Hey, guys! Thank you to those of you who have read and reviewed my story! It means so much to me that people like what I write, you have no idea. Just so you know, I have a full plan for the story with a few holes I need to plug, but the basic structure is all worked out. I just need to translate that to paper. Also, I am student teaching starting next week, so I will try my best to write as much of the story as I can before then and during breaks and whatnot, but if I don't post for a while just bear with me. Thanks!
Disclaimer: I only own the original characters, the rest belongs to Marvel.
Chapter 5 – Magic Lessons
"I'm so sorry!" Kiera cried as Jadef and Loki rushed to douse the flames that had just engulfed yet another shrubbery.
Kiera's lessons in magic were not going very well. The courtyard looked like that of a kingdom that had fallen into ruin. Scorch marks smeared the walls, and the last of the beautiful shrubberies stood burning to the ground.
Thor rushed over from the other end of the courtyard. "May I be of some assistance, Young Midgardian?"
Kiera flushed with embarrassment. It was bad enough having destroyed the palace courtyard in just a few weeks, but even worse having her peers witness the devastation. "It's almost out, but thanks, Thor," she muttered. He meant well, but Kiera couldn't hide her mortification.
"You'd best learn to be more careful," Thor bellowed before marching back to join the warriors in training.
"I'm trying! I'm really…oh, what's the use. I'm hopeless at this." Kiera slumped onto the ground, burying her head in her hands.
"You know, I never liked those shrubberies anyway," Jadef said, dousing the last of the flames with water that seemed to flow from midair.
Kiera liked Jadef. He was kind and very patient. The first day of training had been rough from the start. Kiera did not know how to summon fire on command and spent most of the first day staring straight ahead, her vision going fuzzy as she willed something – anything - to burst into flames. Of course, the first time she did not try was the first time something actually caught fire – and it happened to be Jadef's cloak.
Jadef had studied sorcery under another famous Asgardian sorcerer before becoming one himself. He looked very young, though from the stories she had heard about him he must have been much older, centuries old even. Kiera did not understand how that was possible, but she had learned by now that things in Asgard were much different than where she had come from. Jadef had kind brown eyes, brown windswept hair, and a pointed goatee. He had the air of an excited child who could not get enough of learning and could not wait to share his knowledge with his students.
However terrible as she was at magic, during each lesson Jadef constantly reassured and patiently coached her. He gave her books in her own language to read in the afternoons and in the morning training sessions when he sensed she had had enough of trying to set things ablaze. The first book Kiera read was so interesting that she stayed up late to finish it before the next morning's lessons. It did not have much to do with her own lessons, but it described a very basic history of magic and its uses throughout history in the nine realms. Other history books were more for her own personal benefit, and she was learning much about different races, realms, and peoples.
Kiera sensed someone beside her and opened her eyes. Loki had sat down on the ground next to her and was staring at her.
"What?"
"Why do you give up so easily?"
Kiera sighed. "Sorry, I guess it's just a lot harder than I expected."
"You cannot expect to become a sorceress in a mere fortnight. It takes years of training and discipline."
"Loki is correct. It took many decades of training for me to achieve sorcerer status. But perhaps we need to try a new method. I will see what books I have on conjuring fire. The main focus of these past weeks was to do some simple exploration of your gift, but now that we have determined that this method is not working out we shall try something else. Perhaps the answers lie in studying at this moment in time rather than in practical magic."
"Okay," Kiera agreed. At least she would not have to embarrass herself in front of everyone anymore. "Will I still come to lessons?"
"Of course," Jadef replied. "I will personally oversee your studies as usual, though in a different format."
A loud crash made Kiera jump. She looked across the courtyard just in time to see Thor become engulfed in a cloud of dust.
Jadef laughed. "Hildorr has just begun teaching Thor how to use Mjolnir. See, Kiera, you are not the only one causing mass destruction to the palace."
The dust cleared, revealing a stunned-looking Thor covered in a layer of white dust. He was holding a giant hammer in his hand and staring at the wall in front of him which had been reduced to rubble.
Loki laughed. "Do you need a hand, Thor?" he called across the courtyard.
"Oh, you may laugh now," Thor shouted back, brushing the dust from his tunic, "but when I destroy Jotunheim single-handedly with Mjolnir you shall eat your words, brother."
Loki shook his head. "Arrogant pain in the - "
A look from Jadef stopped Loki from finishing that sentence but did not wipe the smirk off his face.
"Sorry, this is going to sound way stupid, but does the hammer thing Thor is holding actually have a name?"
"Mjolnir, yes," Jadef replied.
"Mole-neer?"
"Mjol-nir."
"Why would anyone name a hammer?"
"It is the same reason a person would name any type of weaponry. In Midgardian folklore there is the tale of King Arthur and Excalibur. Tell me, was it strange for Arthur to name his prized sword?"
"Well, no, I guess not. I've just never seen a hammer used as a weapon before. Unless you count reality TV."
"Reality what?"
"Never mind."
