to start. Fred took the stance for the first kata and looked behind him to see if Sky was watching closely. She was mirroring his position perfectly but was looking over her shoulder at something. As he turned his head to see what she was looking at her head moved too. Then quickly she turned her head to face him, with a shrug of her shoulders.

“I thought you started; I didn’t think at first you were checking my position before you did your kata.” Sky said remaining in the same stance Fred had taken.

This time Fred call out before ‘BEGIN,’ as he started into the series of punches, kicks, blocks, holds, throws, and lunges that made up the first kata. He a “kaya” sound whenever he punched or kicked. Fred moved with the grace of a dancer and as lethal as a tiger. Sky was silent the whole time during his kata. The first kata was about five minutes long. Fred, found it relaxing after doing it again in such a long time. He finished with a bow. Sky was beaming; she looked so happy. “Did you get that Sky; I didn’t move too quickly for, did I? You don’t have to learn it straight off, that was more of an intro’ to the first lessons. Now I’ll show you the second kata. It’s a little more advanced than the first.” Fred stretched out a bit before performing the next kata. After Fred limbered up, he took the same stance as before and called out ‘BEGIN.’ This time there were jumps, spins, knees, elbows, and high kicks. The way Fred moved looked impossible for a man his size. Sky was a sponge in Fred’s presence; she was soaking it up what even he laid out. Again, Fred finished with a bow. He turned to Sky he had a slight sheen on his skin, yet Sky had no change. “I guess it was a little complex to follow not knowing the proper forms of the punches, kicks, blocks, holds, throw, and sweeps. You’ll get it soon enough. If you can learn magic so quickly this should be a piece of pastry.”

Sky looked up to him and smiled. “I got and understood everything you did, but the noises you made. Did you make them scare the person you’re fighting or something? I think a growl might work better to scare someone.” She said with a smile.

Fred just grinned back. “The sounds were to focus the energy into the strike. It also helps if it hurts when you hit something hard. I guess you never hit some hard enough to hurt you, have you. So, what this you got and understood everything I did? If you understood, it all show me what you learned. Can you do the two katas back to back with the bow between for me, little green-hopper”? Fred smile faded as Sky’s face lite up.

“Yes, I can do that sensei Fred Sir.” Sky said and ever so gracefully turned around took three steps away and turned back to face him. With a bow meant for the high court, she took the same stance Fred had. Fred then motioned her to hold her stance as he walked around checking her form. It was perfect not one flaw that he could pick out, and he was mister perfect himself. Stepping back away from her, he motioned her to continue with the grace of a prima ballerina and fierceness of a dragon. Her punches and kick were emphasized with a snarl. That curled his toes and sent a chill down Fred’s spine the vicious snarl broke Joe from his meditation and caused him to throw up a shield. He was looking around for the threat he seen Sky performing a kata of the Imperial Martial Arts. From what he has seen so far was flawless. Joe walked over and stood close to Fred. He could not help but shiver at the snarls Sky made when she made a punch or kick.

Fred watched her like a sharp-eyed bird, yet seen no flaw in her performance of the first kata so far. He could not believe how well she was doing on her first try after performing it with her once. It must be something with her being a Titan. Fred told himself thinking how long it took him to get his katas up to his standards, nothing but perfection. The Sky performed it was an art form that made him feel a little jealous of her abilities. Before long he too was going to see Sky as a hero and not like now arrival. She finished her first kata with a brief bow to Fred and now Joe who was standing next to him in a shield as ugly as the one Fred had before, and she left it alone this time. She made a mental note or showed them a way better bubble than the one they seemed to like using.

Joe dissipated his shield to whisper into Fred’s ear. “How long was I meditating for her to get this good? I feel like that old guy with the long beard, that Rip Van guy. I could have sworn it was about an hour max. I take it she a quick study. How many times did you show her the katas? Fred shook his head and held up one finger without taking his eyes off Sky’s performance, which was flawless. Joe didn’t say a word afterwards; he just continued to watch until she finished. Sky’s last move brought her in front of Fred and Joe and bowed to them as ice finished her second kata. Joe was very impressed by her katas from what he saw of them so far.

Fred stepped up to Sky and clamped a hand on her shoulder feeling her unyielding flesh; it took away some of the heartfelt admiration he had for the girl. He knew it was not just talent that let her do what she just did, but a drive much like his own to be perfect in all that she did. “That was very good, training you should be a breeze. Now, all we must do is break down all the moves into their part such as hi punch, straight punch, low punch, cross punch, and so on. I only see one problem with teaching you any of the martial arts. You’ll have no one to spare with and have physical contact with unless you can come up with a way to do that it should only take about three days of training for you to get all the moves and katas down. It’s the application of the moves you’ll lack in your training. Mind you; it will probably never come to a point where you’ll need it for actual self-defence, at least to any degree after one punch or kick. It would help get you to get into the motions of a fight and understand the flow in which to move more efficiently.

Fred, could she Sky doing something he never saw before. He saw her in deep thought for the first time. It scared him to think what could take up so much of her concentration on something. Especially after she came up with a spell as complex as the one she just had, in were seconds. He watched her frown deepen as she shook her head occasionally. He was starting to feel the heat coming from her as her thoughts continued. They stepped back as magic started to flow out from her body. It was so thick the magic was visible unaided. Fred looked to Joe who was now taking even more steps back. Joe motioned to Fred to do something before she caused a magical accident. Twenty minutes passed, and the magic energy was about two metres from her body. The magical energy was not growing out anymore but thicker. Ten minutes passed Fred was just about to say something when her movement took him by surprise. Sky head snapped up with a slight grin, and she staggered a bit. The magic around Sky was sucked up into a ball in the palm of her hand that was just there in an instant.

Sky held her hand up to him to show the ball of magic, “I think I have the solution here, but it’s really, really complex. I went over it twice and found a problem each time and fixed it. The third time no problems were found. But the complexity of it makes it somewhat impossible to see without testing it first. Sorry, it took so long to do, and now I’m kind of tired. Would it be okay if I had a nap before we test the incantation? That was the most complex thing I ever worked on by a long shot.” Sky took the magic ball and opened a large pocket in her uniform and placed it inside a pocket space. Her hand disappeared up to her elbow before pulling it back out.

Fred was not sure what to say to Sky request. They had just finished lunch and only made it two hours into the afternoon. He thought of the progress they had just made and conceded the fact they had finished three months of intensive martial arts training in that time. Not to mention the spell she had come up with to solve the sparing problem. He was wondering how big the incantation would take up thirty minutes of her undivided brain power. “How big would the spell be if you were to make it visible that I could see an individual spell circle? I was wondering what it would look like up close”?

Sky smiled at Fred and Joe and tilted her head to the side as if to ponder the question. “I think it would be about the size of the home planet Earth. You would not even make out an individual spell circle that is quarter the way across if you were standing the centre. After my nap, I could show it to you outside of the ship. It’s too big if you were to look at it anywhere up close.” Sky eyes lids were getting slow at blinking, and she looked extremely tired. Fred knew she would only need a little nap to get herself back into shape.

Fred looked at Sky and her sorry state of rest. “Yes, you may have two hours for your nap and meet me back on the bridge. Can you make it back to your room you look pretty exhausted and about to drop any second”? It was true she was never in the state she was in now before at least from mental exhaustion.

Sky didn’t answer his just started to walk towards the door. Conny appeared just as she got to the exit and seemed to you a lavation spell to carry her falling form. Fred just stared at the new things he was seeing. Since meeting the Knights, he kept seeing the impossible. He knew that whatever incantation she came up with was going to be amazing and could hardly wait.

Joe was silent until Sky left the practice room. “Fred what was the all about a spell being too big to show in this room there is no such spell that big. Even with a MAD, it’s impossible to have a spell any larger than twenty spell circles and most of those were made over centuries of building on them.”

