Marissa Callahan

Marissa Callahan, or simply Mara, is one of Corin Cadence's closest friends and allies, as well as a frequent sparring partner, in the Arcane Ascension series. She trains with Corin under the tutelage of Keras Selyrian, improving her fighting abilities significantly. Marissa is one of the main characters in the Arcane Ascension series.

## Physical Description

Marissa is described as having an athletic build with blond hair.

## Relations

### Friends and Associates

Corin Cadence

Sera Cadence

Patrick Wayland

Keras Selyrian

## Magic

### Abilities

#### Guardian Attunement

Mara has access to the Guardian attunement which gives her access to enhancement and life mana. She can combine them together to form protection mana. Mara's attunement is located on her chest, making her heart marked, which works through channelling mana through her entire body into her heart and then out both hands simultaneously. This requires intense focus and slows the casting of the spell, but increases its intensity. The Guardian attunement allows for easy manipulation of the attuned's shroud, a magical aura that slows down or stops attacks. As a Guardian, Mara's shroud is more solid than most other attuned's shrouds and she can move her shroud around various parts of her body to enforce specific areas better.

##### Enhancement Mana

Enhancement mana helps increase physical capabilities.

**Deflection**

Mara can punch magical attacks like lightning and duelling cane orbs and they will be deflected.

**Enhanced Punching**

Marissa has a spell that creates a glow around her fist and causes her punches to be absurdly damaging. Described as "a punch like a runaway train." She can shatter stone and launch opponents around. She can also produce a shockwave from her punches.

**Star descends from Sky**

'Star descends from Sky' is a punching technique where Mara jumps upwards and punches down on her target. She shouts the technique name when she uses. One of her main techniques.

**Dragon ascends to sky**

'Dragon ascends to sky' is another punching technique that utilises an immensely powerful jump that leads into an upwards punch. She shouts the technique name when she uses.

**Body Enhancement**

Mara can drastically increase her speed in bursts. Her jumps can be several feet high and her physical strength is immense when she uses her enhancement mana.

**Aura Blades**

Mara's main strategy in combat is producing blades around her hands from her shroud. These essence blades are highly at cutting through things they touch. This was inspired by Keras and his cutting aura.

**Rising Thunder**

'Rising thunder' is something Marissa once called out when she enhanced one of her punches to be strong enough to make a serpent to recoil.

**Aura Kicking**

Mara can kick out and her aura can extend and cut her target.

**Cutting Shockwave**

Mara can launch a shockwave of cutting force by swinging her hand.

**Blade Launching**

Mara can kick the ground which sends a "blade-like flash of energy" across it towards her target.

**Diamond Strike of**

'Diamond Strike of [something]' is a technique that Mara was about to use against Saffron before he stopped her. It is unknow what this does but when she was calling out the name she had formed an aura blade around her hand.

**Wind Sweeps Across the Field**

'Wind Sweeps Across the Field' is a technique name that Mara called out when fighting bandits on the train. This caused her shroud to compress against her leg and then extended outwards as she swung. This caused the bandits to be hit with a pressure that knocked them a bit.

**Shockwave**

Mara can send a out shockwave of force.

##### Protection Mana

**Shroud Enhancement**

Mara can make her shroud solid compared to the usual air resistance. This might be enhancement mana but as Corin's transference blast didn't manage to negate it, it may be protection mana.

**Barrier Magic**

Mara has been practicing barrier magic but she is, admittedly, "no good" but able "to throw something together." These are protection spells.

### Magic Items

#### Strength Enhancing Bracelet

An enchanted copper bracelet that detects when mana goes down Mara's arm. It then sends more mana making her techniques stronger.

#### Strength Enhancing Ring

A magic ring from the Jaden Box that enhances physical strength.

#### Levitation Boots

Mara has magic boots that allow her to run in the air.

#### Shield Sigil

The basic issued shield sigil is silver pin from Lorian Heights Academy. It is about the size of a coin and when it detects an incoming attack it produces a barrier of grey mana.

#### Phoenix Sigil

The phoenix sigils are enchanted items made by Corin. A sigil in the shape of a phoenix about the same size of the shield sigils. The phoenix sigil is self-recharging and has a greater capacity than the regular shield sigil. It produces a barrier of grey mana much like the shield sigil. The phoenix sigil has functions for healing injuries and helping to recover mana. The phoenix sigils have teleportation functions which connect to a specific 'anchor'. This sigil has more than 4 times the capacity of the school issued sigils.

#### Messaging Necklace

The communication necklace is an item created by Corin. It has a low Citrine level of air mana which allows Mara to send and receive messages from any of the other messaging necklaces Corin has made.