There's only so much wax on a candle.
WHO: Chao Lingshen, anyone
LOCATION: The Garden
WEEK: 56
TIME: Thursday
WHAT: Chao tries to assess her overall progress and isn't happy what she sees
RATING: PG just to be safe.
There was a reason why she choose fire. For every element that was out there, fire was the most destructive. Fire was power in its purest form, a purifying force that reduced everything it touched into nothing but ash. No other element could meet its potency and everything was simply fuel to make fire stronger.
Just as it was destructive, fire was also life in its purest form. Whether it was from the bright rays of the sun or the small kindling of a campfire, everything that lived in this world required the warmth. Its what kept the blood flowing throughout one's body and even from the ashes of destruction, new life would bloom.
It was an element of complete contrasts and inevitable similarities. Life and destruction, love and hatred, comfort and pain; All were powerful counterparts. To control such magic was to control power itself. It required discipline and patience to tame even the smallest of fires completely.
That's why Chao was sitting next to a candle.
It was a simple exercise. It was something every first year could do and eventually could be built to fifth year standards. The only components were needed was a simple candle. The fact that the Chinese girl was doing it in the garden was more for the peace and quiet than anything else. If what her gut was telling her was true, she was going to need it.
It had been a full five years since she applied to Hogwarts. It had been rough, more than rough even for Chao. She had to face her early phobias, deal with near endless amount of classmates teasing, harsh teachers and even fought up against a dragon. She faced all of that hardship with the belief that she would get stronger in the end.
She didn't.
If there was one thing her encounter with the boggarts showed her, it was how much she stayed the same. She was still the trembling seven year old stuck in abandoned house. He still had control over her. All of those hardships in school? They were luck and blind faith, neither of which could be trusted in the long run.
She needed power. Power was something you could always trust. Power is what moved the world and tamed it to its rightful place.
But how much power did she even have? This exercise would prove that.
She folded herself into a meditative stance, her eyes focused on the small flicker of candle light. All she had to do was ease herself into fire. The flicker grew larger, its flame growing thicker with every second until the short stub of a fire had turned into a long flag of fiery pride. It's size no bigger than hand.
Chao smiled and sigh. It was a good start, but any first year could do it. It was time to take it another step further. She stared at the flame harder, sliding more of her aura into the candle.
Slowly but surely, the fire lifted up from its wick, It's brightness never wavering though it lost its source. Already Chao could feel herself starting to struggle, the flow of her magic seeming to grow thick and sluggish as she required more from herself. She pushed harder.
The flame wavered, but soon with almost a blow in the wind, it snapped in half into two equal parts, both identical twins to the other. With another whisper, both flames snapped again until another set of clones were made.
That was second year. Any 12 year old could do this and should be able to do this. It was basic power requirement and evocation...and Chao was struggling. Her body was shivering under the weight and her breath growing shallow. This was a second year exercise and it was already draining her like some Magikarp. Chao wasn't going let this stop her. She was stronger than this.
Her magical flow felt thick and almost crawling now. was it even doing anything? Didn't matter, she threw everything she had in the next step. Chao closed her eyes, her thoughts forming the image of a sword, its crusader hilt and broad grip was perfect for any warrior to handle. The sword's long blade was sharp as it was simple, fully capable of slicing through anything the darkness had to offer. A sword was simple, easy to design and imagine. Like any normal student, the strong image should easily translate to the fire itself.
Chao opened her eyes and saw the small blooms of fire waver and shrink. It tried to expand and form as she requested, but the mere cross-like shape twisted and malformed, its supposed straight edges were twisted in almost like it were a fluid.
No. She scowled in silence. Her body already ached and exhaustion was settling in. Her vision started to spin, but she still had to try! She scraped at the bottom of the barrel. She had to draw anything she had left. She just needed to focus. Focus on what's going on in front of her. She can do it, she just-
That's what she felt her seal. It wasn't as painful as it was when unlocked, not even a simple itch. Instead, the seal felt more like an invisible wall. A thick membrane that made the scope of her power almost puddle amongst an ocean.
She watched in silent awe as the distorted sword seemed to blow away, flickering out just like most of her hope.
and then it was gone. Just like that.
A heavy silence filled her, churning about in the vast empty pit that her exhaustion brought. It felt ugly and terrible, like every fear and terrible thought now muddled inside her. She was bleeding out in the water, drawing every repressed emotion to be part of the larger melting pot. If it weren't for burning sensation on the back of her hand, she probably wouldn't even noticed that she backhanded the candle in anger, sending a shower of hot candle wax to sizzle in the grass.
Five years.
Five, bloodin' stinkin' years.
and she was still the same pathetic child.
She curled up into her lap, burning her head tightly in her own arms. For the first time in years she could feel the wetness around her eyes. She really hated crying. What good did crying do for someone who had a goal. had a goal. A good lot that would do any with her deficiency.
Chao knew the phantom she saw last weekend wasn't real. It may have felt real. It may have sounded real. It may even had acted real, but there was one thing it said that couldn't ring more true.
In the magical world, there were lions and there were lambs.
