Michael and Cassandra led Orin and Edward out of the house to a more open part of the hill. Michael assumed a position aproximately five meters from them and pointed toward a spot they would stand.
"This place doesn't quite feel open enough. You know what, step back a bit. about fifteen meters."
Orin, Edward and Cassandra moved away to give Michael more space. They then felt the ground shake slightly as the terrain around Michael was rapidly being grinded down to make a fifteen-meter radius hole with a completely flat floor, aproximately two meters deep.
He then walked towards the others and proceeded to carve a two meter wide staircase effortlessly as he walked up to them. He then pointed at Orin and gestured for him to go down into the freshly dug pit he had made. Orin walked down and looked up at him for further instructions.
"What do I do now, master?"
"Good thing you ask! You'll be the first to test how this training exercise will work. First off I want you to explain to me how that movement magic of yours worked when you faced off against that goon earlier."
"Of course. It is far from finished or refined, and I assume that I cannot yet call it a spell. I essentially use my mana to fling myself in one direction, though I cannot yet control my trajectory mid travel. It works well for running and for disorienting my adversaries."
"I see. It can be quite useful if you learn to grasp the concepts behind it properly. Now, I want you to throw yourself around a bit. But first, try to remember how you feel before using it, then compare it to how you feel when you do it. I want you to compare every little difference."
Orin stood still for a few seconda, taking a few deep breaths. He then proceeded to take a slight leap forward. While he was midair, he suddenly flew forward, and he started flinging himself in every direction.
Michael was able to detect small glimpses of mana at the points he flinged himself from and he started to study every little motion of Orin's mana. After about twenty seconds, Orin stopped and was barely able to catch himself with his footing when he landed.
"So… How did you feel?"
Orin looked up at Michael before answering, while also cathcing his breath a little bit.
"It is hard to describe. I guess I could say I felt a rush of sorts while I activated it. Before I began to fly, I felt a surge through my entire body."
"Good. That means your body's understanding that you're using your mana. Edward, your turn."
"Yessir! Let's get down ta business!"
Edward stepped down into the pit while Orin walked out of it. He did the same as Orin by standing still and taking some deep breaths. He then proceeded to conjure five spheres around hiswrist and began firing them individually from his finger. When he ran out, he would make new ones and repeat. After a solid minute of blasting in the air, Edward left the pit.
"And what about you, Edward? Did you feel anything different when you were using your mana?"
"Not a lot, but I felt… hungry… If that makes sense…?"
"Hungry?"
"Yeah. As if there was somethin' in me that just wanted ta eat. But only fer those moments. N' I felt it in my entire body, not jus' m'stomach."
"Well… I guess that's something. what I want the two of you to do is remember what you felt there. We're gonna start the next part of your training, but you're going to have to apply this chapter to every bit of your training and whenever you use magic after as well."
Orin and Edward both nodded in response.
"Now, we start the next chapter of your training to become mages. Mana and manipulation. This willbe the beginning of how you'll shape your first spells. Since you both already have templates you've been using, I'll give you two some advice for your individual magic.
First off is you, Orin. You commented yourself, as well as displayed, that you can't really control your movement while flinging yourself. Try getting a better grip of maintaining your balance in the air, and you can control your movement much better. And remember to shoot for the sky itself when you're gonna be going in the air.
And Edward, I have several thoughts about your spheres. They're not very versatile, and they seem hard to work with. You can eiher use one or all of them. Try making them something you can move with you and give them some variety. A good player will win with the cards he's dealt."
Michael went back into the house and left Cassandra to supervise them. She then opened a notebook and gestured with her hand for Edward and Orin to sit down and listen.
"Now, there's also one thing for me to teach you two before we start training. And that's the general application of mana in a spell. As you've probably learned to know, since you already have some ways of aplying mana, there are six different applications of it."
Orin raised his hand and proceeded to answer Cassandra's statement.
"If I recall, it was Evocation, Transmutation, Conjuration, Illusion, Divination and Enchantment, right?"
"Wow, you remember that. Great! I guess it doesn't hurt to refresh you on what they do, just in case. Evocation is separating one's mana from themselves and controlling it outside their own body. Transmutation is changing or adding properties to one's mana and/or objects and/or people, essentially just changing things.
Conjuration is making physical objects by converting mana into physical matter, most common among artificers who make artifacts. Illusion is any magic that affects someone's mind or senses, from making images to direct mind control. Divination is sensory magic, any kind of detection or prediction. Lastly, enchantment is temporarily applying magical properties or spells to objects or people."
Edward raised his hand in response.
"Yeah, we've studied this before. What're s'posed ta do now?"
"My job now is to assess how you two perform from the getgo in the different applications and we'll take it from there. Now let's just get started."
They spent the rest of the day until sunset testing different applications of mana for Edward and Orin. Evocation showed to be Edward's peak, in which Orin was mediocre in comparison, though t was still one of his better applications.
Neither showed any signs of talent in many other applications. However, Orin showed potential with enchantment and Edward seemed to have a slight understanding of transmutation. As the sun started to set, Cassandra stood before them again for more lecturing.
"I've noted down in which areas you perform better and worse. This information will be crucial in determining how you're gonna shape your spells further down the line.
Orin, your flinging seems to use evocation to an extent to repel yourself forward. I want you to refine the use of evocation and apply just a little transmutation and some extra enchantment as well.
Edward, you exlusively use evocation as well. You're gonna also want to refine that use, but I want you tu use a lot more transmutation than Orin. Also, focus on changing the way you use those spheres. That's all for this lesson.
Starting tomorrow, I want you both to practice for the next three weeks, before we start the next chapter, Rules and regulations. You're now dismissed. You my now go take a bath, cause I can tell (and smell) that you two have worked up a good sweat."
The following three weeks went by faster than the boys had imagined. Orin would spend his time studying the birds gliding in the winds of Whistlefreid for reference to maintaining control in the air. He would also spend much of his time practicing to apply his mana as a coating to his sword.
Edward spent his time in several different ways. He spent much time learning to move his spheres, rather than keeping them suspended with his hand. He also practiced much with his knifes to further understand how to use his magic.
As well as learning to use his spheres better, he was able to persuade Coveto to teach him to make fire with transmutation magic. Though he did not become an expert within three weeks, he was able to grasp the workings of transmutation.
After about a week or so, he had ended up developing a minor obsession with playing poker and would somethimes sneak his way to legally questionable poker clubs.
And after three weeks had passed, Michael departed with Coveto towards the city of Pendleton for their meeting with the other dragons, while the boys were left in Cassandra's care for the time he would be gone.