Fred looked to Joe a huge smile. “You have no idea of the spells she’s come up with. Have you ever heard of inverting a spell that not only hides any trace of magic but releases no magical waste”?

Joe answered, “No, there is no such spell because it would be impossible.”

Fred then asked if he ever heard of a spell branching out on three-dimensional axis. Joe answered again; he never heard of anything like that. Fred smile grew even bigger. Would you believe Sky came up with a spell that had over five hundred complex spell circles”?

Joe was looking at Fred as if he grew an extra head. “Right, and you saw all of this with your eyes, and that this new spell circle is as big as old Earth. You’re going to have to show me some proof of those claims before I can believe them. She’s done some amazing things and almost impossible things too. But spells that complex should be even beyond her abilities. The inverting a spell is the most preposterous thing I’ve heard yet. Mages and sorceress were trying to do that for eons and a girl new to magic less than three days finds the solution in one day. I even have my doubts on how much she can do. She may be my hero but she’s no god”! Joe felt a chill running down his back as he remembered her saying not too long ago. “I was born for a purpose, teach me for I hold, life, and death.” Joe was silent after for a couple of minutes contemplating what Fred said. Sky was going to be the start of a magical renaissance. Joe was about to say something, and Fred cut him off.

Joe, we have a very special little lady with us. Sky is a gemstone in the rough, and she’s one of the largest gems around. She is going to change how magic users work their craft. Every spell I’ve shown her she’s tweaked each one in a glance. I showed her a ranged punch spell, not even knowing what it was she changed it. I’m going to try it, to show you that she took a spell that hasn’t changed in over a hundred year. He brought up his wrist tablet and the new ranged punch spell and cast it on his fists. The spell used three of the four elements he held. With a light punch, he hit the heavy bag from ten metres. It felt much the same as before when he hit the bag. He punched a little harder, and it seemed to triple the punches strength. He punched at it at full strength, and it almost swung to the ceiling. He thought it should have exploded. With an almost disappointed jab at the heavy bag and it hit then the ceiling. He just figured out, the spell went off his intent, not just the strength of the punch. Sky always said the power of spells was not just the amount of magic you put in, but the intent also. “Watch this,” Fred said a flicked his finger at the heavy bag, which exploded into pieces. Within a blink of an eye, he brought up the healing spell and fixed the heavy bag. Joe was surprised at the spell he used; it was not the reset spell or even the standard healing spell it had used more elements in it.

“So, Sky’s teaching magic now, where do I sign up for classes,” Joe said in a half-mocking tone.

Fred just kept smiling at Joe. “Just show her a spell, and she’ll customize it to your elemental abilities. She showed me the same spell but with all the elements. I can’t see how it could work that much better than this one works. She understands how the mathematics of magic we hold works. She’s about to puzzle out spells that no one has even conceived of. With her understanding, she can take the concept of a spell and built it up around the foundation of another simple spell she knows. She says she was never taught any magic and thus no kind of restrictions to limit her spell formations. To her, it just had to come to the right end solution. In her case, the outcome of what she wanted. The spell she used to make herself as pliable as us, is in the database of spells along with hundreds of others she revised and submitted for review. Sky put them under the ships name Little Tooth. I just was contacted before our practice about the new influx of spells. Some of them were insults others were praises. I was going to go over some of them with you. A few of the spells required all five elements which no one else has. She put instructions on how to combine the magic of two casters to enable the same spell.” Fred looked to Joe and put a hand on his shoulder with a small squeeze, feeling a normal body beneath his fingers said. “If Sky says she made an incantation that’s as big as old Earth I’m going to say I believe her. So, what did you find out about your new magic wells?

Joe smiled at Fred when he thought about his new magic affinities. “I don’t know how to describe the sensation of all that magic. I had no idea about the force behind it. I can’t use the well method anymore just sets of valves on tanks; it doesn’t look as nice but more effective to use now. I’ve yet to try some new spells using the magic elements I was given. Do you want to practice with me and see what new spells we can do, we have about an hour and a half before Sky makes her way to the bridge”?

Fred agreed and over and the next hour they tried various new spells previously denied them due to the lack of the elemental magic. They were both amazed how adding an element increased the power of the spell without adding any more magic to them. They now had more efficient spells and a next inexhaustible source of magic as they tried out more complex spells, they see more of how the spells worked. The two matched each other’s spells when they could. But Fred had the advantage of more elemental abilities, and it made a big difference. Joe was satisfied with that because he was always one step ahead. He preferred it that way because it made him the undisputed leader of their crew.

Fred was thinking and voiced his concern to Joe. “When we meet up with the new crew members, when do we tell them about our new gifts and do we? You know I’m against lying to people and especially if it to someone I have to trust them guarding my back in a fight.”

Joe felt somewhat the same, and that’s why they got along so well. “I say if we tell them, we leave Sky’s name out of it, and if she trusts them, she can share whatever she wants with them. We could help guild her alone if she asks for our help. Rocssanna and William seem to be okay with her choice with making us her friends.” Conny appeared before them and informed them. “Sky would be making her way to the bridge shortly, and request Joe attends if he wasn’t too busy with other matters. She says that the new spell she created could change how magic and physical training is done from now on. Under her new spell, I might even be able in to have physical interactions with you.” Conny disappeared as quickly as she appeared. Joe facing Fred asked him. “Did she have a smile on her face just now? Or was that my imagination playing tricks on me”?

“Since Sky’s been with us, we’ve seen the impossible happening, and I’m amazed the times she tries something new. I'm finding magic is becoming easier for me to cast. It’s like she set a new path. No! A new way of seeing how magic should work. A new view to magic, to a new world of magic and as we follow her way it’s becoming clearer. Does that sound right to you Joe, Am I making sense to you”?

Joe looked as if in thought for a moment. “Yeah it does, but it could have been phase differently. But I get what you’re trying to say.” Joe grinned and started for the door. “Let’s not keep our ensign wanting; she’s got something to show us.”

Fred walked alongside Joe as they walked towards the bridge. Just before he passed his quarters, he quickly ducked inside. When he came back out with a memory disk in his hand, “I want to make a private vid of this magic incantation she constructed. Once on the bridge, they spotted Sky at the forward window chewing on something that looked like a stick, on closer inspection it was a rod of steel. He was surprised at sight, but not overly so. He noticed Joe didn’t even flinch at the sight of what Sky was chewing on.

Sky turned around and held up her other hand with a ball of magic held loosely in it. “Are you ready to be amazed at the size of the new incantation I came up with? I’ll tell you what the spell does, and you see if you can recognize any of the pieces. The spell took everything I had to figure out how to level out the playing field in a magical or even a physical fight. It’s a type of virtual reality that your body can enter. When you walk through the magic field first, you stay the same magically and physically. Anyone walking through afterwards is temporally altered to match the first basic strength level. So, Fred, if you were to walk through we, would be limited to your magic elements or gain any you have, but we don’t. While in the spell you can’t get seriously injured for long and can never be killed. If you were the strongest going into the spell you remain the strongest, but only a fraction stronger then the weakest person within the spell. If I were to go in first you would be like me solid, have all five elemental affinities, be super strong, and fast. But you would still only be a fraction as cute as me. Mentally you would remain the same; you can only get smarter from the training.” Fred and Joe were stunned at what Sky might have accomplished with the new spell. Sky was about to throw the spell through the bridges forward window, and Fred stopped her. “Fred this is not the real spell just the spell design, I just want you to see what almost cause me to pass out from exhaustion after only an hour of thinking.” The ball sailed out the window and started to expand outward it was nearly ten kilometres across before individual spell circles could be seen as tiny dots. There was more than one ball of magic in the spell to. As the ball expanded, it was clear that nowhere near finished expanding. What looked like single spell circles were many, one on top of the other. They were not only on the axis anymore; they were in a true sphere of spells. The sphere was expanding even faster than before. Many of the spell circles came through the ship and at a glance they were three times the size of most circles used in spells. In Fred’s estimation, there were over two hundred thousand spell packets in this spell. Sky was watching the spell as eagerly as Fred and Joe, nodding her head as the spell expanded. The spell was now fully expanded, all but the smaller spell packets. Sky turned to address Fred and Joe. The smaller spell packets are for when there’re injuries or other unforeseen accidents that might occur while inside the influence of the spell. I was thinking of casting it in the door frame of the practice room. That way while in there you can use any spell with no lasting effect on each other. Playing martial arts would be very interesting because I can't do any damage to you and vice versa. Mind you, now that I think about it, I should cast a different spell on the room itself. Maybe a long-lasting barrier so nothing can touch the surface. So, as it is anything brought in will have a reset point just before the accident or injury. Let’s say I brought a glass of water in and tripped and the glass was shattered into pieces. Within a Nanosecond, it would be whole again minus the water. Captain Fred, Joe Sir, do either of you have any questions about the incantation”? Sky was looking at the pair while looking around at the spell that was encompassing the ship and millions of square kilometres around them.

