Jake started focusing on his deck searching for the same as he did inside his body. And to his surprise not long after he could feel the magical mana inside the desk.
Then he started to experience with many more things and he soon found out that mana was just simply everywhere. Something he had never felt before was now everywhere he looked. The mana was even present in the air they all breathed.
It was overwhelming to find out that something he never felt before was now everywhere. Still Jake very much enjoyed finding it out. It wasn't just Jake all the other kids had succeeded in their assignment and were looking at everything with surprise.
"That's right mana is present everywhere. And this very mana is the basis of all magic. A mage can use the mana in and around himself and use it too cast magic. There is not much known about the origin of mana, but we do know that it is the basis of everything related to magic. Some simple examples are that mage uses it to cast magic spells and beasts absorb it to evolve themselves and grow stronger."
Jake was fascinated by everything Lucas was telling him and kept listening closely.
"Now it's finally time for you to learn to use the mana and transform it into a magical spell. The theory is very simple yet hard to execute at the beginning. You simply try to change the mana around you and cast it into something else. We'll start by a simple flame spell. Open your hand palm up and simply think about wanting to create a spell. No incantation is needed as you simply need to convert the mana into flame."
Jake didn't realize it would actually be so simple, but he swallowed his thoughts as he started to really try it. He opened his hand facing his palm up and thought about a fire on top of his hands, yet nothing happened.
He tried harder and focused on a simple flame above the palm of his hands, but unfortunately, still, nothing happened, causing him to think that he wasn't destined to become a mage. But after seeing that no-one in the classroom was able to succeed he got relieved knowing it wasn't just him, but then suddenly a boy succeeded and a very small flame appeared above his hand.
Everyone in the classroom looked at him with awe and a bit of envy as only he was able to succeed until now. Lucas also saw he succeeded but wasn't particularly surprised. All mages were able to succeed in this assignment, but a mage with a specialty leaning to the fiery side had it way easier, so he knew that this boy's magical attribute aligned with fire.
After seeing someone succeed every one in the room tried harder than before but still, nobody else was able to succeed. Lucas chuckling knew that for these kids new to magic it wouldn't be that simple so he spoke up.
"It's not necessarily about how hard you try to make fire. It's extremely important to feel the mana and then transform it into fire. You have to focus on transforming mana into fire, not wanting to cast fire from nothingness."
All the kids in the classroom took his advice and tried once more, only now focusing on the mana.
Jake too relaxed and closed his eyes, searching for the mana present everywhere. Then he focused his attention on the top of his hand and found the mana there. He then slowly without losing his focus tried to convert it into fire.
Then he opened his eyes and to his surprise, a small red-yellow flame was burning above the palm of his hand. But as soon as he got shocked it disappeared. Knowing he was able to do it, Jake tried again and once again focused on transforming to mana into fire.
And once again a small flame appeared on top of his palm, only now Jake kept his attention on it and thus it didn't disappear so soon again. He carefully examined the small flame on top of his palm and felt some heat radiating from it.
Still, the flame was too small to actually hurt him. He tried to make it bigger but didn't succeed. Not long after he stopped focusing on it and the flame disappeared once more.
Jake looked around and saw that most of the kids had succeeded as well, with some having a slightly bigger flame than others. The most were still very small though. Only the boy who had succeeded in the beginning had a somewhat bigger flame than others.
Jake also saw Paul with a very minuscule flame. It was so small Jake was barely able to see it.
Paul seeing Jake look at him scoffed at him. "What it's there isn't it, so what are you looking at?"
Jake just smiled seeing Paul get so worked up about it.
"Don't worry perhaps your skill lies in some other magic."
Paul sighed deep.
"Yea let's hope so."
Jake and Paul both laughed softly.
Lucas seeing everyone succeeded spoke once more.
"I'm sure everyone has felt a bit exhausted after conceiving the flame for some time right?"
Everyone in the classroom nodded. Even Jake felt a bit tired after conceiving for some time.
"Good, converting mana into something else always requires your own energy. If you cast too much magic and exhaust all your stamina you can even pass out. But don't worry you'll be training a lot from now on to make sure you cast spells as efficiently possible."
Jake felt amazing as he realized he had just cast his first magic spell even though it was a very small one. Learning about magic and now being able to use it just felt extremely good and he couldn't wait to learn more.
"From now on you'll be training for two months in mostly mana control as well as physical activities. It's very important for a mage to have a good body. In two months, there will be a specialty test. In this test, you'll find out whether you have a specialty and if you do which one."
Jake didn't realize that training once body was important as well he just thought a mage would only use spells and wouldn't care much for physical fitness. Still, he didn't really care about it as his body was already trained quite nicely through to him working on the farm.
Most of the kids in his class were the same. All of them had grown up without much so everyone had to help their parents with certain things so they didn't care for training once body.
Kids in other classrooms with more rich and well-off parents weren't really excited about physical training though. They all just wanted to learn magic and do cool stuff. Working out definitely wasn't what they wanted, but naturally, they had to agree to it.
After that Lucas started to teach them more about mana manipulation until it was time for lunch. Dismissing the classroom he left as well.
"Amazing right Jake. To be able to do stuff like this.
"You didn't do much though," Jake said playfully.
"What, You!" Paul took Jake under his armpit and ruffled through his hair.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, you did very great."
Paul let him go and laughed softly.
"That's more like it. All right let's get some food."
Jake along with Paul made their way to the cafeteria. The magic students didn't need to make their own food as everything was prepared for by the school. The cafeteria though was filled with students of every rank.
Jake and Paul went to stand in line to receive their food. Naturally, the students in the higher rank classes acted like they were in charge and just cut in line. Even though Jake wanted to say something Paul nudged him and said: "Just let 'm be."
Jake scoffed and said: "fine." Still, he didn't enjoy how these seemingly 'superior' students were acting. He just said to himself that in time he would grow powerful enough that they wouldn't even dare to stand in front of him.
Jake then continued to stand in line until he received his food. It wasn't anything special but wasn't unsavory either so he ate it without a problem.
"After lunch will be physical training right?"
Paul sighed and said: "Yes."
Paul wasn't really one who enjoyed training even though he as well needed to help out at his home. Paul liked eating way more than he liked working out so when he found out he could become a mage he thought his dream was coming true. He could eat all he wants and not work out a single day. Little did he know that now he had to train his body.
Jake though was looking forward to it, even though he didn't know now that it would be hell and nothing like he had ever experienced before.