The following week everyone had returned, and they felt jovial and purposeful, including Brina of course, who had her brightest smile even this early in the morning.
The instructors arrived in due time, but before they had been called to do their daily exercises, an announcement was made. "Listen up, recruits! You will be receiving your uniforms today! This is freely given to you, so it will be limited to just one pair. Now line up and come up when you are called!"
There was a sudden roar in the assembled recruits. It was quite exciting for them. Even Brina didn't understand, but she managed to join in. Was this something worth celebrating? She doesn't understand, but the vibe tells her so.
And yes, this is something worth the celebration indeed. This signifies that you are one step closer to your goal. Their uniforms signify that they have survived the initial welcome ceremony. Although they wouldn't be wearing this uniform during training, they are told it was for classroom instructions, town ceremonies, or when they get awarded.
The uniforms themselves were simple but well-made. Dark blue tunics with the town's crest embroidered on the chest, a silver tower surrounded by wheat stalks. Sturdy gray trousers, black boots, and a leather belt. But what really made everyone excited were the armbands.
Team Alina's standard armband showed a golden eagle on a red background, representing vigilance and strength. Team Bretta's standard armband displayed a black bear on a green background, symbolizing endurance and protection. Simple designs, but they represented belonging, identity, pride.
But Brina's team, the original Bretta Team Two who had won the competition, had something different. Their silver wolf in dark blue stood out immediately. When they tied the armbands on, people noticed. There were looks of envy, looks of respect, looks of curiosity.
Bernadeth's face when she saw Brina's unique armband was particularly satisfying. Her lips pressed into a thin line, but she said nothing. What could she say? Brina's team had earned it.
After the initial happiness had died down and everyone received their own uniforms and armbands, which indeed Brina and those other ten in her team who won with her before received their own unique armbands, except for their new teammates who weren't part of Platoon Bretta Team Two and who were consolidated a bit later.
And yes, they indeed stuck out from the crowd, as the others have their standard insignia of Team Alina and Team Bretta, the original ones.
After that, they were back to their morning routine. But this time it was more refined and more advanced than the basics. And this time the excitement was focused on another surprise.
A tall man came out from the training grounds building. He was at least eight feet tall. The Centuurians could immediately tell the difference. This man was an Arkanian, and indeed what they have heard was true. These evolved cousins of theirs were giants among men.
A murmur ran through the assembled recruits. Most of them had never seen an Arkanian up close before. Sure, they knew they existed, knew they were taller and stronger and could use magic, but knowing and seeing were two different things.
Brina stared openly, her mouth slightly agape. Eight feet tall. The man's head was nearly level with the second-story windows of the training building. His shoulders were broad, his arms thick with muscle. But what struck her most was the casual confidence in his posture. He didn't move like someone trying to intimidate. He just was intimidating, simply by existing.
"Close your mouth, Feldwyn," Sergeant Vorik said as he passed. "You'll catch flies."
Brina snapped her mouth shut, her cheeks flushing.
The Arkanian stepped forward to address them. "Good morning, recruits. My name is Hans Gill. I am a hedge-mage specializing in there element of water magic, and I've been hired by the town's guard to provide instruction on magical combat and how to counter magic users in the field even if you don't have magic."
His voice was deep but not harsh. Educational, almost. Like a teacher addressing students.
"Now, I know most of you are Centuurians," he continued, "and I know you're probably wondering why you need to learn about magic when you can't use it yourselves. The answer is simple. Out there, beyond these walls, you will encounter beasts with magical abilities. You will encounter bandits who may hire mages. You will encounter situations where understanding magic could mean the difference between life and death."
He gestured to himself. "I'm here to give you that understanding. And to show you that while you may not have magic, you can still counter it if you're smart, if you're prepared, and if you work together."
Sergeant Vorik stepped forward. "Before we begin practical demonstrations, Mr. Gill will be providing some theoretical background. This is important information. You will be tested on it. Pay attention."
Hans nodded and began. "Let me start by explaining the fundamental differences between Centuurians and Arkanians, because understanding this will help you understand magic itself."
He pulled out a scroll and began reading from it, though it was clear he had much of it memorized.
"At first glance, humans of Centuury bear striking similarities to our distant ancestors. But these superficial resemblances mask profound evolutionary divergences. We Arkanians have transcended ancestral limitations, evolving into a higher form adapted to the harsh realities of this world."
Brina listened carefully, trying to absorb every word.
"Through countless generations, Arkanians developed bodies capable of channeling magical energies. We have outgrown the vessels of our predecessors, the Old-Human Centuurians, who still closely resemble our ancient ancestors. Arkanian adolescents typically stand five to seven feet tall, while adult males like myself average eight feet in height."
He gestured to himself again. "In exceptional cases, males may reach ten to twelve feet tall, with females growing to eight to ten feet. Such extraordinary growth occurs in those who channel exceptionally potent magical forces, those with mixed heritage from other humanoid bloodlines, or rare individuals blessed with partial divinity through birth."
Someone raised their hand. Himdal. "What's the tallest Arkanian in existence?"
Hans smiled slightly. "That would be Emperor Janus Cornwall of the Elms-Arkanus Empire, who towers at fifteen feet tall. He is believed to be the offspring of a mortal Arkanian and a goddess, a union that violated the sacred edicts of High Heaven. He exists as the only half-deity, half-human in all of Arkanus. His unique heritage places him beyond comparison with both Centuurians and Arkanians."
The recruits murmured among themselves. Fifteen feet. Half god. It seemed impossible, like something from a story.
"But what truly distinguishes us," Hans continued,"lies not merely in our impressive stature but in our internal evolution. We have developed a second heart that pulses in perfect counterpoint to our original one. This auxiliary heart doesn't circulate blood but instead serves as a reservoir for magical essence."