Fred and Joe were in a state of speechlessness and didn’t catch what Sky said right away. They were going to be able to interact with Sky on her terms or vice-versa. Neither one of them could see anything other than some of the elements involved in the incantation. What each circle did or how they worked with the next was far beyond anything they could even conceive. Sky outdid herself on this one for sure. Fred brought up his wrist tablet and started a recording of the visible spell circles, not to see how they worked; but the sheer size and structure of it was beyond anything pondered or even conceived by any other magic users ever.

Joe was inspecting one of the hundreds of spell circles that were just inside the bridge alone.

It was Fred who broke the silence first. “Sky how much magic is this going to take to activate a spell this size? Will you be okay putting out that much magic at once? Fred sounded extremely concerned with her wellbeing; Joe seemed just as concerned.

Sky just smiled, and she answered made them go pale. “It will take about a billion litres of all the elements but fire, only about fifty million litres of that one. I will probably pass out from the pain of magic burn, but part of the incantation will keep the magic flowing till completion. Then an automated spell will heal me to a point where I can cast another spell to finish the healing. The whole process should take about five minutes. It’s going to be a rough five minutes, but the pros are going to outweigh the cons by a long shot.”

Almost in unison Fred and Joe objected to the casting of the spell. Fred was the first to state his reasons. “Sky I can have you intentionally giving yourself a little magic burn, let alone you passing out from it. What kind of benefit could warrant that kind of pain and suffering?”

Sky had tears in her eyes and racks of sobs “Physical contact without worrying of death or serious injury to my friends and family. Have you ever wanted to give someone a hug or even a pat on the back knowing you would pop them like a balloon? I never could play with others kicking or throwing anything to them. I was never able to interact with anyone in any physical way. This spell will allow me to at least, when within the spell-like normal people. I can play games run, jump, and play fight with the martial arts us taught me so far. So, you tell me is it worth five minutes of indescribable pain or a lifetime of restricted contact.” Sky wiped away tears that never stopped. “I don’t want to feel alone surrounded by people.” It looked like Sky was committed to casting the spell once she got to okay she was confident she would get the okay even through her sniffles.

Fred wasn’t sure what to do, but he didn’t want her to suffer. “Sky is there any way I could cast the spell once you had it drawn in the air like now? I want to save you the pain let me cast it; I don’t want to see you suffer again like I did when you were soft or when the aliens attacked you.” Fred was seriously trying to persuade her into letting him cast it, and Joe looked like he was just beaten to the question as if Fred stole his thunder.

“I’m afraid it’s not possible even though you want to try. You would more likely pass out or die from shock before you reach the point of the spell going into the automation part. Fred when you push the heavy bag how many litres of magic do you think you used”? Sky’s eyes cleared up slightly knowing it was a matter of time before she got her spell cast.

Fred thought about it for a second. “Maybe two, three litres of pure magic. It was a tremendous amount of magic to be used at once for me.” Fred felt dizzy as the whole thing hit home. He just said the two or three litres were a tremendous amount when Sky was contemplating a total of over FOUR BILLION LITRES of magic on a single incantation. No one ever used that much magic at once it was insane to even think about. “In the total known universe, I don’t think in one year there was that much used in all the magic castings combined. How do you know you won’t die from shock from using that much magic? What makes you so sure you can pull it off”?

Sky wiped away the last tears from her face. "I know because the aliens just took a whole lot more than that in the last attack. Plus, it was just from three of the elements, not all of them. I can handle it at least until it becomes self-automated. If you want, you can watch the incantation from inside a bubble like the one you and I were in teaching me how to regulate my magic? It might help if you could cast healing spells while I perform the incantation. The only thing is I should sever all links to my magic wells temporarily. Till I start the incantation, you can fill a reservoir of magic like your old wells to use while you’re cut off from my source. Just let me finish my steel chew stick, and we can cast a spell on the practice room door. We have to empty it first or bring in new stuff after unless you want to keep fixing the heavy bag and matting constantly if and when I go in first.” All hints of tears were gone now as Sky bit off a piece of steel bar and started chewing.

Joe was the one to beat Fred to answer. “We’ll cast a constant wide range healing spell even if it gives us magic burn. We’ll heal each other and you while you cast your spell, that way you won’t feel any pain or at least very little.”

Fred and Joe looked way more receptive of the idea of the incantation than before. They looked a little excited at witnessing another major spell being performed. Sky made her way to exit the bridge. “Conny, could you let mommy and daddy I’ll need to eat a big snack after the incantation, or an even early dinner. The new spell is going to take a lot of physical energy along with the magic. Have them cook my favourite snacks and bring them to the practice room so Fred and Joe can try them! Don’t forget to say pretty please with red fruit on top when you ask.”

A vidscreen popped up in front of the exit before anyone could pass through. “Sky what mischief are you dragging Fred and Joe into now. I hope it’s not dangerous you know they’re not like you”? Rocssanna said with a smile knowing Sky would never put them in any danger. If you’re not planning to blow something up, those snacks you asked for when you would like them? And how are Fred and Joe going to eat your snack? Are you planning to pre-chew the snacks for them”? Rocssanna laughed at her joke.

Fred and Joe looked disgusted at the thought. Sky just laughed with her. “I won’t try that again anytime soon; I like eating food not wearing it.” Joe was about to ask what happened when he felt a sharp pain shooting up his arm from Fred squeezing it, and he was shaking his head side to side. Joe quickly got the hint and dropped the unasked question. “I think the spell will take about an hour to complete in total. That’s preparing for it, casting it, and doing a basic test to see how effective it is. Maybe I should get some rocknuts and other things now so we can snack on them while we test the spell.” Sky turned to the men following her. “Captain Fred Sir, I would like permission to run ahead and get a few snacks while you and Mr. Joe prepare to be separated from my magic wells during the casting. I shouldn’t feel anything if you take a hundred thousand litres of the ones you have access to and top off your affinity also.”

Before Fred could answer, Sky was gone. The fact Sky disappeared didn’t phase Fred, but the amount of magic she suggested did. Before Sky, archmages and a few sorceresses were only able to hold that much magic. He wasn’t even sure without the link if they could hold any more magic than what they did previously. Sky may have altar them somehow in the magic department on a metaphysical level. Well, they’ll soon find out when they build up the magic in their wells.

“Have you ever imagined holding that much magic before? I never thought of magic in the tens of thousands let alone hundreds of thousands of litres. Fred, do you think we’ll be able to hold that much without the link with Sky”? Joe was stating the same concern as Fred was just contemplating.

“We’ll just have to find out won’t we”? Fred said just outside the practice room.

