The soft crackling of the fire stirred Veil from his sleep, accompanied by a soothing aroma drifting through the air. He opened his eyes to see Alynia already up, leaning over the fire. A small metal pot was heating gently, releasing a light, fragrant steam.
"Morning...," he whispered, drowsy.
He sat up slowly, still sluggish from sleep. Alynia, who had just added more wood to the fire, lifted her gaze toward him.
"Morning, Little Wolf. So, ready for your last day of training?" she asked, calm.
Her tone was neutral, but the intensity in her eyes made it clear she had high expectations for him.
Sensing the weight of the day ahead, Veil nodded.
"More than ready," he declared, determined.
After a simple breakfast—a warming broth and some dried meat—Alynia set the pot aside, turned to Veil, and spoke with a serious tone.
"Today, no breaks. You'll work without pause until you master what I'm about to show you," she announced, serious.
Veil nodded, determination burning in his eyes.
He positioned himself near the puddle, settling into a comfortable stance. Alynia sat beside him, watching his every movement attentively.
"Start by producing a drop. Hold it. No rushing," she said, her voice calm.
Veil focused, closing his eyes to clear his mind. The process, now familiar, quickly bore results. He guided his mana to his palm, connecting it gently to the water. After a few attempts, a droplet of water finally rose, suspended above his hand. It trembled slightly, its shape uneven, but it was there.
"Good. Now sharpen your connection. That drop must be pure. Visualize it as perfect, unshakable," she ordered, watching him, her voice firm.
Veil took a deep breath, focusing his mind on the droplet. He imagined its contours becoming smooth, its surface flawless, its movement fluid and harmonious. Slowly, it stopped trembling, growing more stable.
"Better. You're starting to understand," she added, her voice softer.
She observed for another moment before moving on to the next step.
"Now, summon more drops. Bring them one by one, but keep the first drop stable. They must merge without breaking your control," she said, directive.
Veil swallowed. The challenge was clear—maintaining focus on two processes at once. He closed his eyes again, bringing his mind back to the puddle.
I can do it. I have to, he thought, determined.
He guided his mana again, this time visualizing a second drop. Slowly, another separated from the puddle, rising to meet the first. The two droplets wavered for a moment, but Veil held his concentration.
He repeated the process, calling a third, then a fourth drop. Each drop seemed to respond more easily, his connection with the water growing smoother.
Finally, the droplets merged gently in his palm, forming a small sphere of water. It was still imperfect, but it held together—a true fusion of the drops he had summoned.
"Not bad. Keep working on that fluidity. That sphere—it must be stable, an extension of yourself," she declared, satisfied but firm.
Despite the intense mental effort, Veil allowed a small, subtle smile to form. It was a step forward, but he knew the day was far from over.
"I'm ready for the next step," he said, confident.
Alynia, sitting beside him, observed the small sphere of water trembling in his palm. Her blue eyes analyzed every movement of the sphere with precision.
"Stabilize it. Do it like with the drop. A sphere of water must be smooth, without disturbances. It should reflect your control, not your doubts," she ordered, her voice firm.
Veil nodded, determined. He focused his attention on the sphere, imagining its surface becoming smooth, its contours perfectly even. The tremors began to subside, the small sphere taking on a clearer, more harmonious shape.
After a few moments, it was stable, like a tiny floating mirror of water.
"Better. Much better. But don't slack off," she approved.
She narrowed her eyes slightly, still intrigued by what had happened the day before. The wind he had accidentally summoned continued to puzzle her. She remained silent for a moment before speaking again.
There has to be a way to understand this phenomenon... let's see how far he can go, she thought, reflecting.
"Now, picture that sphere. Visualize its center. Infuse it with wind—just enough to make it spin on itself," she said directly.
Veil's eyes widened, surprised by the request.
"Wind? But how do I do that?" he asked, hesitant.
"Like with water. Mana connects you to the elements. Guide it, don't force it. Focus on the air around you and let it blend with the water," she explained, calm but authoritative.
Veil took a deep breath. He fixed his gaze on the small sphere, making sure not to lose its stability. He guided his mana into his right hand, just as he had done with the water, but this time, he attempted to connect with the air around him. He envisioned the wind swirling gently within the sphere.
