Oh he could enact a trance just fine, even get to deep memories and thoughts from long ago. The problem was that he couldn't get to what he wanted, infantile memories. The memories he had lost when he was a baby. That was what he wanted. But, if he started to get close, his eyes would start bleeding. He knew now to stop the attempts. He had experienced Sweet Whispers the first time, and he was surprised to learn something about himself. He did not enjoy all of his new experiences. It had never happened before, that complete and all-encompassing fear. He didn't sleep for two days.
Of course, despite the price he had paid, he still needed to remember his past. Another person might let negative experiences stand in the way of progress, but not Alric. Hence his attempts after his sleepless nights. However, no matter how hard he tried, he came up with the same results. As much as he hated to say it, his hypnotism abilities were not up to par.
It was simple enough to fix, he supposed. He just needed to practice. Djed was like a muscle. It was pragmatic. It wouldn't lend you power unless you proved you would be using it. Again, though, there was a problem. He could no longer progress using Self-Hypnosis. He'd have to find someone to help him.
This was much harder than it sounded. He was not exactly the most popular of people in Alvadas. It wasn't that people were mean or stuck up, although their were those like that, no, they were just... annoyed with him. Alric had a bad habit of arguing politics, religion, and the definition of insanity, all at the same time. Alric knew of it now, he hadn't always. In fact he had remained ignorant to his general dislike until his Father confronted him about it. He had asked Alric on behalf of quite a large group.
Alric jumped to his feet. Of course! His Father would help him out! Alric nearly fell over in his mad dash to the door. He locked up his own small house quickly and scuttled behind it. He ignored the flowers begging him to rid them of weeds, and jogged to the Wilmot Manor's main house. He lived in the guest house of the Wilmot Manor, he had ever since he was 16. His Father, however, continued to live in the main house. It was a good thing they lived on the same plot of land, or else Alric would might never get to see his Father. Alvadas kept the two buildings close, but only because it was really only one place. Alric was grateful regardless.
Alric jogged up the short flight of steps to his Father's house. He knocked in a fury, impatient to begin. After a few minutes, Alric decided to enter. The house was eerily silent, and a small coating of dust lined the floor. That was very unusual for Alvin, Alric's father. He was usually a very clean person. As Alric wandered about the house he noticed the same small coating of dust everywhere. He began to grow nervous. As he entered the kitchen, he came across a small piece of parchment. Hoping it would explain the strange silence and coat of dust, he plucked it from the table and began to read.
Dear Alric, I've gone away for a while on a business opportunity. I apologize for not telling you in person, but I needed to leave immediately. Do pray for me won't you? This is the first time I've ever left Alvadas, and I feel a certain dread about me. However, if this opportunity succeeds, the Wilmot family will finally be wealthy again. I can only hope that I prove able to withstand the wilderness. I've heard awfully nasty things about it. But don't worry too much, I've hired a few guards and am traveling with quite a large group. Still though, my dread just won't leave. So I ask that sometime after you get this letter, to go to the Temple and offer a prayer for me. I'd feel much safer with Ionu on my side.
Love, Alvin Sylvester Wilmot
Alric took the note and put it into his pocket. He was only slightly upset that his Father had left without telling him. But what could he do? If he had to leave immediately, then it was only expected that he'd have no time to say goodbye. Still, Alric was a little frustrated that he needed to find his way to Ionu's temple. That could take all day if Alvadas found it funny, and it likely would. Alric decided it would be best to delay the trip. He would do it tomorrow. Today would continue as planned, he would advance his hypnotism.
But how? Without his Father, he had no one to practice on.
Suddenly, Alric heard a small scratching noise coming from under the table. With his curiosity peeked, Alric took a peek under the table. It was a rat, gnawing on the end of the tables leg. At once, Alric had an idea. Why use people, when he could use rats? He smiled broadly, this was going to be fun!
Alric sent a suggestion the rat's way.
I should go get more rats to help me chew
Suddenly, the rat stopped chewing and ran across the floor and disappeared under a cabinet. After a few minutes, the rat returned, with 10 rats following behind him. While some might have panicked, Alric just giggled. He had never Hypnotised an animal before. It seemed that because they were instinctual beings that they were much easier to control than a thinking being. However, he wasn't stupid, and knew that he best bring his new volunteers under control before they caused any damage to his Father's home.