They both walked in the room and took the lotus position on the floor and set about adding a tank for each element Sky had given them. It was odd seeing the two sitting in their uniforms dead still with big grins on their faces. The magic they held even though it wasn’t their own would make any magic user jealous. Grins and all they quickly formed huge tanks to contain the magic. Joes’ mindscape was not as intricate as Fred’s’ because he never had the chance to see one with his own eyes like Sky had shown Fred. They both were efficient in their task and completed it in minutes.

Fred opened his eyes shortly after completing filling the new tanks.

Sky skipped in shortly after holding a small bag in her hands. Whatever was in the bag made clacking and clanking sound as she shook it while she skipped along? Seeing her two senior officers, she quickly changed into a more subdued walk. “I got some snacks for after the spell and for during the testing part. I have all the confidence it will work, but which one should go first we’ll decide after the casting. Captain Fred Sir. Do you mind if I take the lead for this spell and set the positions? I must cast a few spells before I cut you off from my magic during the spell. One of them is to bring you into my mindscape, and the other is to set up the incantation itself. Joe Sir. You might find some of it disturbing like Fred, but I think you’ll cope just fine. So, do I have your permission to take the lead, Fred Sir.”? Sky asks standing to attention all one and a half metres of her with the power to dwarf them all hundreds of times over, if not even more.

Fred answered her “This is your show we’re here for your support and medical back up. Is there anything we can expect to happen while we’re in your mindscape that we should worry about”? Fred smiled knowing the last time he could’ve used more of a warning at some of the things she did while in her mindscape.

Sky pounder for a second with a grin growing across her face. “There will be no floor only space, the spell will be here in its entirety, plus you will see a lot more of me than ever before.” Sky waved her hand, and the room went pitch black, and they couldn’t see anything. A glow started at their feet revealing a large white disc and nothing but an empty void around them all. Sky was the only person floating in the void. “If you want you can step from the discs and walk around or even fly about. I suggest you get used to it in here. While you guys are adapting, I’m going to set the spells and incantations. It shouldn’t take long.” Sky held up a hand, and the ball of magic containing the spells and incantations appeared. What took Fred and Joe by surprise was when Sky, actually started using some archaic words to make the incantations take form. The two men forgot about the void as they watched her work the incantations. Sky’s voice grew with power, and energy surged around them. The magic ball grew to full visible size in an instant. This time they felt a chill as the spell circles pass through themselves. It happened so fast they didn’t have a chance to react before it was over. She turned to Fred and Joe, whose faces showed the shock of her use of spoken archaic words in her incantation.

“You never used any of the arcane language before, who taught you them”? Fred asked after getting some composure back.

Sky answered him. “Conny and her magical database. To learn something, you need to know the building blocks to make a good foundation on which to build your knowledge. I learned the arcane language during the first day as I was snooping on the deck — the book. Words of Power and How to Use them was very well written and helpful. Conny filled in the blanks of the missing words and meanings. I’m using arcane words because this spell has a lot of depth and emotions involved; it just seemed right to say them out loud. If you two are ready, Fred could you hold on to my right wrist, and Joe you’re on my left. Do this is just till the actual incantation starts, and you might want to close your eyes. There’s going to be a whole lot of me showing.” The two men watched as Sky stepped out from herself then, repeatedly within minutes there were hundreds, then thousands, then tens of thousands, each one taking up a position in front of a set of spell circles. After she stopped replicating there was over Five hundred thousand Sky's. Her clone’s hair changed colours to match the magic they held; some even had multi-coloured hair. “Okay I’m cutting you off from the magic and starting the first part of the incantation, there will be no stopping it once it starts the clones are just extensions of my being, like an extra arm or leg. The Sky you hold is the real ME, as they complete their task they will disappear with the magic flowing through the spell circles in front of them.”

Joe called out. “When do you want us to start casting the healing spells”?

Sky answered him looking straight ahead towards the centre of the incantation. “Once I start speaking in the arcane language you can start casting the healing spell. Between all the clones and I, we’re going to be pumping out a whole lot of magic at once. It’s going to be continuous for the whole five minutes.” They had no spell circles in front of them, nor behind yet they were surrounded by them. Sky took a couple of deep breathes, and it looked like all her clones were doing the same, one clone was just over a metre away, with fiery red hair. In Sky like fashion having to change everything known in magic to date. She called out. “Ready let’s begin”! It started as a low rumble in her throat and with over five hundred thousand clones building to an almost deafening roar, they shouted the first arcane word of the incantation, startling the two men at her sides. Her, or rather their shouts focused on the centre of the incantation and the spell circles before the clones. The next words started softly and built quickly to a punctuation shout; this was repeated over four times before Fred or Joe got over the vertigo of the shouting and the magical pressure around them. Fred brought up his wrist tablet and cast the first healing spell. Sky’s face had beads of sweat running down her face as her chanting progressed. After the first word, all the clones seemed to be saying something different. Joe cast the next spell of healing, Sky’s voice never wavered, but her body was trembling.

Fred started to cast one after another as fast as he could, putting in more and more magic per casting forgetting to add the feeling and intent. Joe started to do the same, casting healing spells as fast as he could, feeling the beginning of magic burn and then felt the healing take effect. Sky’s body stopped shaking was the only visual sign that the spell was affecting. It was getting harder to cast the spells as the chorus was at an almost deafening height. Clones started to disappear leaving a rush of magic spewing into a spell circle. Around them, all the magic was going into a spell packet and coming out something different, something beautiful. The spells all converged into the centre circle that became a black hole, sucking up the magic. Fred could see blood trickling from Joe’s ears and knew the trickle of moisture coming from his was the same. The healing spells kept them from going deaf; but also, kept their hearing perfect just to burst again. The pain never had a chance to be felt before the magic took it away. The blood was the only sign of the damage to their hearing. All the clones were gone, but the sound remained. To Fred and Joe, it seemed like forever and a day before the silence came.

Sky was hanging unconscious in the void, startling Fred and Joe, they both remember and started to cast a healing spell with all the emotion they had. It was after the healing spells were cast they seen the smile of contentment on her face. With hardly a movement she opened her bag of treats and gave the men each a rocknut from the bag. “Let’s rest a bit and we’ll try the spell. It was a little more intense than I thought it would be.” She said with a grimace. “The stupid aliens attacked while we’re performing the spell and I had to put extra magic out to compensate for what they took. If it weren’t for you, my two heroes, the spell would have failed.” The void shimmered and a lush grassy field came up gently to meet them, fragrant flowers dotted the field adding to the serene feeling. Fred and Joe landed on their feet, while Sky gracefully landed sleeping on her side. Fred took off his jacket and laid it over Sky’s sleeping form, took two steps away and laid down himself. Looking back to Joe, he was already asleep.

They had a restful sleep when Rocssanna and William woke them up. Sky was still sleepy when William picked her up. “Daddy everybody’s got to go outside first then walk in again, with me being first. I want everyone to be like me the first time.” Sky let herself go limp in her father’s arms as they all walked out the door. Rocssanna nor William mentioned anything about the blood on the men’s ears and neck. Sky would have made sure they were okay before sleeping. To Fred and Joe passing through the doorway was like passing through a wall of water not a doorway. Once in the corridor, William shook Sky slightly, and she stirred up to full wakefulness. Giving her dad a kiss on the cheek she got down from his arms. “Is everyone ready to see my world? You’ll gain all my magic affinities, strength, speed and density. We’ll be able to touch with no worries about hurting anyone. I won’t seem like living marble.” Sky said looking back at her Daddy rolling her eyes as she walked through the doorway. As she passed through the entrance, nothing seemed to happen. One by one they passed through the doorway, and just Fred and Joe felt any difference. It was not what they expected.

Fred walked to Sky, slightly disappointed the spell didn’t seem to work. With a frown that changed into amazement when he squeezed her shoulder, and it felt like human flesh. She felt like a real flesh and blood person; she quickly encircled him what she could and hugged him, a real heartfelt hug. After Sky ran to her parents and hugged them in turn, tears of joy freely flowing down their faces, in this room, they had a daughter they could hold with not worrying about being hurt by her uncontrollable strength.