Jadef gave her a confused look. "Well, Kiera, it seems you are finished until the afternoon. By that time I will have books for you to read. Hopefully with a little studying we can pinpoint how best to proceed with your training."
"I look forward to it, sir."
"You are dismissed then."
Kiera had well over an hour until lunch and no task to perform in the palace, so she decided to take a stroll and further explore Asgard. She had been here only a couple of weeks and had seen several markets and residential areas surrounding the palace, but everything she saw just made her want to see more. It was so beautiful and still she could hardly believe that this was her new life.
She wandered through the palace for a while before deciding what to do. She would go visit Heimdall. He, after all, was the one responsible for introducing her to life in Asgard, which was already infinitely better than anything she had back on Earth. He had answered her cry for help and rescued her from the burning barn. It only made sense to go thank him, even though he creeped her out slightly.
It was a long walk across the bridge to where Heimdall was. When she reached the other side he was standing in exactly the same place in exactly the same position as when Kiera had last seen him on her first day in Asgard. His back was to her and he was gazing out into nothingness. Did this man ever sleep? Eat? Anything other than stare off into the abyss? Part of her did not want to know the answer. It was all just too strange.
"Kiera, it is nice to see you again."
Kiera jumped about a foot into the air, completely startled by Heimdall's booming voice. "How did you know I was here?"
"I can see everything, remember?" He turned to face her, looking just as impressive as the first time she had seen him. "What can I do for you?"
"I guess I just wanted to thank you for, um, bringing me here." Now that she was here speaking to Heimdall, Kiera felt very stupid and did not know what to say.
"You were the one who asked for help."
"I know, but you could have left me there. Plenty of people ask for help every day. So why don't they all end up here?"
"We had been watching you for many years, ever since I caught wind of your power. I discussed the possibility of bringing you here with the Allfather. It took some discussion, but I am not the only one responsible for your coming to reside in Asgard. When I saw you in your…predicament, I made the executive decision that it was time to fetch you from Midgard.
"Midgard is not known for its acceptance of magical beings such as yourself. You caused horrible destruction, but you were innocent, never operating out of hatred. The possession of magical abilities has turned many individuals to use it for harm, but not you. You only needed to refine it. Those who possess magic are welcome here."
"But I don't understand. You know all the terrible things I've done. How do you know that I didn't do them because I wanted to? You can't possibly know that for sure."
"It is true that I cannot see what is in a person's heart. But you, Kiera, are very different from others like yourself. They wield power over others with their gifts, but you could not control what you did. If you could, I think your life would have been very different."
Kiera could not tell if this was a compliment or not. This was one of the strangest conversations she had ever had. "Hiemdall, do you know where my magic came from? I mean, my parents died when I was two, but as far as I know they weren't magical or anything."
"It does not matter where your gift comes from, but how you choose to use it."
Kiera was exasperated. "But couldn't I figure out how to use my gift better if I knew where it came from?"
"All you need know is how to control your power and use it for good. You will see."
She got the feeling that Heimdall knew a lot more than he was letting on, but did not feel comfortable pressing him for more information. "Well, thanks again."
Heimdall turned back toward the chasm in front of him. Kiera thought about what it would be like to be able to see everything. Walking back toward the palace, she wondered what had possessed her to visit Heimdall. He was so cryptic and mysterious. But he had saved her, and she would just have to remember that. Maybe someday he would tell her in plain words what made her so worth saving.
Kiera ate lunch with the other servants and headed to the study to meet Jadef for academic lessons. No matter how many times she visited the study she was always impressed with the sheer volume of books. The study was more like a library, filled with ancient volumes and scrolls of information about everything in the nine realms. Kiera enjoyed perusing the stacks of books looking for the few written in her language, or even simply paging through volumes to look at the hand-drawn pictures on the ancient parchment.
When Kiera opened the study door, she saw Jadef fluttering around the room, grabbing book after book and tossing each on a wooden table. There seemed to be at least four dozen books piled in the middle. "Oh, Kiera," sighed Jadef, "we have our work cut out for us."
"I can see that," she replied, staring at the overwhelming mountain of information before her.
Excited, Kiera picked up the closest book. It was written in a language she did not understand. She set it down and picked up another. Quickly perusing the volumes stacked on the table, her heart sank.
"Uh, Jadef, I can't read, like, any of these books."
Jadef peeked his head from behind a bookshelf. "None of them?"
"I'm pretty sure."
Jadef bit his lip, thinking. "I apologize. I have never instructed a Midgardian before. I will keep looking." He disappeared behind another bookshelf.
"I could assist you," Loki's disembodied voice startled her. Kiera walked around to the other side of the mountain of books and saw him sitting in a chair in a corner of the study, reading.
"Loki, you have your own lessons," came Jadef's voice from behind the bookshelf.
"I am more than capable of keeping up with my lessons while helping Kiera with hers. If it is alright with Kiera, of course." Loki looked over at Kiera, waiting for her answer.
"I mean, I'm going to need all the help I can get. Are you sure it's okay?"
