Chapter 10: Love to Learn
Suhuy held Nathan as he thrashed awake. Nathan trembled violently as he coughed and shuddered, eyes wide and darting. Nathan tried to speak but no sounds would leave his lips. Holding both hands out in front of Nathan, Suhuy slowly got up from Nathan’s bed on shadow earth and eased up into a standing position.
“Boy your soul went wandering again. This time as you are no doubt very much aware it was dangerous. From what I can tell no actual harm befell you but you were in a shadow close to the Logrus. I’m assuming that since you’ve been coming to Chaos frequently it made it easier for your soul to go looking for the Logrus. It’s that need of yours to learn, it makes you reckless even on an instinctual level.” Suhuy puffed out his cheeks and wrinkled his face in what looked to be equal parts frustration and worry.
Nathan cleared his throat and whispered “I did magic Suhuy, like the real deal. I shape shifted into something like a bear. I was huge and I had these silver markings on my paws and neck. It was so surreal I could feel it all. The fight or flight instinct, the drawing of power from the Logrus. It hurt a lot to change that quickly, but I needed to be something that could stand up to that woman.”
Suhuy nodded along as Nathan spoke. “Yes I saw, I would have rathered that you shape-shifted for the first time in a more controlled settting but nonetheless well done.”  Suhuy paced for a moment in Nathan’s bedroom rubbing his chin he turned back to Nathan. “Before I forget a few points you need to remember that the shape shifting you did was you shifting into your chaosian form given to you by the Logrus, it is you wreathed in chaos.”
Nathan stood from his bed and stretched, “It feels like it’s going to be easier now. Shape-shifting, magic in general. The more I practice the less instinctual and more precise I’ll become, but Suhuy who was that woman? Why was she attacking me? How did she even know where to find me?”
Suhuy shrugged and together the two of them began to walk, one step they left Nathan’s bedroom. Two steps they were in the hallway of Nathan’s house. Three steps they were on a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Four steps they were on the steep incline of a snowy mountain pass. Five steps they were on cobblestone streets in the middle of the night. The sky a deep black dotted with starlight that burned bright in contrast to the enveloping darkness. Six steps and they were inside Suhuy’s laboratory in the Courts of Chaos. Â
Suhuy hung up his suit jacket and began to roll up his sleeves as he snapped a finger and all the lights in the laboratory exploded into life. “I want to find out for sure who it was who attacked you. From there we are going to have to take a more serious look at Court politics. It seems that staying on the fringe, out of the way isn’t enough for some beings…”
Nathan walked over to a large elaborately designed book. The cover was a deep red in color closely resembling the color of blood. Inscribed on the cover “The lineages of Nobility in the Courts of Chaos” as he opened the book and began to flip through the pages. A plethora of images of different crests, identifying aspects, and colors belonging to the high houses of Chaos were displayed before him. “I don’t think we’ll find anything Suhuy. In my shadow most people or organizations don’t wear any identifying marks or state who they are unless the assassination was successful and they want others to know and be afraid of them.” Turning from the book Nathan crossed his arms as he faced his teacher. “I survived and I fought the woman to a standstill. I know it, I know I was about to turn the tide against her. I had shifted to my chaosian form, I could feel the power of the logrus. It felt like I had infinite options-”
Suhuy clapped his hands together with such force that the sound yanked Nathan from his reverie of the fight. “You don’t know that, you’re getting drunk on your own power. Understand this, what you’re feeling Nathan is how you process battle. Unlike most you don’t get scared or the shakes, it seems you get megalomaniacal on your own efficacy. That woman was most likely a trained assassin, you have just started your own training and only know the beginning of combat magic. Which is why you shapeshifted instead of for example blasting her with a gout of fire.”
Nathan grimaced and nodded not trusting himself to begin speaking again. Afraid that he might babble he looked down and stuck his hands in his pockets.
Suhuy sighed and walked to a nearby table and sat, gesturing to Nathan for him to join him. “Listen Nathan you did do well. I am so glad you survived, I just wish that they wouldn’t pull you into that mire of Court politics. It isn’t necessary, but to them you would be an excellent weapon or bargaining chip. I’m going to have to expand your education into Court intrigue so you understand the political landscape of the Courts just for your own safety at this point. As well as tomorrow we are going to start combat spells. Violent magic, evocations will keep you alive just remember you’re much more than that and that violence is only one way to deal with a problem, there are always other ways.