Joe was waiting to get a hug from Sky but decided to wait for the parents to get their fill of her love. He decided to try some of her ridiculous strength and looked around what to try it on. Seeing the heavy bag, he ran to it to see what he could do. The air swished through his hair, and he almost ran into it. He didn’t even feel like he ran that hard. His muscles felt the same, but they were tremendously stronger than before. He sized up the heavy bag and flicked it with his finger; the impact caused the heavy bag to explode as if hit with a large calibre gun. The sound of the impact caused everyone’s head to turn in his direction. Joe looked a little sheepish when a streak of blue came up to him. Sky was up close to him in a blink of an eye. “You get all strong and everything, and the first thing you do is break your heavy bag. It was never carried through the door, so it has no reset spell on it. I suggest you fix it, carry it out, back in and try a really good punch on it. The punch should be able to ignite the stuffing, Joe Sir.” Sky gave Joe a heartfelt hug. “Thanks for being here with me and helping me remain conscious long enough to complete the spell. I would have passed out from the pain and lost all the magic to the aliens. The kiss on the cheek he received was not the painful experience he had before. He barely felt the kiss but was thankful all the same. He felt kind of like her father, not just an older friend. He hugged her back feeling her as a person, not an animated metal object. “There are so many things I want to try; everyone takes for granted like play ball. The simple act of catch I could never do after I was four years old. After giving daddy a tummy ache when I hit him with the ball. I have no things to throw, do you have anything we could play with. So, what could we do? I know we could play martial arts. Have you tried the rocknut I gave you”?

Joe felt the object in his pocket and brought it out before it felt heavy and solid. Now it felt light and almost spongy. It smelt like roasted nuts, he gingerly popped it in his mouth, and he could feel it crush in his mouth. He rolled his tongue causing it to powder as if melting, that’s when the flavour assaulted his tongue. It was an amazing flavour in between hazelnuts and smoked jerky. Sky watched his face as he enjoyed the treat. She handed him another nut which he took gratefully; the flavour was a combination he never experienced before. “I have never had anything like this ever, is all the food you eat like this”?

Sky looked up into his face and smiled. “I have many types of food that are pretty tasty, but not all are that tasty. Sometimes the food I eat is usually hard or tough because I don’t like foods so soft. Close your eyes and try this and see what you think, but don’t swallow it.” Sky twisted a piece of steel from a bar in her snacks and popped it in Joe’s mouth. Fred and her parents came over to where Joe and Sky were standing. Joe smoothed the paste with his tongue and chewed the odd treat. There was an almost weird taste in his mouth, and he asked Sky. “What is the treat you gave me there is not much flavour to it, and it doesn’t melt in my mouth like the rocknuts.”

“It’s a chunk of steel, that’s why I told you not to swallow it. I have no idea what would happen if you were to eat it and left the room. It might ruin your tummy before your body absorbs it, and a regular healing spell would do nothing for you. You would have to use my advanced healing spell to get rid of the steel in your tummy and heal yourself at the same time.”

Joe pulled the piece of steel from his mouth; it looked like gum. I” never thought it would be possible to chew any metal like gum. When you ate the metal, did the bar hurt your stomach”?

“No, it just goes in, and it goes out just like all foods do. I can eat and drink anything without making myself sick as for you Joe Sir. I don’t know about your tummy; mine was always tough.”

Fred tried the rocknut Sky gave him. After popping it in his mouth, his eyes widened in surprise at the taste. “These are good; I can’t understand why you don’t eat these all the time.

Sky handed him another rocknut, which he accepted it with without a tiny bit of hesitation and popped it in his mouth. Fred heard the nut being crushed by his tongue. What he felt was a creamy texture of flavour wash over his taste buds.

"Sensei Fred, can we play martial arts after snacking"? Sky asked while watching him enjoy the rocknut. "You could show me another two katas and then the moves that make up the basis of all the katas so far." Sky was still talking while handing out pieces of dried fruit or vegetable.

Fred had the fruit in his mouth in one go, thinking it was going to be like the rocknut. He was dead wrong, one was super sweet, and the second was sour. He was pondering on spitting out the one. When Sky started to giggle at the face, he was most likely making. Fred forgot about correcting her about her asking to play martial arts.

"You didn't wait for me to tell you how to eat them, Sensei Fred Sir. I've been eating them together for years. The fruit is too sweet, and the vegetable offsets the sweetness. Try and rotate the two in your mouth as quickly as possible." Fred did as she suggested and the two flavours came to life in his mouth. It was an indescribable taste sensation he was going through. "They taste amazing together don't they, that’s when you eat them together. I tried blending than in a bowl, but it was too mushy YUCK. Let's play martial arts after you’re done, Sensei Fred Sir." Sky saw that Joe was eager to try the two pieces also. She reached into her bag and brought out two different pieces and put them in Joe's upturned hand. He looked a little disappointed they weren't the same as Fred had, but took them just the same. He gave a brief pause and raised his eyebrow, to signal Sky if there was a trick to eating these new treats. Sky smiled. "You chew the green piece quickly without swallowing. Then chew the black one on the other side of your mouth. Then blend them and swish them around in your mouth. Try and leave it in your mouth if possible. The taste gets better as it dissolves in your mouth.” Sky motioned him to eat them. "Go ahead chew the first one quickly and try not to taste it till you chew the second one and mix them. It's well worth the effort once you get them mixed.

Joe hesitantly put the green piece in his mouth when it hit his tongue he gagged. Sky was telling him to chew quicker. He tried to go faster, but the taste was horrid. He put it off to the side and popped the black one in his mouth. He winced at the taste and looked at Sky with disgust. She was telling him to chew it. As he chewed the second piece the first was causing his mouth to salivate profusely. He was about to spit the whole mess out when the juices came together over his tongue. It became tolerable, he finished chewing the black one and then mixed the two. The flavour was out of the galaxy, sweet, buttery, and smooth. It made him feel great, and he felt his body relax. It wasn't until he saw the colours that he thought of asking if they had a narcotic effect. Joe was watching colours swirling around everyone and smiled at the lazy colours around Rocssanna and William. Fred’s colours were as fast as his own, but Sky had no colour just blackness. That was until he looked out when the colours slowed down out from her body about twelve meters. Sky was different any way you looked at her. Joe looked around again, and seen colours go mute, and the flavours slowly subsided also. The euphoric feeling remained for a short time after.

Fred was talking to Sky. "Sky you don't play martial arts, you practice, and you perform martial arts. Yes, I'll show you the next two katas and brake down the katas into the individual parts. I'll show you how to put them together in a fight.” Sky stopped him and just shook her head smiling. "What are you thinking, Sky"?

"Fred, you don't have to show me how you put together the parts. I can do that just like I can magic once you've shown me the individual moves. We can practice the practical application with Joe too. I can watch you and Joe spare first to see how gently you fight.” Sky looked at Joe smacking his lips as he finished his snack. "Joe, wouldn't you like to try fighting with your new strength and almost equal strength against Fred"?

Joe smiled and looked you to Fred. "You say there will only be a slight difference in strength and speed? You also said that no one could get hurt for long, and no one can die"?

"Don't get carried away in your thoughts of an equal fight. Fred can go all out too and not hold back also. Don't forget I go next; I'll fight the winner after I see how hard I can fight back.” Sky was looking between Fred and Joe with a growing smile. The two spied the other and wondered if they should throw the fight.

Fred clamped his hand on Sky's shoulder and felt solid muscles, not solid steel. He looked at her and gave a smile. "I think it would be okay to cast that, um Bubble of Learning Katas. After seeing you cast this one that was way more complex. I feel confident in your magic abilities for you to cast it.”

