After the groups split up, Brett found himself standing before what could only be described as a shooting range, a long stretch of dry, dusty ground, ending in a raised dirt mound. At its base sat a line of large boulders, each painted with crude monster faces: goblins, wolves, and a cartoonishly exaggerated troll.

  Caistina strode behind them with her usual elegance, staff resting lightly in her hand. “Alright, you’ve all grasped the theory behind magic. Now let’s see how well you can apply it. Today, we’ll focus on offensive casting, targeting enemies and maximising impact. I know each of you will have a different set of spells, so for now just pick one offensive spell and aim for the boulders. Later we’ll explore your defensive capabilities, and those of you who can cast wards will get specific instruction on that as well.”

  The four of them, Brett and the three other trainees, lined up at the edge of the field. Nobody moved. No one wanted to go first.

  Brett hesitated a second, then stepped forward. Alright. I’ve done this before. This is just rocks, no screaming goblins, no flying daggers. This should be easy.

  He raised his staff to his shoulder like a rifle, closed one eye, and sighted down its length at a boulder about fifty feet away. Channeling his mana, he focused, then unleashed a firebolt. The crackling flame shot forward and slammed into the centre of the boulder, leaving a satisfying black scorch mark.

  Grinning, Brett turned to see how the others had reacted.

  All of them, including Caistina, were staring at him with wide eyes.

  “…What?” he asked.

  “Erm… well, that was a very accurate shot,” Caistina said, tilting her head. “But… why were you holding your staff like that?”

  Brett blinked and looked down. “Like what? I was aiming.”

  Confused silence broke into laughter. Even the shyest student chuckled behind their hand. Caistina cleared her throat sharply to regain control of the group.

  “Oh, no, dear,” she said gently, trying not to smile. “You’re not wielding a crossbow. Magic doesn’t need aiming like a physical projectile. Just will the spell to its destination, it will travel there from your staff naturally. Here, watch.”

  She raised her staff casually at her side, barely seeming to focus, and a firebolt arced outward at a diagonal angle, slamming into the same boulder Brett had hit.

  Heat rushed to Brett’s cheeks. “Oh… I thought…”

  “It’s fine,” Caistina said, waving off his stammering. “You weren’t to know. That’s exactly why we train, so that small habits don’t become big problems later.”

  She turned to the others, her tone sharpening. “And as for the rest of you, I don’t know what you’re laughing about. Let’s see any of you hit dead centre at fifty paces.”

  The other trainees sobered quickly, their smiles fading.

  “Now,” Caistina continued briskly, “start casting. Brett, take a moment to watch how they hold their staves, then try again the proper way.”

  Still red-faced but grateful for the save, Brett nodded and stepped back, watching carefully as the others took their turns. He had a feeling he wouldn't make the same mistake again.

  The others wasted no time, eager to prove themselves. One by one, they launched their spells toward the same boulder Brett had scorched, each attempt subtly soothing his bruised ego as most failed to match his precision. Bolts veered wide, impacts fizzled, and only a few struck dead centre.

  Adqen hurled jagged ice bolts that exploded into sharp crystals wherever they struck, slowly frosting over the boulder's surface. Zendal attempted a lightning bolt, but his spell crackled and died midair, unable to bridge the distance. Scowling, he shifted his focus to a closer target, where his magic finally lashed across the stone, leaving blackened scorch trails.

  Koz’ru proved the most consistent. From his staff pulsed a continuous beam of shadow, inky and writhing, guided by his eyes. As long as he focused and fed it mana, the beam held steady. Even small deviations were easily corrected, and soon his boulder was streaked with lines of shadowy corrosion.

  Brett studied them carefully. Each of them had their own way of casting, different stances, different hand placements but not a single one aimed their staff like a weapon. They simply willed the magic forward, letting it flow through their focus.

  Nodding to himself, Brett stepped back into position. This time, he held his staff at his side, relaxed but ready. He focused on the same target and cast again.

  A firebolt burst forth and struck true, flame licking across the frost Adqen had left behind, melting it away in a hiss of steam.

