Elias Leywin POV
I let out a slow breath, watching the thin mist of it drift through the mana-heavy air before fading. The air here always felt thicker somehow, like breathing through warm water.
I drew another breath in. Mana seeped into my core with the air filling my lungs. When I exhaled, I let the energy flow out through the pathways I had been practising for weeks.
In.
Out.
The rhythm of my breathing settled into something steady. The world gradually fell away as I isolated myself in my meditation.
The warmth of 'sunlight' dulled on my skin. The faint rustle of grass beneath my legs barely reached me. Even the breeze that brushed against my cheek faded to something distant. All that remained was the slow tide of mana moving through my core.
I began another cycle when the faint crunch of footsteps brushed the edge of my awareness.
"Very good," a voice said calmly. "You haven't broken your concentration yet."
I opened my eyes.
Director Cynthia Goodsky stood several paces away. Sunlight caught on the lavender trim of her robes, making the thread glimmer softly. For a moment, her expression remained unreadable, thoughtful eyes studying me, before a small smile formed.
"You're progressing faster than I expected," she said, approaching at an unhurried pace. "Even older mages struggle to maintain flow in a mana-rich environment like this. Most try to force their control." She snickered.
I rose to my feet, still holding onto the quiet feeling of meditation. "I... wasn't sure if I was doing it right."
"That's the irony," she replied, absently brushing a strand of silver-blonde hair behind her ear. "You are. Magic isn't something you master through certainty. It's a relationship that develops as your core grows. Most mages just see it as a tool... or rather a weapon."
She took a few slow steps across the soft grass, her eyes drifting toward the stream that curved through the training room like a silver ribbon. The water's gentle burble blended with the ambient mana that saturated the air here.
"You're treating it like something alive, and that's exactly what it is."
I shifted slightly, my eyes tracing her movement. "I've always felt like it... responded better when I wasn't trying to force it."
A faint smile curved her lips. "That was the first step toward mastery. Most people went their entire lives without figuring that out." Her gaze flicked to my empty hands. "Though you've made good progress with refining your core, there's something else I'd like you to begin learning."
I watched as she reached into the folds of her robe and withdrew a slender wand. It was black wood with its grain almost glistening faintly in the ambient mana. A thin silver spiral wound along its surface, ending in a modest Blue gemstone embedded near the base.
"You've trained well without one so far, but it's time," she said, holding it out to me. "This is yours for as long as you remain under my instruction."
She slipped a hand into the folds of her robe and drew out a slender wand.
The wood was black and smooth, polished until the grain shimmered faintly in the mana-rich air. A delicate spiral of silver wire wrapped along its length, ending at a small sapphire set near the base.
"You've trained well without one so far," she said, extending it toward me. "But it's time. This will be yours for as long as you remain under my instruction."
My attention locked onto it immediately.
"This wand here is made from feyroot," she continued, her voice softer now. "An old material harvested from trees that grow only where natural mana is dense. The wood is extremely sensitive to magical flow, especially when paired with a core gem."
Her finger tapped the sapphire.
"Sapphire harmonises unstable elemental flow. It is popular with early-stage noble mages."
I took a cautious step closer, curiosity rising in my chest. "It's... beautiful," I muttered as I stayed transfixed on the 20cm or so length of dark wood in my teacher's hands.
She nodded, her voice softening. "Yes. But beauty in magic often hides risk. This wand won't offer you any guidance. It will follow exactly what you give it. Expect nothing more or nothing less," she held it out to me. "A wand to a Conjurer is akin to a sword to a Warrior; both are tools that enhance the person. Remember that always."
"You're ready to begin practising with it. But only if you treat it as a partner and not a shortcut. Precision. Clarity. Intent. That's how you grow stronger. The wand is only a conduit."
Slowly, I reached out and wrapped my fingers around the wand. It was cool beneath my hand. My mana stirred instinctively. The wand was heavier than I expected, not in its literal weight, but magically, like it was almost alive and aware of me.
"How does it work?" I asked quietly, unable to take my eyes off the deep blue crystal.
My teacher stepped back and turned toward the open space ahead. "Let me show you."
Director Goodsky stepped away toward an open patch of grass near the stream.
Her posture loosened slightly, shoulders relaxed. Still, there was a sharp focus to the way she held the wand.
"Casting with a wand follows the same principles as casting with your hands. Mana flows from your core, shaped by your will, through your veins and out of your body. But the wand sharpens that flow and wastes less mana."
She inhaled and flicked her wrist.
A blade of air burst from her wand's tip. It cut across a flat stone a few meters away, carving a clean line into its surface without shattering it.
The wind stilled. The grass settled. The spell had ended as effortlessly as it had begun.
"That was a Tier 1 Wind Blade," she said, lowering her wand. "A simple spell. But when mastered, even a basic spell becomes something indomitable."
I looked at my own wand again, still feeling its hum in my palm.
Director Goodsky gestured for me to join her. "Your turn."
My legs felt suddenly stiff, but I moved forward, clutching the wand in both hands as though I might drop it. I stood where she had, breathing in the thick, mana-rich air again, this time with more awareness.
"Don't think about recreating exactly what I did. You cannot."
My eyes flickered up to her.
"Like your mother, you're a deviant." She said with a smile down at me. "However, from what I have observed, your mana shares characteristics with that of fire, so I'd like for you to try treating your mana as such. Is that something you can do?"
I nodded, tightening my grip. "I'll try my best."
"Then that's all I can ask of you." She took two steps back.
I closed my eyes and began to guide my mana from the core outward, as I'd practised so many times before. But now, with the wand in hand, it felt different. It was like trying to hold water in cupped hands while it slowly slipped through the cracks in my fingers.
