Waking up with a slight start but remaining calm, he sat up. He began his morning routine as usual before heading downstairs, where the two elderly figures stood waiting for him, smiling. Just by looking at them, he immediately understood what awaited him—training unlike anything he had ever experienced. Or at least, he assumed he was about to suffer.
"You think you're going to suffer, kid?" the mage mocked. "We haven't even started moving yet!""I can't imagine what it'll be like once we do," Aaron replied, meeting their amused gazes."Come now, see what we'll be doing before jumping to conclusions. Let's head outside first—we wouldn't want to scare the townsfolk," the old man finished with a teasing laugh.
Once outside, they made their way toward the forest while Aaron listened to a clear explanation of the conditions he would be facing. He would start with an assessment of his current abilities.
"Alright, pick up a stone and show us how you take down your boars," requested the Goddess of Blades.
Aaron obeyed, grabbed two stones, struck them together to create a sharp edge, and threw one just as he had done before—this time at a mid-sized tree. The trunk was almost entirely pierced in an instant, with the tip of the stone barely sticking out from the other side by half a millimeter. The hole it left behind measured roughly three centimeters in diameter, narrowing to about one and a half where the stone passed through.
The two trainers, still smiling and appearing deep in thought, finally concluded that with more training, the force of his throw could be further refined. And with magic, it could become even sharper.
But when it came to magic, he had tried everything, yet nothing formed. The Mage then explained what seemed easy at first but turned out to be quite difficult:
"The magical principle in this world is complex in theory but simple in application once you understand the method. Several prerequisites are necessary for magical control. First and foremost, a basic knowledge of materials is required to cast a spell. For example, to create fire, you need to know that it requires fuel, a heat source, and an oxidizer. Once this is understood, fire can be created using almost anything. The same goes for water. As long as you understand that water consists of specific components at a specific temperature, you can generate it. And if you're wondering, temperature variation depends on our will and is adjusted using our own bodily energy. If no temperature change is needed, then magic can be used almost indefinitely."
"So, for example, if a water mage and a fire mage fight in a temperate or aquatic environment, the fire mage is at a disadvantage, whereas if the battle takes place in an arid or scorching environment, the water mage will be the one at a disadvantage," the young apprentice speculated, "because one will consume more magic than the other."
"Exactly," the teacher replied, nodding. "But that's not all. As long as a mage can run at full speed, they can continue forcing their magic. Endurance is the source of power. So, you know what you must do if you want to develop sufficient magical ability."
At these words, Aaron grimaced in fear and annoyance. He had thought he would suffer, but now he realized he would also have to run. And without a doubt, a lot.
"But don't worry," the mage continued. "Your magical capacity is already excellent because you've been training relentlessly! I can feel it. Now, back to the point. Regarding magical power, the more effective your physical knowledge and the material used, the stronger the magic will be. And you can't just rely on using supernatural power from a distance—it would leave you vulnerable in close combat. That's why you can also use magic for melee fights and defense. For example, by creating armor from the material of your choice!"
This last statement was followed by a demonstration. A piece of tree bark and a chunk of earth moved on their own and formed flexible armor around Endras' arms.
Immediately, Aaron decided to give it a try. With his eyes open, he visualized forcing the earth to form a ring. This surprised the one who was supposed to be teaching him, as the earth obeyed instantly.
Encouraged, he attempted to change the earth's molecules into carbon molecules. Nothing happened. So, he decided to go deeper—down to the atomic level. He transformed the atoms into carbon, rearranged the protons and neutrons to create atomic losses, generating more carbon, and then began compacting it. He pushed himself to increase the temperature and pressure around the material, compressed it further, and repeated the process for fifteen minutes.
The innkeepers, mouths agape, stood frozen, unable to react. They could do nothing but watch.
By the end of the process, the young mage had created his diamond. A ring-shaped diamond of rare clarity, glowing with a vivid red hue and almost transparent. It took a moment for the shock to wear off for the two companions to realize what had just happened. But by the time they returned to their senses, the boy was lying on the ground, the gemstone still clutched in his hands.
A prodigy, they thought to themselves.