He placed a hand over his chest. "From this secondary heart extends an intricate network of specialized channels, conduits for mana that distribute power throughout our bodies. These pathways enable us to harness forces that would overwhelm Centuurian bodies."
Brina felt a strange mixture of awe and sadness. She would never have that. She would never feel magic flowing through her veins, she would never be able to conjure water from nothing, and never will she be able to touch that power. She was limited to her ordinary human body.
But then Hans said something that caught her attention.
"In terms of raw power, the evolutionary gap is significant. A typical Arkanian might equal the strength of one hundred Centuurians. But," and here he paused for emphasis, "that doesn't mean Centuurians are helpless. Strength isn't everything. Intelligence, strategy, coordination, these can overcome raw power. I've seen well-trained Centuurian soldiers take down magical beasts that individual Arkanians couldn't defeat. Never underestimate what you can achieve."
That made Brina feel better. She might not have magic, but she could be smart, she could be strategic, she could work with her team.
"Now," Hans said, "let me explain the classification of magic users, so you understand what you might face in the field."
He pulled out another scroll and began listing the different ranks. Apprentice, Initiate, Acolyte, Mage, Archmage, High Archmage. He explained the differences between hedge-mages like himself, who were self-taught, sorcerers who mastered multiple types of magic, and wizards who specialized in one element.
"I am a hedge-mage," Hans said."I have already demonstrated magical abilities from early childhood, capable of conjuring water without formal instruction. As I matured, using magic became as natural as breathing. We hedge-mages are typically solitary and,"he smiled self-deprecatingly,"often arrogant due to our enhanced intellect and intuitive understanding of magical principles. I'm trying to work on that."
Some of the recruits laughed.
"I currently hold the rank of Mage within the Imperial Magic Order's classification system. I'm an expert in my field, specifically water magic. And that's what I'm going to demonstrate for you now."
He stepped back and raised his hands. The recruits leaned forward, their anticipation building.
Hans closed his eyes, and for a moment nothing happened. Then Brina saw it. The air around his hands seemed to shimmer, and then water began to form. Not dripping from somewhere, not pulled from a container, but manifesting from nothing. Or at least, from what appeared to be nothing.
The water gathered into a sphere floating above his palm, perfectly clear, perfectly still. Then with a gesture, he reshaped it. The sphere became a snake, undulating through the air. Then a bird, with its wings spread. Then a flower and its petals unfurling.
Brina's mouth had dropped open again. She couldn't help it. This was magic. Real magic, happening right in front of her.
"Magic," Hans explained as he continued manipulating the water, "comes from the formulation of one's will to manifest what is in the mind. I have an affinity for water, which means my pool toward that element is strongest. Most are born with one affinity, on rare occasions two. But there are those who master multiple disciplines, even if they have only one at birth."
He let the water splash to the ground. "An element is manifested based on the natural things found in the world. Water has always been there, so it's easy to understand. As well as air, earth, fire, and many things we can witness directly. A user of an element is strongest when they are around that type of elemental ground. Their will to manifest the forms they wish to create becomes stronger and easier to wield."
He gestured broadly. "Water is everywhere, just like air. It can be so minuscule you cannot see it. Humans and some beasts have water in their bodies, so it's easier to manipulate. And most importantly, water can be found in liquid forms. When a mage masters water, they can use anything that has liquid in it."
Someone raised their hand. "Does that mean you could pull water from a person's body?"
Hans's expression became serious. "Theoretically, yes. Practically, it's extremely difficult and extremely dangerous. The human body fights against such manipulation. But yes, there are blood mages who specialize in such techniques. You will likely never encounter one, as they are rare and often hunted."
He demonstrated several more techniques. Creating a wall of water for defense. Forming spears of ice for offense. Healing a small cut on his hand by using water to clean and seal the wound.
"Water is best as both defensive and offensive weapon, and also support," Hans explained. "Many known healers are water bearers, though there are those specialized in it, such as light-based elementals. Fundamentally speaking, there are more water healers than light elements. It's hard to manifest using light because you need a deeper understanding of advanced fundamentals. Those who practice religious light-based worship are more proficient with this as they are closer to their divine patrons."
He paused and looked at all of them. "Magic isn't exclusive to mages. Most who have talent could use it in anything. It could be to amplify their strengths or weapons, use it to hold down enemies, and many more. But you, as Centuurians, cannot do this. So what you need to learn is how to counter it."
The rest of the lesson focused on practical counters to magic. How certain materials disrupted magical flow. How teamwork and coordinated attacks could overwhelm a single mage. How understanding an element's weakness could be exploited.
"Water mages," Hans said, "struggle in extreme cold where water freezes solid before we can manipulate it, and in extreme heat where it evaporates too quickly. Earth mages need solid ground beneath their feet. Fire mages need oxygen. Every element has limitations. Learn them."
By the end of the session, Brina's head was spinning with information. But she felt energized too. Yes, she couldn't use magic. But she could learn to fight against it. That was something.
As they were dismissed for the day, Elena caught up with Brina. "That was incredible," she breathed. "Did you see him make that water snake?"
"I know," Brina agreed. "I mean, I knew magic was real, but seeing it like that..."
"Makes you wish you were an Arkanian?"
Brina thought about it. "Maybe a little. But Mr. Gill said something that stuck with me. He said intelligence and strategy can overcome raw power. That we shouldn't underestimate what we can achieve."
"You really took that to heart, didn't you?"
"Yeah," Brina said, looking down at the silver wolf on her armband. "I think I did."
They had their uniforms now. They had seen real magic. Phase Two had officially begun, and Brina was ready for whatever came next.