Humans Don't Make Good Familiars Book 2- Part 19

Jake’s POV

“Wait, I may be confused. You were punished for… what exactly?” Suma asked. It was morning now, and I had gone back to Atmosia pretty early in the morning to talk with Suma about what happened. I was sitting on a vine chair in our squad’s room, and she was perched on a metal bar nearby.

“I wasn’t punished, I was just questioned, but if they can prove I did something, which I didn’t, then I will be arrested. They think I was money laundering, or hiding taxes maybe; really, I was a bit lost during the whole thing.” I explained.

“Why do they not simply… oh, right. For a moment, I forgot your people cannot do magic.” Suma shook her head and ruffled her feathers like she was chastising herself for forgetting. “Jake, how do people in your world investigate crimes without Memory Magic? Do people often get punished for crimes they did not commit?”

“Sometimes, but it isn’t all that common where I live. On my world, we have people who trained for years before they are allowed to become detectives. They learn how to tell when people are lying, how to find people who are trying not to be found, and how to interpret evidence they find at crime scenes.”

“I suppose this bears consideration, but what do we do if you are arrested by your people?” She asked.

“I doubt that will happen. I didn’t actually commit any crimes, at least, none that I not of. Hopefully this will blow over in a few days.” I shrugged.

“Are you not worried?” Suma tilted her head.

“I’m terrified. I’ve never had something like this happen to me before. Well, except for the noble thing last year, but nothing like this has happened to me on my world anyway.”

“But should we not have a plan, even if only as a precaution?”

“Look, I really…. I just don’t wanna think about it okay. If something does happen, you can just summon me and that will be that.” I sighed, feeling that churning in my stomach return.

“I know that you do not, but we need to nonetheless.” Suma pressed the issue, ignoring my discomfort.

“My lawyer says he can handle it, and that I should try to go about everything like normal for now.”

“Perhaps if we summoned one of the investigators you mentioned to Atmosia, they would understand?” Suma suggested.

“I don’t know, maybe. I did think about that, but I’m worried about the larger repercussions.”

“Meaning?”

“I may have mentioned this before, but my country has a habit of… well, let’s just say it’s probably better if the governments of the world don’t learn of Atmosia.” I said.

“Yes, I think you said something like that before. Anyway, if we cannot summon someone here, I suppose that means we have no choice but to leave it to your layer.”

“Lawyer.”

“Yes, that.”

“Does Atmosia not have people who memorize the law and represent others in court?” I asked.

“It may, but Ambos does not. If someone goes before a judge or council, they have already undergone several Memory Delves and interrogations. There is no way an innocent Neame would still be under investigations after all of that.”

After our talk ended, Suma sent me back home so I could rest. I didn’t sleep last night and was exhausted. I fell face down on my bed with a thump and was out in just a few minutes. I didn’t dream; instead, it was just like closing my eyes and opening them again, but a lot of time passed between it. I guess I was too stressed to dream. I woke up just in time to grab a snack before Suma summoned me for daily training. Now that I was able to participate, I was getting a lot of good experience. After that was my magic classes. I had been practicing my activation speed. I was standing in a room on base, it was mostly made of gray stone, and the instructor who had been teaching me was perched on some vines about two meters away to my right. He was guiding me through a magic activation exercise.

“You are doing much better now, Jake.” He said. “I would say your activation speed in on the level of… a standard Neame child.” In truth, my spell activation speed is a lot faster, but I was learning a technique that merged my original style with what I learned at bootcamp. It was supposed to help me maintain power while still being able to activate spells quickly. That’s why I was so slow.

“I almost can’t believe children can do it. It’s taken me weeks just to get this far.”

“It comes more natural for Neame, I suppose. While not every child will grow up to use magic regularly, we are all taught at least some.” He raised his wings and cast a spell that formed a few targets from some of the vines scattered around the ground. “Try using what you’ve learned and cast a nature spell.” I nodded my head and started.

“Vines.” I said and the vines rose from the ground. I was imagining moving the cellular structure at first, but realized I was over thinking it and settled for just picturing them moving.

“Great, now use them to attack the targets.” He said. I imagined them moving like bullwhips and one by one they cracked and popped, leaving huge gashes on them, and the targets alike.

“How was that?” I asked.

“It was great. You even used a lashing technique. Have you seen it done somewhere before?”

“Yeah, kinda.”

“Well, that is good. I was worried it would take a while to teach you that.” He flew up and landed beside the now ripped targets to examine them. “You have improved quite a bit since you first started, in the basics at least.”

“I always heard that the basics were the most important part.”