"Fred, I cast the spell before you started the first kata you showed me." Sky said smiling.

Fred was surprised at what Sky said. "I felt no magic coming from you at all, and that would have been a tremendous amount of magic to use at once." Fred was confused at Sky's admission.

Sky sighed and slumped her shoulderrs. "I inverted the spell to keep the aliens from the spent magic. The spell was also inverted so you would not have felt anything. I didn't tell you I cast it because that way you could concentrate on the katas. You would have tried to see if you felt something weird or anything and divided your attention. So, let’s finish off the snacks and start the lessons in martial arts. Sky gave the two men the pieces she gave the other and watched their expressions of revolt to utter joy as they learned to enjoy her snacks.

Rocssanna and William were not just watching her daughter, but we're trying a few spells they knew they didn't have the magic to do before. They found it was just not in their nature to be skilled in magic other than something practical. If they couldn't use it in everyday life, they didn't need to learn it. It was just that simple. They had Conny show them the healing spell Sky had modified for Fred and Joe. They found they couldn't test it on anything they had on because anything they ripped or broke was instantly repaired by the spell Sky had cast on the doorway. Rocssanna walked to the other heavy bag opposite to the one Joe flicked and gave it a punch that ignited the stuffing sending out a fiery spray across the room. William was right there beside her casting the healing spell they had just learned. It worked perfectly, and the bag was back hanging with no damage.

Conny was the one to surprise everyone when she repaired the heavy bag Joe destroyed and gave it a roundhouse kick, cutting it in half. After she repaired it once more, she walked over to Fred, and she asked if she could join in the martial arts. Sky disappeared from view and sent Conny flying as she embraced the now physical manifested AI. The two hit the wall on the other side of the ship almost breaching the hull. Pulling themselves from the wreckage Sky healed the wall and proceeded to cast a barrier on the walls, floor and ceiling with a slight blush. Sky found herself holding Conny's hands smiling into her face.

"Sure, you can practice with us. I've got to learn a bit more and then we can do all sorts of stuff together on my off time.” Sky pulled Conny to her into an in a brace and kissed her on the cheek. “Girlfriend”!

Sky and Conny walked back to the dumbfounded group. "The walls, floor and ceiling are now protected from harm unless you intentionally damage them with magic. Conny is going to fight in the third round.”

Fred and Joe were now seriously considering throwing the fight.

Fred swallowed the last pieces of the treats Sky had given him. He gave Joe a crossed look. “It was good, but you could have warned me of the narcotic effect, Joe.” He clapped his hands to gather their attention. "Sky class is about to begin to take your position front and centre.” Sky let go of Conny’s hand and stepped up in front of Fred. Everyone else walked off to the side giving them plenty of room. Fred addressed Sky "I'm going to perform the third and the fourth kata they both have moves that are the same as before and new simple strikes and kicks. The fourth kata moves are to disarm and to bring a person into submission. The moves are going to be quick and precise, but I'm sure you can follow. I will bow between the katas, so you know when one starts and finishes. You can cast the spell now if you wish.” Sky made no motion and never broke eye contact with Fred. Fred just smiled at her turned and took the stance before starting. "Begin,” Fred shouted startling all, but Conny and Sky.

Rocssanna, William, Joe and Conny watched Sky mirror, Fred, perfectly. It was like Fred was moving for Sky. Decades of practice could not have them synchronize any more perfectly. Fred was moving faster than he would normally have. He has finished his first demonstration in half the time. He didn't take the time to notice he was too caught up in the movements. He bowed just before starting the second kata. He was going even faster than before, Fred and Sky disappeared briefly from sight at times. Within seconds they have finished the kata.

Fred stood in front of Sky. “Did you get that Sky; could you show me the katas? Just let me know when you’re ready to start”? Fred stood back and gave Sky some room.

Sky was smiling and took the stance of the third kata. With a bow, she flashed through the movements. While she went through the routine, Fred was fading in and out of sight. He was watching in fast motion and walked around checking Sky’s progress. It was done in seconds, and she smiled and started the fourth kata. She was impeccable in the execution of what she was taught and amazedly fast. Fred was surprised in how fast their lessons were going. She was going to be a master in the martial arts by the time they picked up the new crew members. Sky bowed to Fred as she finished the fourth kata. Fred wanted to find something wrong with Sky’s performance because it didn’t feel like teaching if you weren’t giving out advice. He just had to hope she didn’t pick up the practical application of the fighting moves then. He was not going to hold his breath on that either. He was going to try and do his best to keep up to her thirst for knowledge in all things.

Fred patted Sky on the back praising her katas and started to show her the separate moves of the first two katas. He stood beside her and told her. “These are the individual moves that make up the basic punches, blocks, and kicks. Generally, you do these in great repetition, so you get the moves correct and engrained into your mind. I think that would be a waste of time. I’ll show you the moves, and you follow me as I go. After I’ll call out a move, and you do it with no hesitation. We’ll break down all the moves for each kata. I’ll repeat the tests as we go. With speed, we seem to move now; you’ll likely surpass Joe in two maybe three hours.” Fred didn’t tell her that she could surpass him in another half a day if they had the right teacher, a Grand Master. Fred took his stance and Sky followed suit.

Sky was beaming happily on the inside; she was learning almost as fast as she could. Fred didn’t seem like he was in slow motion like all her other teachers. His movements were fast, and she could keep up without feeling like she had to be sluggish. For Sky, this was the perfect learning environment for her. She was going to have to thank Fred all over again after the lessons and tell him how much this training means to her. The moves could be thought of almost like complex mathematical equations. The correct answer was victory and life. Sky was smiling on the outside, paying great attention to Fred.

Joe watched them practice, while Conny and the Knights were learning a few spells from Conny now they had the magic for the spells. Joe knew the moves and could do them to near perfection almost as good as Fred. Joe had his interpretation on some of the moves which caused him to be held back from advancing to the next level. Watching Fred and Sky, he felt somewhat left out. He went over to the heavy bag and started to tap it, and the stupid thing burst open with just a few jabs. ‘I don’t think this is going to work in my present state of physical strength.’ Joe thought to himself. ‘If I’m going to get any practice in I’ll have to wait for Sky and Fred to finish the basics to spare with Fred.’ Joe resigned to his fate of a good fight at super everything. He decided just to watch Sky train and see if he could pick up a few moves he might have forgotten (Yeah, Right).

Fred was getting to the part in the training where you taught the throws, holds, and the locks on certain joints and body parts. Sky was quite a bit shorter then he was and didn’t feel right showing her, but had no other choice. “Sky I’m going to show you a throw. I’ll show you in slow motion so pretend to throw a slow cross punch to my stomach.”

Sky quickly stood in front of Fred and punched at Fred, who in seemed equal speed blocked, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her off balance and threw her over his hip. He didn’t need you to do the last part because she was so small compared to him, but that was the move. Sky had a surprised expression on her face, then a smile. “Is it my turn now to throw you, Sensei Fred Sir.? I’ll be gentle I promise. You’re as tough as I’m now so you’ll be able to take it, right”? Fred had a brief hesitation before answering

“Are you sure you got the move right a lot of students don’t get it because they were concentrating on not getting hurt”? Fred asked her as he helped her to her feet.

With her fists on her hips glaring up at him. “After all the things, I’ve done, you think a little throw is going to take all my concentration. While you were throwing, me I was thinking about all the possible punches it would work on, and even a few of the kicks too. So, if you want to show me a few more different throws, I’m sure I’ve got it.”

Fred wasn’t sure what to think of his cheeky student and decided to test her. Without warning, he came at her with an uppercut to the chin. It would have been to her stomach had she been taller; but she was too short of making for her abdomen with any grace. To Fred astonishment, Sky smirked, and he realized he was just baited. In a fluid motion, Fred found himself on his back, looking up to the Sky’s.

