Ley lines 1/11

Jennifer Jane was feeling quite excited. She was attending her very first class about the theory of magic. So far she’d only learned the simpler spells, with the exception of one or two that Abigail had taught her, when she’d needed them to help solve special problems.

Even the witch children that were with her in the class were looking pleased. Older apprentices would often tease the younger ones with terrible tales about accidents that had happened when magic was misunderstood. Today they were all going to begin finding some of the answers themselves.

The chatter in the classroom died down, as the witch who was taking the class came into the room and banged on the desk for attention.

“First of all I want to find out how much theory you know. Can any one tell me where magic comes from?”

Well it seemed everyone knew the answer to that one! Most of the class put up their hands.

“Apprentice Bell, perhaps you would enlighten us all.”

“The magicians work out the fingering and the result, then we are taught the spells suitable for our grade.”

The witch smiled, “That’s the way in which we use magic, but it doesn’t tell me where the power comes from. Is there any one else who can answer.”

Jennifer Jane felt a bit embarrassed. She needn’t have worried though; apparently every one in the class had thought the same and no more hands were being held up. The teacher turned round and drew a circle on the blackboard.

“Any more ideas?” she asked. “Right then, let’s go ahead. Yes Miss Bell,” she added as Jennifer Jane held up her hand again.

“It’s using the power of the planet,” she answered. She’d just remembered an occasion when Abigail had remarked on the strength of a particular spell. ‘You won’t stop that, it’s got the power of the planet behind it,’ she’d said at the time

One or two of the class giggled quietly to themselves about the ‘human’s daft ideas’, but lost their smiles a moment later.

“That’s very good,” said the teacher, “but then you have had some rather unusual training haven’t you! Not quite all the answers to the question, but you’re on the right track. The power as you say does in fact come from the earth we stand on. Under the ground there are lines of magic force, which leak slowly into the air.”

The teacher went on to explain that using the methods devised by magicians, every witch could use the force to a greater or lesser degree. No one was quite sure what it was, but it was possible to find out where it was strongest.

“The lines of force can be traced by any person who is sensitive enough to feel their energy,” she continued, “rather like dowsing for water. The lines always run straight, sometimes for several miles. I suppose the best analogy is to describe them rather like a river that runs underground. We have no special name for them in this world, but in the alternate world they’re known as Ley lines.”

She turned as she spoke and drew several straight lines on the rough picture of the world she’d drawn on the blackboard, and then labelled them.

One of the apprentices at the back of the class put up her hand. “Please miss, do the lines ever cross each other?”

“Good point, it’s rather rare, in this world at least, but where they do cross, the force is multiplied several times. If you do ever find such a point, then extreme care must be taken if you’re going to use magic.”

She paused for a moment to think of an example. “For instance a spell to build a small hill, might well result in a mountain. Now for a practical test, we’ll all go outside and re-assemble just across the drawbridge.”