“Indeed. Especially where magic is concerned.” I stopped looking at the vines and turned to me. “All in all, I would say you are about three times as fast at activation as you used to be.”

“So I’ve gotten stronger?”

“No, just faster. I might get scared if you got any stronger.” He chuckled for a second. “A spell’s strength can come from improving the basics, but the amount of mana one possesses and uses has more to do with it. If you have gotten stronger over the last few weeks, it would not be by much.”

“Oh.” I said, nodding.

“But your magic control is far above what it was when we first met, so you should be proud of that.” I’ll admit, that made me smile a little. “Now, let’s shift your training. You need to learn how to manipulate your mana with more precision.”

“Is that different from my normal magic control training?” I asked.

“Imagine it more like the next flutter in your flight. It is simply a higher level of what you have learned so far. Practicing it will give you greater control over your spells effects, as well as make you less likely to break runes or magic channels.”

“Alright, what do I need to do?”

“We will start with mana molding, similar to the exercises you have been doing so far, but this time I want you to do them on a smaller scale.” He fluttered down onto the ground beside me. “I will demonstrate.” An aura of light green magic surrounded him, then slowly moved down to the tips of his feathers. After all of it was gathered, the magic started to sloth off his wingtips like water floating around aimlessly in a spaceship. It bubbled up and twisted on itself like a snake until it finally calmed down into a ball, then it began to shrink until it was no larger than a marble.

“Cool.” I said, impressed. It was super neat to watch. “I think I’ve done something like that before, but it didn’t look nearly that intricate.”

“That is not surprising, this training method was originally developed by children.”

“Really?”

“Well, that is one rumor I have heard anyway. Apparently, a few gifted children created the technique to help them with their magic classes many years ago, and some of the adults started doing it after the children improved a remarkable about quite quickly.”

“By kids, for kids, huh? Good for them.”

“Indeed. Anyway, it is your turn.” My instructor said and returned to his perch, letting the magical marble dissipate. The first part was pretty straightforward, and was similar to the body enhancement spell I learned during boot camp from Suma. Manipulating the magic afterwards, was a bit harder. I managed to do it, but it took me way longer than my instructor.

“How was that?” I asked, still concentrating on keeping the little marble still and between my hands.

“Very good, now just one hundred more times.”

“Can I ask you something?” He nodded his head. “I know you said that this could be useful for my runes and improving my control, but I feel like I have pretty good control of my spells already. Is there anything else it can do?”

“Ah, so you feel like this practice technique may not be worth your time then?” He asked, sound rather smug, like he knew something I didn’t.

“Uhm… I don’t know. Maybe?” I said, unsure.

“From what I heard of your bout with your lieutenant, you nearly killed her several times because you lacked the necessary control.” He said.

“Uhm…”

“One hundred more times.”

“…Yes sir.”

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Suma’s POV

“I see, so Sentinel is under investigation… this is inconvenient.” Lieutenant Datahu said.

“Yes ma’am. I was wondering, would it be possible to secure the room on base Jake was originally offered?” I asked.

“So he wants to start living here then? I have no issues with getting him his own room. He is rather large after all. When did he come to this decision?” She asked.

Actually ma’am, he does not know I am asking about this. I was simply wondering if it was possible. I plan to bring it up with him later, if you would be willing to accept.” I explained. She stayed quiet for a moment, seemingly in thought.

“Suma, I know your relationship with your familiar is a… strange one, compared to most, so I feel as though you should get his consent first. I certainly would not one of my friends making major decisions for my life without my consultation.” She pointed out.

“I know, and I will. I just wanted to know whether or not asking for it would be pointless. I feel fairly confident that I could convince him to live here full time. In fact, until we joined the army, he spent most of his time on Atmosia anyway.”

“I see. Well, if he accepts, I will make sure the room is secure, but only if he accepts. He may be a familiar, but it is clear he is no mindless servant or simple beast.” She looked at me seriously for a moment, as if she had a question. “Private Suma, Jake is quite powerful.”

“Yes ma’am.” I acknowledged.

“Far more so that you, correct?”

“Without a doubt.” I nodded my head. Admittedly, it bothered me that Jake was so much stronger than I was, but I realized that my jealousness and envy was not due to his strength, but my annoyance with myself. I needed to get stronger, not to be better than Jake, but to be worthy of flying beside him.

“How were you able to… no, actually, I do not want to know. If I do not know, then I can deny it.” With that, Lieutenant Datahu assured me once again that so long as Jake agreed, then he would have a place to live on base. I left, and contacted Jake after his training classes. I summoned him to my room, and decided to have the conversation with him, then and there.