Leon stared at the tranquility rune circle, no longer dizzy. He could memorize every curve and line, calling the image to mind with perfect clarity. Flower, sleeping in the next room, had already mastered meditation and was preparing to absorb mana. Leon's constant need to double-check—like someone who couldn't remember if they'd locked the door—stemmed from weeks of falling short.
He closed his eyes, focusing on a single point in his mind, emptying his thoughts. The point condensed into a glowing singularity, then exploded, sending ripples through his consciousness. Suddenly, he felt the world beyond his body—pulsating waves that matched his breath, a colorless, liquid light that surrounded him.
Mana.
"I did it!" Leon whispered, his heart racing. As a straight-A student who'd always outshone Dahlia and Flower, falling behind in magic had gnawed at him. Dahlia had sensed mana over a month ago, Flower nearly a month. Now, he'd finally caught up.
Excitement jolted him out of meditation. But he smiled—once you succeeded once, re-entering meditation was far easier.
Dawn broke as Leon rose to make breakfast. The bread came from his family's bakery, delivered by the lord's servants every three days. He fried eggs and smoked ham—simple, but better than Im's endless roasted meat. For the first few days, they'd survived on Im's hunts, but after four days of greasy venison, everyone had begged for bread and vegetables. Im had relented, arranging for regular deliveries.
The house Im had built was ugly but solid, no drafts. The tables and chairs were the students' handiwork—wobbly, with uneven legs that required careful sitting. Next to it stood a stone building, far more refined—Im's laboratory, built by the lord's men. It was clear Im had no skill for permanent camps; he'd made them build the basics to "train" them.
"Flower, wake up! The sun's up!" Leon called. He roused Dahlia, then found Im already awake, reading magic notes by the fire.
After breakfast, Leon said, "Master, I meditated successfully. This morning."
"Excellent!" Im smiled. "My method worked better than I hoped."
Leon blinked. I was a guinea pig? He bit back the thought, nodding. "Thank you, Master."
"Once you can meditate reliably, you'll absorb mana and learn magic," Im explained. "Your strong mental strength will speed things up—this is where it pays off." He turned to all three. "After breakfast, we'll plan the rune circle and reinforce the warning wards."
Im led them to a spot near the house, half in the woods, half in the open. He drove a red stake into the ground as the center. "Take these stakes. I'll fly up and guide you—plant them where I say."
He lifted off on his staff, pulling out a protractor-like tool. "Leon, go to that oak. Five steps to my right—no, my right. Stop! Drive the stake there."
"Dahlia, opposite Leon. Perfect."
It took all morning to plant a dozen stakes. Im said it was only a third of the work. He landed twice to rest, his mana drained from hovering. By afternoon, twenty more stakes were in place, forming an octagon with smaller patterns inside—Leon couldn't make sense of it.
Im touched down, pale but satisfied. "That's enough for today. Tomorrow, we'll lay the rune stones. Rest tonight."
"Master, are you okay?" Dahlia asked, worried.
"Just tired—overusing mana damages your mana pool, and it's hard to repair," Im warned. "Always stop when you're exhausted."