The morning sunlight poured through the tall window of the training hall, scattering across the floor scarred with dents and scratches from countless sparring sessions. A row of dummies and targets stood neatly at one end, waiting for their daily abuse.
And there we were: Jason, me, and Mina, standing dead center like we were about to perform a play.
Now, you might be wondering, why is a five-year-old in the middle of Jason's formal lesson? Simple. Father gave me permission yesterday to start learning magic. But tutors don't just appear out of thin air, so until then, I was told to "observe Jason's training."
…Observe. Heh.
"Let's begin with the basics," Mina said, her tone sharp but calm.
"Guess I'll go sit in the stands then," I muttered, already picturing myself napping on the bench.
Mina's eyes flicked to me. "No, no. Since you've already dabbled with mana, you'll join us for the foundation drills."
I perked up. "Really?"
"Of course."
Jason sighed. "Alright, then let's start."
Mana Pooling
"First, mana pooling," Mina instructed. "Circulate your mana through your body, then gather it into your palm."
Jason closed his eyes, and almost instantly, a bubble shimmered above his hand. Translucent, smooth, the size of a large bowl. Stable.
I tried the same. I closed my eyes. Focused hard. And… there it was. A tiny droplet—barely bigger than a teardrop. But this time, it lasted longer than before. At least three whole seconds before it popped like a soap bubble.
Progress. Don't laugh.
I snuck a glance at Jason's perfect sphere, then glanced at mine. Yeah, not jealous at all.
Curiosity got the better of me. "Teacher Mina, can you show me yours?"
She raised a brow but obliged. Her mana swirled instantly into a bubble even larger than Jason's—but dense, compact, like a heavy water drop instead of Jason's translucent soap bubble.
"Whoa," I breathed. "Yours looks so much thicker."
"That's what comes with mastery," Mina said. "A denser sphere means better efficiency. The goal isn't size, but fullness. Think of it like filling a glass with water. When it's full, only then do you switch to a bigger glass."
Jason nodded like he understood perfectly. Mine popped for the fourth time. Fifth, too.
Aiming Practice
"Next, targeting drills," Mina said. She looked at me. "Do you know any spells, Lucian?"
I nodded sheepishly. "Just a Fireball."
"That's enough." She waved toward the dummies ten meters away. "You'll try aiming as well."
Jason frowned. "Wait—you're focusing on him? This is my lesson."
Mina didn't even blink. "You know the basics already—you can manage just fine. Besides…" her tone tightened just a little, "…you were already surrounded by quite a lot of attention from the girls in your party."
Jason flushed, embarrassed, and promptly shut up. I smirked. Score one for me.
He went first, firing neat ice spears and sharp gusts of wind at the dummies. Each shot hit squarely. None of the targets even scratched.
"Uh, shouldn't they, like… break apart or something?" I asked.
"There's a thin layer of magic barrier on top of the targets," Mina explained. "Which prevents it from getting damage from beginner spells."
Ahh, so the dummies are cheating. Got it.
My turn. I focused, conjured a fireball, and hurled it. It grazed a dummy's shoulder. My second fizzled before reaching. The third went wide like a drunk pigeon.
Still, Mina smiled. "That is impressive for your first attempt. Most beginners your age cannot even manifest mana, let alone fire a spell."
I puffed my chest. Jason rolled his eyes.
Mina raised a hand. "Enough. Rest now, Lucian. You've used up your reserves."
I nodded. Honestly, I felt drained already. Jason, on the other hand, downed a mana potion with practiced ease.
"Can I have one?" I asked hopefully.
Jason shook his head. "Not for you. Your body isn't trained yet, and you haven't had your awakening ceremony. It could be dangerous."
Mina nodded in agreement. "Yes, you should focus on recovering naturally."
I pouted. Figures.
Rapid Casting
When Jason's mana refilled, Mina moved us to the next drill.
"Now, rapid succession casting. Jason, cycle between ice and wind. Focus on speed, not power."
Jason steadied himself. Then—ice. Wind. Ice. Wind. Spears and gusts flew in rhythm, faster and faster. His breathing grew heavy, his body straining, but he kept pushing, until a dozen spells flew in a row.
He dropped to one knee, panting.
"Too much delay between the eighth and ninth," Mina said, arms crossed. "Repeat tomorrow."
Jason groaned, wiping sweat from his forehead, but accepted it. Another potion downed in one gulp.
Meanwhile, I sat on the bench muttering, "Yep, definitely impressive. Totally not jealous. Nope."
Finally, Jason leaned back, breathing easier. "What's our main lesson today, Mina?"
She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I've already taught you everything required for the Academy's entrance exam. Technically, we're ahead of schedule."
Jason's eyes lit up. "Then…?"
Mina smirked faintly. "Then I'll show you something more advanced. Dual casting."
Jason practically bounced in place. "Really?"
"Really. But remember, this is not part of your curriculum. It's something you'll learn formally at the Academy."
She lifted her hand and conjured two water orbs. Perfectly identical, perfectly balanced. She launched them simultaneously, slamming into the targets with a splash.
Jason's eyes sparkled. "That's amazing!"
He tried immediately. An ice spear formed, but when he tried to split it, it shattered into nothing. Again and again, he failed, but his determination burned.
Mina lowered her hands. "Don't think of it as one spell splitting into two—that will always collapse. Instead, picture it this way: you have two hands, two channels. Cast one spell with your right, and another identical spell with your left. Keep them balanced, or they'll both fall apart."
Jason nodded eagerly, raising both hands. Finally, after several tries, two smaller spears appeared—but fizzled out Instantly.
Mina nodded. "That is expected. Dual casting is draining, and it requires both precision and mana. With time, you'll succeed."
Jason, panting, grinned anyway. "I'll master it."
I sat cross-legged, chin in my hand. "Yeah, yeah. Show-off. I'll get there too. Eventually. Maybe."
By the time Mina called it a day, Jason looked like he'd run a marathon. I, on the other hand, walked out with my head buzzing with possibilities.