“Are you Okay Mr. Fred Sir.”? Sky asked her downed teacher.

Fred grasped Sky’s offered hand as he did for her. “That’s Sensei Fred to you, little green hopper.” He was finally able to correct her, even if it was in how she addressed him. “I see you’re learning the martial arts as fast as magic. Do you want to take a short break or continue? You’ve learned about six weeks’ worth of training in about twenty minutes.

Sky smiled up to Fred shaking her head. She showed no sign of effort, not even a bead of sweat on her face. “I’m good to go if you want to continue with the lessons.”

“Alright, then we’ll continue till we have no more time or you quit,” Fred said standing with his massive arms crossing his equally huge chest. Sky was not intimidated in the least as he tried to get her to cower slightly. “There are the submission holds and different takedowns you have yet to show me. I think if you want to pick up the pace I can handle it. I was going to wait till after to thank you for teaching me at more my speed than a little child. At school, the teachers there went painfully slow and didn’t teach much in a day. Math was like pulling hair. One plus one equals two, two plus one equals three.” Sky said this in a slow drawl acting like a mindless zombie. “The way you’re teaching me is like, one plus one is two and so on. Ten take away one is nine till you reach zero, then it goes into the negative numbers. The division is breaking something into parts. Ten divided by two is five. Ten into five is two. Do you follow, very good? Multiplying is simple to, it when you take the number and increase the amount of itself a set amount determined by another number. Two times two is four, do you follow. Okay, there’s your basic math. Thankfully you’re taking years of tedious repetition and condensing it into something less mind-numbing as repeating it over and over. Your so kind to show me once and move on knowing I understood the first time. I am so happy you have enough trust in my understanding and not teach like some little baby. Thank You So Much Sensei Fred Sir.” Sky radiated happiness, and it was infectious.

Fred clamped his hands on her shoulders and gave a squeeze. “You’re my first solo student, and I’m glad to work with you one on one. I certainly can pick up the pace. Just do as I say when I say. I’ll try and not repeat any moves. If you find something repetitive, let me know, and we’ll move on. I think this is going to go faster than I thought even at first.” Fred just showed her the moves after that and didn’t ask her to show him what she learned. Sky was being thrown, knocked down, twisted about, and pinned. All of this was done in super speed.

Joe watched the two training and went through all the katas. The pair were eerily silent as the katas were preformed, just the sound of whistling air as they moved. As Joe watched, he knew the sparing would be happening soon. He decided to do a little mental preparation and got into the lotus position. In his mindscape, there were five huge tanks of magic. He made them disappear, and a dojo appears instead. He bowed as he walked through the door. Around the walls stood his opponents of various heights and builds. He walked to the centre and bowed to the four sides effectively bowing to everyone. He faced a man larger than Fred, a man he had lost to in the past, repeatedly. With a smile, Joe beckoned him to attack with his hand. The fight started at an inhuman speed. Punches, kicks, and grabs were all knocked aside till Joe seen his opening. Three well-placed punches to the man’s vitals and a throw for good measure ended the fight. He bowed to the fallen man, and another took his place. Two hits, a punch and a kick it was over. Two people, then three, then it was all against him. He weaved in between the fighters giving more than he took. The fighters big and small fell at his hands and feet. Till two remained, the last two had not attacked him. Standing side by side were Fred and Sky. At the same time, they rushed him saying. “Are you ready for this”? Joe was vaguely aware of a gentle hand on his cheek. A soft angelic voice is calling to him from outside of the dojo. The dojo disappeared along with the two adversaries; he was back in the real world. Sky was holding his cheek with a smile. Her face was glowing and a single bead of sweat running down her nose. She didn’t have a sour, sweaty smell most get when sweating, but an almost sweet smell came from her.

Sky rubbed his cheek “Wakey-wakey, we ready to start sparing if you are? Fred just finished throwing me around, and I’m eager to try some of the moves he showed me. Here let me help you up.” Sky stood and held out her hand in offering.

Joe took the offered hand and felt a small soft and gentle hand in his, it wasn’t like holding steel with a monster’s grip; but a normal hand. Joe untangled his legs and pulled on the offered hand. It was soft, but he felt no give when he pulled himself up. There was a tremendous strength behind the tiny hand. He got the impression that the offer to help him up was not just out of one type of kindness. It was also a warning that said. ‘I may be small but don’t think I’m weak.’ Joe took note of everything around him in a glance Conny was still with the Knights talking about their past and things Sky did. Fred was wiping beads of sweat from his brow. He glowed from a good workout. He looked pumped, his uniform looked to be tighter. Joe thought to himself with an insight of self-preservation. “Fred, do you think it’s wise to spare in our uniforms, shouldn’t we put on our Kung-foo uniform first”?

Fred shook his head. “I said the same thing to Sky, and she.” Sky cut in. “Excuse me Sensei Fred Sir. Joe Sir, I have no Kung-foo uniform and any damage done to the uniform will be repaired instantly. Plus, only when you’re fighting in a dojo would you wear a Kung-foo uniform when in battle you wear a uniform so why not take advantage of the opportunities of what this room now offers. No need to hold back, you can go all out. If you get hurt a healing spell will fix you up before you feel any pain. Broken arms, legs, or neck no problem fixed before you know it. Crushed body you bounce back up. Busted ribs, punctured lung, perforated intestines not to worry. Anything that happens in here will be fixed before you feel any real pain. It would be like a pinprick. Joe and Fred visibly paled hearing she describe the little pain you would feel. They both were thinking do we share her pain threshold also. If she can shrug off getting her arms broken, can we.

“Joe, we don’t need to go all out at first. Let’s go at normal speed and see how it goes. If we find it easy and not as painful as regular sparing, we can pick up the pace? What do you say buddy ol’ pal? Fred offers Joe a handshake. A ritual they had before a sparring match with only a computer AI voice as a judge.

Joe took Fred’s hand. “Let’s do this”! Together they walked back from each other and took their preferred stance. Sky standing off to the side was soaking in the movements. Joe didn’t feel it, but he was now encased in the same bubble Fred was. A ping sound chimed from nowhere, and the fight began. The two circled each other slowly at first. Fred was fast and had a lot of natural power behind his body. Then Joe remembered the spell of the room Fred now was only a fraction stronger then he was. Joe used his speed to get under Fred’s guard and deliver a series of brutal punches to Fred’s body. When Joe went for the takedown, Fred reversed the throw and through Joe instead. Joe landed on his feet and tried a leg sweep at Fred’s legs. Fred hopped up, while low to the ground. Fred tried to kick Joe down. Joe grabbed Fred’s leading foot and pulled Fred off balance, bringing him to the ground on his back. Joe quickly went for a leg lock; one Sky was never taught. Fred and Joe were momentarily stunned at the OOHH sound from Sky. Joe released Fred’s leg and stood up. The two combatants saw Sky watching but not with the full intensity as before. Fred took full advantage of Joe to begin distracted and took him down in a flurry of kicks and punches. Joe became aware of a boot on his neck and his elbow and wrist lock set to be broken if he didn’t tap out. Joe tapped twice, and Fred let go immediately.

Fred offered Joe his hand, and Joe took it with a smile. “That was a good fight, Joe, you almost had me.” Fred was smiling to, right until he made out Joe wasn’t smiling to him but at him. Fred’s heart flop as he saw Sky’s face beaming as she hopped up and down in anticipation of her turn to fight.

Joe patted Fred on the back. Let me guess you held a few moves back to give you an edge right. Well, let me ask you one thing. Which do you think is more complex The Imperial martial arts or the incantation that made all this possible? One more thing I might have had you but I didn’t want to take the chance to have a nine-year-old girl kick my butt. Good luck ol’ buddy.” Chuckling to himself Joe walked to Sky. “I tried, but he's just too good. I guess you’re up next Sky. Good luck.”