No matter how hard she could try, she was just one more lamb for the slaughter.
LOCATION: The Garden
WEEK: 56
TIME: Thursday
WHAT: Chao tries to assess her overall progress and isn't happy what she sees
RATING: PG just to be safe.
There was a reason why she choose fire. For every element that was out there, fire was the most destructive. Fire was power in its purest form, a purifying force that reduced everything it touched into nothing but ash. No other element could meet its potency and everything was simply fuel to make fire stronger.
Just as it was destructive, fire was also life in its purest form. Whether it was from the bright rays of the sun or the small kindling of a campfire, everything that lived in this world required the warmth. Its what kept the blood flowing throughout one's body and even from the ashes of destruction, new life would bloom.
It was an element of complete contrasts and inevitable similarities. Life and destruction, love and hatred, comfort and pain; All were powerful counterparts. To control such magic was to control power itself. It required discipline and patience to tame even the smallest of fires completely.
That's why Chao was sitting next to a candle.
It was a simple exercise. It was something every first year could do and eventually could be built to fifth year standards. The only components were needed was a simple candle. The fact that the Chinese girl was doing it in the garden was more for the peace and quiet than anything else. If what her gut was telling her was true, she was going to need it.
It had been a full five years since she applied to Hogwarts. It had been rough, more than rough even for Chao. She had to face her early phobias, deal with near endless amount of classmates teasing, harsh teachers and even fought up against a dragon. She faced all of that hardship with the belief that she would get stronger in the end.
She didn't.
If there was one thing her encounter with the boggarts showed her, it was how much she stayed the same. She was still the trembling seven year old stuck in abandoned house. He still had control over her. All of those hardships in school? They were luck and blind faith, neither of which could be trusted in the long run.
She needed power. Power was something you could always trust. Power is what moved the world and tamed it to its rightful place.
But how much power did she even have? This exercise would prove that.
She folded herself into a meditative stance, her eyes focused on the small flicker of candle light. All she had to do was ease herself into fire. The flicker grew larger, its flame growing thicker with every second until the short stub of a fire had turned into a long flag of fiery pride. It's size no bigger than hand.
Chao smiled and sigh. It was a good start, but any first year could do it. It was time to take it another step further. She stared at the flame harder, sliding more of her aura into the candle.
Slowly but surely, the fire lifted up from its wick, It's brightness never wavering though it lost its source. Already Chao could feel herself starting to struggle, the flow of her magic seeming to grow thick and sluggish as she required more from herself. She pushed harder.
The flame wavered, but soon with almost a blow in the wind, it snapped in half into two equal parts, both identical twins to the other. With another whisper, both flames snapped again until another set of clones were made.
That was second year. Any 12 year old could do this and should be able to do this. It was basic power requirement and evocation...and Chao was struggling. Her body was shivering under the weight and her breath growing shallow. This was a second year exercise and it was already draining her like some Magikarp. Chao wasn't going let this stop her. She was stronger than this.
Her magical flow felt thick and almost crawling now. was it even doing anything? Didn't matter, she threw everything she had in the next step. Chao closed her eyes, her thoughts forming the image of a sword, its crusader hilt and broad grip was perfect for any warrior to handle. The sword's long blade was sharp as it was simple, fully capable of slicing through anything the darkness had to offer. A sword was simple, easy to design and imagine. Like any normal student, the strong image should easily translate to the fire itself.
Chao opened her eyes and saw the small blooms of fire waver and shrink. It tried to expand and form as she requested, but the mere cross-like shape twisted and malformed, its supposed straight edges were twisted in almost like it were a fluid.
No. She scowled in silence. Her body already ached and exhaustion was settling in. Her vision started to spin, but she still had to try! She scraped at the bottom of the barrel. She had to draw anything she had left. She just needed to focus. Focus on what's going on in front of her. She can do it, she just-
That's what she felt her seal. It wasn't as painful as it was when unlocked, not even a simple itch. Instead, the seal felt more like an invisible wall. A thick membrane that made the scope of her power almost puddle amongst an ocean.
She watched in silent awe as the distorted sword seemed to blow away, flickering out just like most of her hope.
and then it was gone. Just like that.
A heavy silence filled her, churning about in the vast empty pit that her exhaustion brought. It felt ugly and terrible, like every fear and terrible thought now muddled inside her. She was bleeding out in the water, drawing every repressed emotion to be part of the larger melting pot. If it weren't for burning sensation on the back of her hand, she probably wouldn't even noticed that she backhanded the candle in anger, sending a shower of hot candle wax to sizzle in the grass.
Five years.
Five, bloodin' stinkin' years.
and she was still the same pathetic child.
She curled up into her lap, burning her head tightly in her own arms. For the first time in years she could feel the wetness around her eyes. She really hated crying. What good did crying do for someone who had a goal. had a goal. A good lot that would do any with her deficiency.
Chao knew the phantom she saw last weekend wasn't real. It may have felt real. It may have sounded real. It may even had acted real, but there was one thing it said that couldn't ring more true.
In the magical world, there were lions and there were lambs.
No matter how hard she could try, she was just one more lamb for the slaughter.