  With each spell, his confidence grew. Flame after flame slammed into the rock, the stone gradually blackening under the repeated impacts. Eventually, Brett challenged himself by switching to a farther target, one the others had ignored. His accuracy dropped slightly, but the fire still landed close enough to make his efforts worthwhile.

  After several rounds, the group began to tire. Mana levels dwindled, casting became sluggish, and exhaustion crept into their limbs.

  “Enough,” Caistina called. She stepped forward, her voice calm but commanding.

  Raising her staff, she whispered an incantation. A soft hum filled the air as a glowing blue circle shimmered into being beneath her feet, spreading outward like ripples on water.

  “This is a mana circle,” she said, gesturing to the glowing ward. “It’s basically a mana regeneration sigil. Some of you may be able to learn it in time, but for now, sit inside and rest. We'll talk.”

  Gratefully, the four mages gathered within the circle’s protective glow, slumping down as cool magic began to seep into their skin. The relief was almost immediate.

  While they rested, Caistina moved from student to student, offering observations and personalised feedback. When she reached Brett, she gave him a small smile.

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  “You’ve got good mana control,” she said, “but you rush. Try spending a little more time shaping your spell. Power comes not only from strength but from intent.”

  Brett nodded, taking the advice to heart. When their mana recovered and practice resumed, he did as she’d said, no longer snapping his spells off in quick succession, but instead pausing to channel his energy with greater care. Each firebolt took longer to form, but they felt heavier, fiercer. The flames burst brighter, though he wasn’t sure if it was real… or if he was just starting to believe in himself a little more.

  The afternoon passed in rhythm: cast, rest, meditate, repeat. With each cycle, Brett felt his confidence grow, not just in his control of fire, but in the shape of his magic… and the mage he might one day become. Caistina guided them through their drills, pushing each of them to the edge of their limits. Spells flew. Mana drained. Recovery circles glowed. And the cycle began anew.

  By sunset, everyone was spent. Caistina offered them all a rare smile. “I saw improvement in each of you today,” she said. “Tomorrow, we’ll expand beyond your main casting focus. Be ready. And remember, early morning cardio still applies.”

  Groans followed her final words, but Brett was too tired to do more than grin. As the group dispersed, he made his way back toward the training field where he and Josh had agreed to meet.

  He spotted his friend walking in from the opposite direction, red-faced, drenched in sweat, and scowling at the ground like it had personally offended him.

  Brett raised a hand. “Hey! How’d it—”

  Josh marched straight past him without a word.

  “Hey, wait up!” Brett jogged to catch up. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” Josh muttered, not slowing down. “Just me being a clumsy idiot again. Thought I was some kind of hero and made a complete ass of myself.”

  Brett frowned. “What happened?”

  Josh exhaled hard through his nose. “I got too into it. Slammed into one of those big wooden targets with my shield. Broke it... and then fell flat on my face in front of everyone. Admiir tore into me. Said I’d get myself killed losing my footing like that. It was embarrassing.”

  Brett blinked, coming to a full stop. “Wait. You broke one of those targets?”

  Josh paused too, glancing back. “Yeah?”

  “You mean the ones made out of whole tree trunks with fake limbs? Those targets?”

  Josh shrugged, still confused. “Yeah. I’d been hitting it all day, then braced and really went for it. Next thing I knew, it cracked and toppled over.”

  “Hold on, you snapped a tree in half with your shield? What are you, a siege weapon?!”

  Josh furrowed his brow. “Well… when you put it like that…”

  Brett laughed, incredulous. “Did you have a battering ram hidden under your cloak or something?! That’s insane!”

  Josh opened his mouth to respond, then paused. His expression shifted. “Wait a second, I didn’t notice earlier. I just got a system alert.” His eyes glazed slightly as he checked it. Then his mouth split into a wide grin.

  “I got a new skill! Shield Bash! Says I can now use my shield as an offensive weapon, dealing damage and possibly stunning enemies. Guess all that slamming into things finally paid off!”

  Brett chuckled, shaking his head. “You bruised your pride and broke a tree. Sounds like a fair trade.”

  Josh let out a genuine laugh, the frustration finally leaving his shoulders. “Alright, yeah. That does make me feel a bit better.”

  The two friends walked back toward the village, the golden light of evening stretching their shadows out ahead of them.