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the sphere began to waver, faint ripples forming on its surface. But he quickly lost control. The sphere disintegrated in a light watery burst, scattering droplets all around.
Alynia, sitting beside him, was directly splashed on her legs, soaking her tights. She glanced down at the damp fabric and let out a quiet sigh.
"Little Wolf... really?" she sighed, her voice calm but exasperated.
Veil immediately turned toward her, raising his hands in apology.
"I'm sorry! I just—I wanted to—" he stammered, embarrassed.
She raised a hand to cut him off, standing up smoothly. The fire still crackled beside them, but the cold of the cave made the water on her skin feel even sharper.
"It's fine. But try not to turn me into an ice sculpture next time," she replied, resigned.
Without any hesitation, she calmly removed her soaked tights, pulling them off before hanging them near the fire to dry. Her legs, lean yet muscular, bore clear signs of endurance and strength.
Veil couldn't help but steal a quick glance at her legs. Despite himself, an amused smile flickered across his lips.
"I didn't think a wolf-woman could have such... smooth legs. I imagined you a bit more... fluffy," he murmured, teasing.
Alynia slowly turned her head toward him, her piercing blue eyes locking onto him with an icy stare. Her serious expression left no room for doubt.
"I thought you were smarter, Little Wolf. But clearly, we can't have everything," she replied, her tone sharp.
Veil opened his mouth to reply but immediately reconsidered when he caught sight of the sharp claw extending from Alynia's hand. She let it glint slightly in the firelight, her expression unreadable.
"One more comment about my legs and I'll cut off yours," she said, calm but threatening.
She stared at him for a moment, letting a heavy silence linger before retracting her claw and sitting back down beside him with natural fluidity. Veil swallowed hard, offering a sheepish smile.
Note to self: never joke with her again... about anything, he thought, nervous.
Alynia crossed her arms, gazing at the embers with her usual intensity. A faint smirk played at her lips, betraying perhaps a trace of amusement she wouldn't openly show.
Meanwhile, Veil refocused on his task. The small sphere of water hovering above his palm trembled slightly, its shape far from perfect. He took a deep breath, closing his eyes to concentrate on the steps he had repeated relentlessly over the past few days. His goal was clear: to infuse the sphere with wind, making it spin in perfect harmony.
Hours passed. The sun reached its zenith, bathing the forest in a cold, white light that timidly seeped into the cave. Despite his efforts, every one of Veil's attempts failed. Each time he tried to introduce wind into the sphere, the water became unstable and burst, splashing his hands and the ground around him.
Alynia, who had been silently observing, finally stood with a sigh. She approached Veil, her gaze stern but not unkind.
"That's enough. Not today. You're not ready," she declared, firm.
She turned on her heels and returned to the fire. Kneeling, she reached for her tights, checking if they had dried near the flames. Her relaxed posture contrasted with the intensity still burning in Veil's eyes.
Despite Alynia's words, Veil refused to stop. His fists clenched, and he muttered to himself.
"I have to do it... I can do this...," he whispered, determined.
He resumed his stance, once again connecting his mana to the water. Minutes stretched into hours. The light outside began to fade, casting a golden hue inside the cave. Alynia continued watching him from the corner of her eye, her expression wavering between frustration and curiosity.
Stupid Little Wolf... You still don't understand what this really takes, she thought.
But Veil persisted. Each new attempt became more methodical, more controlled. Then, as he visualized a smooth and perfect sphere, a faint breeze escaped from his hand. Alynia lifted her head, intrigued.
The sphere of water in Veil's palm began to change. It wasn't a vortex that formed, as expected, but something entirely different. The surface of the water turned white, a cold, crystalline hue settling over it. The inside of the sphere slowly solidified, the water transforming into a perfect, frozen orb.
Veil opened his eyes, an unfamiliar cold spreading through his palm. He stared at the frozen sphere, his eyes widening in astonishment.
"Ice... I made... ice?" he breathed, stunned.
Alynia quickly stepped closer, her expression serious. She examined the sphere in Veil's hand, fascinated by the phenomenon. But Veil, caught off guard by his own success, lost his concentration. The sphere slipped from his hand and fell to the ground, shattering into several fragments that sparkled under the light.