"I do not mind in the slightest."
Jadef emerged from behind the bookshelf, hands full of books, looking back and forth between Kiera and Loki for a moment. He raised an eyebrow. Finally, he said, "As long as you do not forget your own work, you may assist Kiera with her studies. But only if you keep up with your lessons." He cast a meaningful glance at Loki before disappearing once again behind the bookshelf.
Kiera picked up a random book off the table. The cover depicted a frightening-looking creature that seemed to have set itself on fire. "What is this?"
"It is a Fire Demon of Muspelheim," Loki said, crossing the room to stand beside her.
"Are all creatures outside of Asgard and Midgard this terrifying?"
Loki raised an eyebrow. "Not all of them."
"My apologies once again," said Jadef, placing another tall stack of books on the table. "I am simply pulling every book related to conjuring fire I can find."
Kiera and Loki sifted through the books as Jadef kept piling more on the table. Loki studied each one carefully, flipping through the pages briefly before placing them in a reject pile. Kiera felt like she was not being of much help, but tried her best to search through the books for something worthwhile.
"Finally," Jadef said, placing one final book on top of the large stack in triumph. "I have been looking for this book since you began training. It discusses the very basic methods for conjuring magic, and I think you will find it most useful. It is written in an ancient Asgardian language, so I am afraid you will not be able to read it on your own."
Loki walked over to the table and picked up the book, turning it over in his hands. "Would it be strange for me to read this to you?"
"Honestly, I don't remember the last time someone read a book to me. It could be fun. Why not?"
"While you read then," said Jadef, "I will look through this heap of books and narrow it down to anything that could help further your magical development." He set to work, and Kiera and Loki found a little nook in the study in which to read.
Loki hesitated. "This is quite odd, reading aloud to a person my own age."
"I can't imagine you reading out loud to anybody."
"Well, Thor never liked reading, so when we were young boys, Mother sometimes had me read him bedtime stories. You must never tell him I told you that, or he will have my head."
Kiera laughed. "Scout's honor." Loki gaped at her. "It means I'll never tell."
He smirked. "Good."
"What kinds of stories do princes of Asgard read?"
"We had our favorite tales," Loki said nostalgically, his eyes seeming to look past the study. "Thor's favorite was a book of epic poems depicting heroes of ages past. The best one was 'The Bilgesnipe's Revenge.' " He looked up. "Trust me, it sounds a lot better in the ancient tongue."
Kiera chuckled, wondering when she'd ever figure out what exactly a Bilgesnipe was.
Then Loki flipped the book open to the first page and read:
There are two primary methods used to conjure magic. The first exercises one's mental facilities to create magic at will. Using this method, a person need only concentrate on the type of magic they wish to conjure and will it into existence. The second method involves translating one's emotions into magical properties. This type of magic is much more complex, as it requires a person to focus on certain emotions in order to generate magic. For example, some individuals are only able to access their magic when they feel angry or afraid.
"We may be on to something, Kiera," said Jadef, causing both Kiera and Loki to jump in surprise. "I suspect that your gift requires an emotional connection rather than a cognitive one. That would surely help us. Keep reading, Loki, and see what else I have missed. Sometimes I think I am growing too old for this job."
"Never, Jadef! You are as spry as ever!" Loki called back. Jadef laughed.
Loki continued to read, though most of the information following the first chapter was not what they needed. Loki flipped through the book, pausing at intervals to read a small passage before shaking his head and continuing to page through. Finally, he stopped and began reading out loud once more:
The ability to conjure fire is a very complex and advanced type of magic. Fire conjuring employs an emotional method of accessing magic. Fire is a very aggressive magic so most individuals who possess fire conjuring abilities rely on feelings of intense anger or hatred in order to invoke it. Controlling this type of magic is very difficult due to the unpredictability of both a type magic controlled by emotion and the properties of fire itself.
"And that is what we have been doing wrong," Jadef called from the main part of the study. "I should have seen it all along. You are driven by emotion, Kiera, not by your mind. We have been focusing on the wrong type of magic." Jadef appeared in view, carrying a considerably smaller stack of books than the one on the table. "I have narrowed our reading material, Kiera, thanks to this new information. We shall proceed with these books and under the assumption that you will be able to control your fire conjuring abilities with the correct emotional attachment. However, it is getting late, and I believe you still have chores to do."
Kiera looked out the window to see that the sky had grown dark. "Oh no! Niva's probably wondering where I am! Thank you so much for your help, Jadef. And Loki, uh, thanks for reading to me. I'll see you tomorrow."
Just before she turned to go, she locked eyes with Loki. At that exact moment, she felt a twinge in her stomach that was similar to the sudden drop of a fast-moving elevator.
I must just be hungry, Kiera thought, dismissing another, forbidden thought nagging at her. She turned to go and closed the door behind her, ignoring the image of Loki's green eyes that was still lingering in her mind.
2013 EDIT: I rather like this chapter. And I love Jadef a lot. He's probably my favorite character in this story. I just really like him.