He sent a feeling throughout the group. Paralyzing Fear
The feeling only lasted a brief moment, but it made Alric proud. He may only be hypnotizing rats, but he had just hypnotized an entire crowd! He gave a brief prayer to Ionu who continued to open his eyes to the possibilities of hypnotism. The group halted at the sudden fear, but quickly began to break up into smaller little troops and attempt to scatter.
Alric did not want them to get loose, and quickly sent a flash into the small minds, showing the rats as a group. Right after he sent another feeling of pleasure. It didn't work at first, but Alric kept at it, and he was able to get the rats back in the kitchen and back in one group.
Alric decided to try some group hypnotism, he sent a thought into their mind, of the ten rats put into a triangle. He then, immediately after, gave them all a brief emotion of pleasure. Initially, the rats just squeaked, and didn't move from their positions. Alric could only give flashes at the moment. So it was difficult to get them to associate pleasure with the shape. However, after the fifth flash they finally got it and they re-organized themselves into a triangle. Alric clapped softly, celebrating his success, but trying to keep from frightening the rats. He was fairly certain that this was the way to progress. His brow was already slick with sweat with the exertion of keeping the rats under his influence.
He continued the process, goading them into different shapes, and occasionally getting one to move a spoon or bowl from one end of the room to the other. He spent well over three hours practicing with the rats. But as the sun set, Alric grew worried. He needed to get rid of the rats soon. He was tired, and it was getting very difficult to keep the rats contained. They kept needing more and more flashes of feelings to get a response. They seemed to be getting used to Alric's influence. Alric felt that it would be irresponsible to just send them out to the city again.
But where would he put them?
As Alric pondered this question, a lone rat broke from the rest and scurried toward the dining room. Alric caught sight of him and sent him a suggestion to be still. The rat went still, but Alric had failed to continue giving messages to the other rats. Soon, another rat scurried off somewhere, and then another, and another. Alric was just a moment too late, and the filthy things set out into the house.
Alric started to panic as he sent out wave after wave of Hypnotic suggestions, feelings, and flashes to herd the rats back into a cohesive whole. They proved stubborn, though, and Alric was left to follow after small groups, building them up slowly. He found that rewarding them wasn't working any more. So he decided to try something new.
As he came into his Father's bedroom with a small pack of 5 rats at his side, he saw rats covering the bed and chewing a small chair. He sent a feeling of sadness through-out the rats, followed by a flash of him, and a feeling of happiness. It seemed to have caused the desired response as they all followed after him and out of the room.
Inspired by his success, Alric continued the method through the house and successfully gathered all of the pesky rodents. Alric was even more tired than before, and he still needed to figure out how to deal with the rats. However, he was struck once again with his success, and decided it might work even if the image in question wasn't actually real. He sent the rats a pulse of sadness, followed by an image of open water, and finally a pulse of happiness.
Alric knew that this would never work on a thinking being. The feelings were too short lived, not intense enough, and rather vague. However, for non-thinking beings, whose feelings are always vague and short, this method was perfect. Still, he would be in trouble if he needed to deal with creatures with a higher intelligence. They weren't quite thinking yet, but they were close. As Alric mused to himself, the rats scurried out of the house, intent on finding open water.
Alric opened the door for the scurrying rats and saw them scurry across the lawn and past the guest house in which he dwelt. He stood there until the last rat disappeared from the Wilmot Manor. Alric shuffled out of the main house, exhausted. He yawned and stole a glance toward the sky. The moon was out, smiling at him. He smiled back, glad the moon was happy. The stars shone in a soft light, letting him see his way without straining his eyes.
Alric enjoyed the night. It was calm, soft, and slow. The day always seemed rushed for some reason. He honestly didn't know what its hurry was. He knew there were gods of the night and day, but he couldn't help but feel distant from them. Ionu was always playing with him, showing him new things and places and guiding his strolls. Today, he was fairly sure Ionu had just shown him, on a very basic level, how to control a large crowd. It may only be rats right now, but who knew what the future held? Still, he was glad for the night too. Whoever ruled it, they did a good job.
He slipped into his house, and into his bed. He didn't even bother to undress, much too tired from the days events. He sent a prayer of thanks to Ionu, and slipped into sweet blissful sleep.