I tried anyway. With an exhale, I focused on the warmth that lingered deep within me. Mana surged from my core down my veins and out of my body into the wand gripped tightly in my right hand.
My eyes snapped open as the golden inferno I had grown used to creating grew before my wand's tip. The created star continued to swell in size as it usually did.
Its growth accelerated faster than I had expected. Its increased mass caused the mana to collapse and fold in on itself.
'Shit'
A wave of gold emanated from the implosion and sent me flying backwards at speeds I couldn't fathom.
A Hand reached out and caught me mid-air. "You're gripping the wand too tightly," she said. "You're trying to wrestle your mana into obedience." The director pulled me out of the air and set me on the ground.
She crossed her arms and looked down at me. "Despite your failing. You can learn from it."
I nodded as I scrambled to my feet.
"Again," she said. "Mana is not your servant. It is a tide you must learn to swim with. You'll do it as many times as needed until the wand no longer feels like something you hold, but an extension of yourself."
My arm ached. Still, I obeyed my teacher and raised the wand again.
And again.
---
I sat on the floor with my legs stretched out in front of me. Sweat clung to my forehead and ran down the back of my neck, soaking through my shirt until the fabric stuck to my skin. Lifting my arms felt like dragging weights through mud.
Director Goodsky stood a short distance away with her arms folded neatly across her chest. Her posture remained as composed as ever. She watched me struggle to catch my breath, then gave a slight nod.
"That's enough for today," she said, her voice carrying a firm finality that left no room for argument. "You're not helping yourself by pushing past your limit. Fatigue will dull control."
'You don't need to tell me twice.'
I let out a breath of relief and lay back against the cool grass. My entire body hummed from the lingering mana coursing through it. My fingers twitched against the ground.
"Thank you, Director," I managed between deep rasps, not even bothering to get up yet.
"Come, I'll walk you to your mother."
Getting up proved harder than expected.
I rolled onto my side, pushed myself upright, then braced a hand against my knee while my legs reluctantly straightened. My muscles protested every inch of the way.
I stooped to pick up the wand. The wood felt warm now as I slid it carefully into my pocket.
We walked side by side across the training room, our steps muffled by the thick grass. The dense mana that once pressed against my senses now barely registered. Either I had grown used to it, or I was simply too exhausted to notice.
"I'm sure your mother will appreciate seeing you return upright," my teacher said, one hand briefly covering her mouth while a hint of amusement crept into her voice.
I let out a weak chuckle. "Assuming I don't collapse in the hallway first."
"She would sooner drag you home by your collar than allow that," she replied, a faint smile tugging at her lips.
We reached the edge of the training room where the natural stone floor met smooth marble. The cool tiles beneath my boots made the soreness in my legs suddenly impossible to ignore.
Ahead of us, the tall double doors opened on their own as we approached, responding silently to the Director's presence.
Cool air greeted us on the other side.
The sounds of the training room faded behind us while the quiet murmur of voices and the steady hum of ambient magic filled the wide corridor. The ceiling stretched high above our heads, its arched stone ribs supporting rows of wooden chandeliers that floated slightly beneath the stonework.
It wasn't long until we reached the elevator. With a swaying of her hands, the door opened. It wasn't long until a grey platform descended carrying a familiar man in a black uniform.
"Good afternoon, Director Goodsky," he said, dipping his head respectfully before turning to me. "And you as well, Elias."
The Director and I stepped onto the platform beside him.
"To the lobby, please, Michael," she said with a warm smile.
Michael gave a brisk nod and tapped the console beside him. A small pulse of mana rippled outward, and the platform began to rise.
"You look like you've had quite the day," he said, glancing down at me with one eyebrow raised. "How was today's training?"
"It was good, actually." I shot a thumb toward him. "I didn't really explode anything today. Oh, and Director Goodsky gave me this." I said as I reached into my pocket and pulled out my wand.
"That's a fancy wand, Elias." His eyes moved slowly along its length. "Is that feyroot?"
I nodded eagerly. "It's really sensitive to the flow of magic," I added, repeating what my teacher had explained earlier.
Beside me, the Director let out a faint hum of approval. "He's progressing well."
"You're lucky," he said, folding his arms across his chest. "Most students don't get that sort of hands-on guidance this early into their training, and especially by someone so renowned."
"I know." I said quietly, fingers brushing against the wand's polished surface before tucking it safely away again.
The elevator chimed softly and slowed to a stop. The doors opened, revealing the wide expanse of the main lobby. Afternoon light poured in from the high windows, catching in the polished stone and illuminating the Academy's crest in warm gold across the far wall.
I took a step forward and immediately regretted it. My legs ached worse than I'd expected, and the cool air outside the elevator only reminded me how drenched my shirt still was.
"You sure you can make it to the reception desk without collapsing?" Michael chuckled behind me.
"Nope," I said. "But I'm gonna try anyway."
I earned a slight laugh from my teacher as she offered me a hand.
I graciously accepted as she led me towards the main reception desk and the waiting room beyond it.
"How's your core feeling now?" the Director asked.
"Tired," I admitted.
"Get a lot of rest tonight. Hydrate and eat well."
I nodded enthusiastically. "I will."
She looked down at me, "Well then, Elias, I'll see you tomor-" she looked to her right, and her eyes widened slightly. "How about you take tomorrow off, it is a Friday."
"Oh... uh okay", I said as my teacher nudged me slightly beyond the desk.
I looked back as she only smiled at me, pointing with her eyes. I followed her eyes to see a familiar figure with Auburn hair leaning coolly against a wall.
"Art?"
---
Hello everyone, Rius here,
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. See you tomorrow for Chapter 14.
Thank you to Lancelot Dragonroad for beta-reading and editing.
Rius Out.