Testing Things

Alistair held out his palm and gave a casual flick of his wrist. Out of nowhere, a crisp red apple materialized above his hand before dropping neatly into his grip.

He smiled at my surprised expression. "A handy spatial storage trick. Nothing grand."

Alistair tossed the red apple toward me. I reached out and caught it, feeling the smooth, cool skin in my palm.

"Your first task is simple, Seth," Grandfather instructed, stepping back a few paces. "Change its color."

I blinked, looking from the bright red fruit back to him. "How the hell am I supposed to do that? Is there some kind of chant or gesture? Shakala boom boom? Abracadabra?"

"Every Awakened channels their Astral Soul differently," Alistair explained patiently. "There are no rigid incantations for a conceptual soul like yours. In the end, it comes down to focus, concentration, and absolute intent. Will the reality you desire into existence."