Alynia crouched down, picking up one of the shards. She turned the piece of ice between her fingers, admiring its pure texture and the way it reflected the faint light from outside.
This isn't just water control... There's something else hidden inside him, she thought.
She lifted her gaze back to Veil, who was still frozen in place, his expression a mix of confusion and intensity.
"Frost mana... That's not common. Not for someone just starting out," she said quietly, almost to herself.
Veil, meanwhile, stared at the scattered shards of ice, frustration battling against a rising sense of pride. He clenched his fists, as if trying to etch this moment into his memory.
"If I did it once, I can do it again. I just need to understand how," he said, his voice low but resolute.
Alynia stood, still holding the ice fragment between her fingers. She held it up to Veil, her gaze firm but intrigued.
"What you did there isn't nothing, Little Wolf. But don't get carried away by success. Ice is temperamental. It's one of the hardest elements to master—it combines the fluidity of water and the rigidity of cold," she explained, firm.
She stepped closer, still holding the ice shard, and crouched to Veil's level.
"It wasn't just your mana acting. There's something else inside you. Maybe a natural affinity, or... something else. But you're not ready to control it yet," she added, her gaze intense.
Veil lifted his eyes to her, his face still marked by surprise.
"But... I succeeded, didn't I? I can do it again," he said, hesitant.
Alynia let out a sigh and placed the ice fragment into his hand.
"Maybe. But not right now. This phenomenon, this ice—you created it by accident. It wasn't fully intentional. Before you run, you need to learn how to walk without stumbling," she replied, gentler, but firm.
She stood and returned to the fire, feeding the flames with a few more branches. The cave's atmosphere warmed slightly, pushing back the lingering chill left by the frozen sphere.
"Go back to water. Focus on what you already control. The rest will come in time... or it won't," she said, turning her back to him, calm.
Veil sat in silence for a moment, his thoughts racing. He stared at the shard of ice in his palm, feeling its cold seep into his skin. Then, after taking a deep breath, he rose to his feet.
"Back to water... Fine. But I'm not giving up on ice. Not after that," he said, his voice low and firm.
He returned to the puddle, kneeling and extending his hand, ready to reconnect with the water. Alynia, watching discreetly from the corner of her eye, let a subtle, almost imperceptible smile cross her lips.
This Little Wolf... he might just surprise me again, she thought.
The end of the day approached, but Veil showed no signs of slowing down. The wind outside blended softly with the crackling fire, accompanying the determination of a student who refused to fail.
His repeated attempts finally bore fruit. Through sheer focus and precision, he managed to form increasingly larger spheres of water. With each try, his movements became more fluid, his visualization sharper. Eventually, he succeeded in maintaining a sphere the size of an apple above his palm, its surface smooth and stable.
"I'm making progress... But why can't I recreate that ice? What did I miss?" he growled, proud but frustrated.
He tried several times to reproduce the unexpected phenomenon, but without success. Each time, the water remained liquid, responding obediently to his control but refusing to transform. Still, he continued, determined to understand.
The daylight slowly faded, giving way to the all-encompassing darkness of night. Alynia, who had been watching him for some time, stood and approached.
"That's enough for today, Little Wolf. You've made progress, but your body and mind have their limits," she said, her voice calm but authoritative.
Veil finally released his concentration, letting the sphere fall gently back into the puddle with a soft plop. He leaned back slightly, wiping the sweat from his forehead. His muscles were tense, and his mind was exhausted from the constant effort.
They sat by the fire, the flickering flames casting a warm glow on their tired faces. Alynia pulled out a few pieces of dried meat and shared them with Veil. The silence between them wasn't heavy but rather a welcomed respite after an intense day of training.
"You did well today. But remember, Little Wolf, this is only the beginning. Tomorrow, you'll need to be ready for what's next," she added, looking at him with a hint of satisfaction.
Veil nodded, a faint smile on his lips despite the exhaustion etched on his face.
"Another day... I'll be ready," he said, determined.
After their meal, they lay down, the fire gradually fading until only faint embers remained. Veil, stretched out on the ground, felt his eyelids grow heavy. Fatigue was taking over, but this time, he drifted into sleep with a sense of satisfaction—a small step forward in his quest to master magic.
The night wrapped the cave in a soothing silence, promising a new challenge with the arrival of dawn.