"And just removing it would probably not be an amazing use of a one time magical power even if it were cheap, because I still couldn't use my powers without racking up more, it only works if I have routine access to guiding."

"What are your powers?"

"I am selectively imperceptible and intangible including to psychic senses and effects, and I can also fly, which if you're trying to explain it as part of a complete package is so that I don't have to touch the floor if I don't want. I am pretty confident this makes me knifeproof - at the cost of backlash - and expect it would also make me bulletproof, possibly more cheaply because a bullet would spend very little time trying to intersect me before coming out the other side, but that I haven't tested anything quite like it"

"Would it make you magic proof?"

"Dunno. Maybe. But if I wind up using my powers too much I don't really get to live to enjoy it, is the thing. I'm going to continue to have myself passively proof against stuff that could kill me because it doesn't cost anything till it happens and maybe I wind up with a backlash level I can metabolize and limp along with for a little while longer, but if I get too lonely I start rationalizing about why it is that nothing that feels like it should work to make me less lonely actually does, and some of the explanations I can wind up deluding myself about make me suicidal. I don't routinely approach this level in my daily life but awakening as an esper involves hanging out at a really high level of acute backlash for a week so I got acquainted with it then."

Oh no. 

"I'm um, going to try really hard to make sure you don't have to use your powers at all but it might turn out that in order to win we'll have to depend on the fact that you can survive an attack from something when people wouldn't expect you to. It doesn't have to be a plan but... Most summoners don't win, and any advantage can make a difference."

"Yeah, that's about where I landed too. I also don't super want to go around killing anyone but people who signed up on purpose for a battle royale and will try to murder me about it are as close as it gets to deserving targets, at least. - I'm really strong and healthy and stuff, compared to a normal person, that doesn't cost anything, free with awakening."

"Are the guns deadly from a distance?"

"Yeah. The one I sold was best for range but I wasn't carrying any more ammo for it, the littler ones I can hit stuff at 50 yards or so. I have never killed a person, just dungeon monsters."

Nod nod.

"I can try to avoid you having to kill someone yourself if it's important to you."

"It's not intrinsically but like it's possible I'll flinch."

Nod nod.

"I did. Some of the first few times." And cried afterwards, though that bit hasn't entirely stopped. 

"How vulnerable are you directly, are they mostly going to come after me or do they likely want to go through you first?"

"They will mostly try to come after you if they can but it's likely I can keep any single champion busy enough that they won't be able to come after you. The summoner might though, and they'll have magic."

"I mean like - do you die and stay dead or do you go back to the spirit world such that I can promptly recorporate you or what. I ask because you've done this before and it'd be a heck of a coincidence if you'd been attached to the winner every time."

"I discorporate, you can recorporate me but it will be costly, though I suppose if you havn't additionally healed me you don't have much use for your magic. Overuse of your magic will fatigue you. If you die I get released back to the spirit plane."

"How much use is overuse?"

"You'll feel a strain when you start getting close - if I'm killed and you need to fully reincorporate me twice in quick succession that would probably do it, but once is less likely to. Healing me, or giving more energy after I've exhausted myself, can build up to a large amount of use if you have to do it constantly. I'm not sure how deep your reserves are - but if I get stabbed a bunch by something nasty it might tire you out to fully fix."

"Is there a way to tell how much I have?"

"You might get a vague sense for it if you use magic - I could try tiring myself out a bit and you can fix that?" 

"Sure."

"Mind if I practice moves with my sword in here to tire myself out? I won't hit anything."

"...I'm backlashed enough to want to be carrying on a conversation pretty continuously, can you talk while you do that?"

"It shouldn't take long - you can talk to me via our bond during it? Might be hard to hear or respond aloud." 

"Yeah, that works I guess." [I don't remember if I introduced myself, I'm May.]