  “Food and sleep?” Brett asked.

  “Definitely,” Josh nodded. “And maybe something to bash tomorrow. Just not the floor with my face again.”

  —-

  The next two days followed the same steady rhythm, early morning cardio, then splitting into class groups to focus on their individual training. As the drills continued, word spread of trainees unlocking new abilities, either by copying the techniques of others or through sheer repetition and effort. Progress was slow but real, and the air buzzed with the quiet excitement of growth.

  Brett, for his part, had been focused on one task. Under Caistina’s instruction, he worked tirelessly on a new technique.

  "Picture your magic bending," she had said. "Curve it around an obstacle, reach what you can’t see directly. It’s all about intent. Spin the energy."

  For hours, Brett visualized his fire arcing through the air, not in a straight line, but looping, weaving, coiling. It was frustrating. The spell resisted at first, snapping back to its usual path or fizzling out entirely. But late on the third day, something finally clicked.

  A bolt of fire twisted around the training dummy in front and struck the hidden one behind. The dummy sizzled and blackened. Brett stared, stunned, then let out a whoop of triumph as a new message appeared.

  New Skill Gained: Spell Bend - Basic

  Allows the caster to redirect certain projectile spells around cover or targets. Reduces accuracy and slightly increases cast time.

  He couldn’t stop grinning. It wasn’t just a trick, it was useful. With this, he could stay safely behind Josh in a fight and still contribute. He spent the last hour of training experimenting with different angles, distances, and targets, trying to find the limits of the new ability. It wasn’t perfect, his aim dropped the wider the bend, and the casting took longer but the tactical value was obvious.

  That evening, as the sun dipped below the treetops, Caistina gathered the class.

  “Alright, that’s enough for today,” she called. Her voice carried across the training yard, tired but proud. “I want to congratulate you all. You’ve pushed yourselves, learned new spells and techniques, and shown real promise. While none of you have reached a level-up just yet, your growth is clear.”

  The trainees shared glances and small smiles. Everyone looked exhausted but pleased.

  “Tomorrow will be different,” Caistina continued. “You’ll be split into parties, four trainees per group, each with an instructor. If there's someone you particularly want to partner with, let me know before you leave. Otherwise, we’ll assign groups in the morning.”

  She paused, letting that sink in before adding “You’ll be heading into the forest to hunt real monsters. Nothing too dangerous, but it’ll be your first time working together in a full adventuring party. This is your chance to apply what you’ve learned. You might even find people you want to group up with long-term.”

  Excitement mingled with anxiety across the field.

  “There’s no cardio tomorrow,” she said, to a chorus of quiet cheers. “But you’ll be doing plenty of walking, so bring all your gear and be ready for a fight. Get a good night’s sleep. Meet at the guild hall at first light.”

  She gave them a final smile and a wave, then turned to leave.

  Brett was already hurrying after her.

  “Caistina,” he called. “Josh and I, he’s my friend. We travelled here together. I’d really like to be in his party, if that’s possible.”

  She glanced at him, then nodded. “That shouldn’t be a problem.”

  Relieved, Brett thanked her, then headed off to find Josh. They met as usual, shared a quick meal at the inn, and collapsed into bed not long after.

  As Brett lay staring at the ceiling, Josh’s quiet snores in the next bed somehow made the room feel safer. The past week had been a blur of challenges and small victories. He’d learned more than he’d expected, about magic, about himself. And he’d enjoyed the studying, the practicing, the sense of progress.

  But now, a quiet unease twisted in his gut.

  Tomorrow wasn’t about theory anymore. It wasn’t drills or dummies or safe misfires. Tomorrow, they would be in the field, monsters, danger, real risk. He could die. Josh could get hurt.

  He turned over in bed, exhaling through his nose. The fear sat in the pit of his stomach, heavy and silent.

  But after playing through a dozen worst-case scenarios in his head, his thoughts finally slowed. Sleep came for him, creeping in like fog, and Brett surrendered to it, hoping their training would be enough.

  As the leaves settle and the battle’s echo fades,

  a quiet voice hums through the trees:

  “Review the tale, kind soul.

  So that others may find their way to it, too.”