StV: Metamorposes and Magic, part three

"All right," said Sophia, sitting down across from Abby on the floor of one of the training rooms/raquetball courts beneath the gym. "Let's start with some theory. There are three primary ways to approach sorcery, and all of them have their risks."

Abby nodded, her entire attention focused on Sophia. 

"The First Power is to draw on your own energies. For small things, this is the safest approach: all the energy comes from you, so the only consequences are personal. It's more dangerous if you try to approach more powerful effects this way: you can exhaust yourself, age yourself, maybe even kill yourself, if you put too much energy into a spell. This is generally considered the fundamental magic, though, because mastering this ability allows you to access the other approaches. And with time and practice, you'll find your personal energies increasing. Some sorcerers never move beyond this."

She paused, and Abby nodded again. "Magic drawn from your own energies."

Sophia smiled. "The Second Power is to draw on the ambient energies in the world around you. All magic comes back to this, and this is what you're so sensitive to: regardless of how we power them, the effects we create affect the ambient magic in the world around us. That's why you could sense my conjured flame, even though it was a minor effect that I created with the First Power. The Second Power allows you draw from a larger pool of energy while using only enough of your own to tap into it and shape it. It varies in strength depending on your location -- it will be stronger near a ley line, and much stronger at a nexus. Fortunately, this school isn't anywhere near any of those."

Abby frowned. "Fortunately?"

Sophia nodded. "It's best to learn where magic is scarce," she said. "If you only know how to tap into it when it's plentiful, you'll be all but powerless in a place like this. But if you learn here..."

"Ah," said Abby. "Okay, that makes sense. Learn it the hard way, and excel in easier climes." 

Sophia offered an approving smile. "Exactly. The Third Power..." She scowled. "The Third Power has you draw energy -- and maybe even new abilities -- from beings beyond this world. For some sorcerers, it's a supplement to the First and Second; for others, it's their entire path. I avoid it, and I'd advise you to do the same; it requires petitioning or bargaining with things vastly more powerful than we are, which have their own agendas, and may not be entirely trustworthy, and may demand that you pledge complete loyalty to them. I'm not saying it can't be done, but as far as I'm concerned... well, for people as sensitive as us, it isn't worth the risk."

Abby nodded sharply. "Yeah, a big nope-out to that."

"Good," said Sophia. "Enough theory. Let's see what you can do with the First Power."