“You almost had Fred, if only you continued with that leg thing you’re trying to do, you would have had him. Fred never taught me that move. I guess it’s like magic sometimes you can come up with some of your moves. Joe is that a secret move or can anyone use it? I came up with hundreds like it in my head. I don’t know if they’re secret moves or not”? Sky had a slight look of apprehension on her face.

Sky just looked so cute. Joe got down on one knee and hugged her. “There are no secret moves once you seen them. There are moves only some people use because they’re hard to do or use. But if you come up with a move use it. I should tell you when in the competition they’re some things you shouldn’t do. This area here is a no touch or hit zone.” Joe said pointing at his groin then to hers. “In a real fight, anything goes. It’s just polite not to hurt someone there.” Sky nodded at what Joe said.

Sky seemed to maul it over “Okay, I’ve got plenty of moves I can try out still.” Fred and Joe winched at her words, even William who didn’t hear shuddered at their manly discomfort. Fred forgot to tell her the rules. Sky hugged him back. “Thank you, Joe Sir. I won’t hit anybody down there or even make themselves do it either. I can think of plenty of other moves thanks to you. You are a Sensei too.” Sky released the hug stepped back and gave him a bow.

As Fred thought about the fight he just had with Joe, it came to him. Joe lost, on purpose. Right after the near leg lock and Sky’s look of recognition of the weakness of joints. His temporary ace was now gone. He could only hope his years of actual fighting might prevail. Fred thought to himself ‘who am I kidding? I hope I don’t go down too fast.’ “Sky you ready yet”? Fred called to Sky. “Thanks to Joe, I remember to go over a few rules. No hits to the groin, and you must stop if a person taps out or can’t continue. Sky faced him bowed and walked backwards not taking her eyes from her opponent. Fred remembered. “Sky we finished training now you should remove the bubble before we spare. It might give you an advantage because I can’t do the same.” Fred realized he phrased it wrong even before his sight enhanced. For a few seconds, Fred seen Sky from thousands of angles overlaid on his vision.

“There you go Sensei Fred Sir. Now you have the same sight I do, no more disadvantages then.” Fred might have been able to handle four of the windows with practice. He could see the possible advantages to seeing from more than one angle or even from mirrors. Thousands of views were just too much for any normal brains.

With his eyes closed and the visions still there he pinching the bridge Fred waved to Sky “That’s quite alright Little Green Hopper neither of us should see what we normally can’t see with just our eyes. Drop the castings, and we’ll use our normal sight.” When he reopened his eyes, it was back to just ordinary vision. “Just give me a second, and we’ll start sparing.” Fred took a few quick breaths and psyched himself up to possibly get a beating. Looking at Sky, he could see the anticipation in her eyes. From the looks of Sky stance, she was trying to get her style of moves. Her smile was gone, and her movements slowed. Fred looked to his hands, and they were shaking. Taking another deep breath, he resigned to his fate. “Are you ready Sky to start your sparring match”? Sky nodded and waved him over then bowed. Fred bowed back and took his stance and waited for the ping.

When the ping sounded, they disappeared, and they met in the middle. They traded blows and blocks, kicks and dodges. The sounds were almost deafening from the impacts. To watch the match was like watching two dancers flow to unheard music, in super speed. One dancer practiced and precise in his movements with years of dancing behind him. The other graceful as a bird soaring on a breeze just after learning and testing its wings. Fred was thinking he had a chance at winning. He had almost caught Sky in a few arms holds, and Sky’s shorter stature prevented her from doing the same. It was almost too late for Fred’s ego when he realized Sky was systematically trying out moves down his body.

When he found her rhythm, he struck and hit nothing. He found himself considering the matted floor. There was a sharp pain in his neck, shoulder, elbow, and wrist. He was turning his head towards the pain, he saw Sky with her feet under his arm and against his neck her small right arm under his massive one. Her left hand had his wrist locked. To anyone else it looked comical, a tiny girl trying a submission hold on a giant of a man. The people in the room knew different. Fred could feel what that hold could do to him. She could dislocate his shoulder, brake his arm, or break his wrist. Rather than submit, he tried to power his way out.

Sky grimaced “Tap out Sensei Fred Sir; I don’t want to hurt you.” Sky couldn’t do it; she couldn’t hurt Fred. She released her hold on him, and he rolled free. Fred came at her with a vicious kick to the head.

Fred felt the contact with his feet and felt bad for an instant. Till he felt a pain going up his leg and he fell on his side. Sky had him in a partial leg lock, similar to the one Joe had used. Fred used his other leg to try and kick her off. He found out it was a mistake when he found two legs used in the new tighter leg lock. Trying to move got him nowhere. The difference in strength shouldn’t be that much greater if it went by slight increments. That’s when it dawned on him; he was second from the bottom, not from the top. There were three people between them William, Rocssanna, and Conny. Fred thought Joe was pretty strong when they fought; but not close enough to hold the leg lock. Fred never asked what the difference would be, between them. He didn’t want to tap out, but to ask the nagging question he had to win or submit.

Fred using his greater mass rolled to see if he could shake off Sky. She just rolled with him and didn’t put any more pressure on his joints. Fred tried using the incredible strength he now possessed and managed a handstand with Sky attached to his legs. Fred used his arms to jump and flung himself four metres into the air. He twisted in the air so he would land with Sky under his legs.

Fred watched Sky’s face go from surprised to a smirk and a wink. She was going to do something or even had hundreds of things thought up to try.

Sky saw the look of triumph on Fred’s face and was surprised. She thought Fred knew he was being toyed with after he refused to submit, she just thought of wearing him out. She found not wearing the suppression suits it was easier to move, and she didn’t get tired as quickly. As she fell to the mats, she came up with thousands of things to try. She used one he could not overcome, spinning him into unconsciousness. Sky smiled at that thought and saw Fred looking at her; she winked at him. Just as she was about to hit the ground, she landed on her hands easily supporting their combined weight. With her hands, she tried spinning them both. The problem was she was not big enough to keep them balanced, and Fred kept on trying to topple them over. She had to run around on her hands to keep him off balance.

Sky was thinking to herself, ‘I need to be bigger.’ It was like an itch in the back of her mind; she was bigger; she just had to release it. Sky knew then she was not human at all but something different. She felt like a supercoiled spring with a hair trigger. She had to end the match to ask her parents what she was, what they were.

Fred was surprised at what Sky was trying to do. She was going to spin him into unconsciousness if he didn’t do something. He tried to throw his weight from side to side, but Sky just kept pace. Whenever she could, she spun him around, and he was starting to get a little dizzy. Sky suddenly stopped, and a shiver came up through her body. Fred right then had a vision of Sky growing huge. Without warning Sky, slammed Fred into the mats breaking his neck, and released him. Fred’s felt super lite for a moment before everything when black.

Fred came to with Sky holding his head in her lap. “I’m sorry Sensei Fred Sir. The healing spell worked, but you still passed out. I guess it’s not as perfect as we hoped. So, we should try and not break anyone’s neck in the future. Did it hurt much”? Sky stroked the side of his head. “It sounded pretty bad, your neck went completely sideways and snap, it broke. Then puff your neck was fine and your body relaxed. You just passed out for two seconds or so, to me that’s a long time. Everyone was gathered around Fred and Sky. William and Rocssanna did not have the smile Joe did.

As Fred got up, Rocssanna took Sky’s hand and pulled her up to her feet. She was going to yell at her for breaking Fred’s neck. Sky had other things to say. “Mommy, daddy, I’m not just a really strong human, am I? It’s not some magic spell or incantation that makes me the way I am. It’s a magic spell or incantation that keeps me the way I am. What am I, what are we? If I hadn’t ended the match, soon I felt like I was going to explode into a giant. Even now I feel like I could suddenly get huge. Not quite as big as a Titan but halfway,” Sky didn’t finish what she was saying and fell limp on the floor.