POV: Elior
The morning after our little discussion about everyone's paths, I woke up feeling unusually motivated.
Maybe it was because Erza had started taking her sword training seriously.
Maybe it was because Cana had begun thinking about what kind of mage she wanted to become.
Or maybe I was simply getting bored with doing the same thing every day.
Whatever the reason, by the time Laxus and I reached the Fairy Tail guild hall, I already had one thing on my mind.
"Let's train."
Laxus looked at me.
"We train almost every day."
"I know."
"Then why are you saying it like it's some great discovery?"
"Because today we're going to train harder."
He sighed.
"You really don't know when to stop."
"Stopping is for people who have reached their limits."
"And you've reached yours?"
"Absolutely not."
"Then stop talking."
We walked farther into the guild hall.
It was still relatively quiet. Most of the guild members hadn't arrived yet, and the few who were there were either eating breakfast or preparing for their own work.
I looked around.
"Where's Gramps?"
"Probably upstairs."
"Let's find him."
Laxus raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"I want him to train us."
He stopped walking.
"You want gramps to train us?"
"Yes."
"You've already got Irene-san."
"Irene is amazing, but she's busy with her own things. And Gramps has been watching us fight for months."
Laxus thought about it.
"You're serious."
"Very."
He shrugged.
"Fine."
We headed upstairs.
We didn't even have to search for long.
Makarov was sitting near one of the windows, reading through a stack of guild documents with a cup of tea beside him.
He looked up when we entered.
"Morning, boys."
"Morning, Gramps," I said.
Laxus nodded.
"Morning."
Makarov looked between us.
"Something on your minds?"
I stepped forward.
"We want you to train us."
Makarov paused.
Then he slowly placed the papers on the table.
"Both of you?"
"Yep."
Laxus nodded.
"Yeah."
Makarov leaned back in his chair.
For several seconds, he simply looked at us.
Then he smiled.
"I was wondering when you'd ask."
I blinked.
"You were waiting?"
"I've been watching the two of you for quite some time."
He gestured toward two chairs.
"Sit."
We sat.
Makarov folded his hands.
"You've both reached the point where simply fighting each other isn't enough anymore."
I nodded.
"That's what I thought."
"You've learned a great deal on your own, Elior. Your Light Magic is extraordinary, and your physical ability is already far beyond what it should be at your age."
He turned toward Laxus.
"And you have tremendous potential as well. Your Lightning Magic is powerful, but you still rely too much on raw output."
Laxus frowned.
"I can control it."
"You can control enough of it."
Makarov smiled.
"That's not the same thing."
Laxus didn't argue.
I smiled slightly.
Gramps continued.
"The two of you have something in common."
"What?" I asked.
"You both have more power than you currently know what to do with."
Laxus looked thoughtful.
I couldn't disagree.
Makarov stood.
"Power is easy to admire. Mastery is much harder."
He walked toward the door.
"If you want me to train you, understand one thing first."
We followed him.
"I won't simply make you stronger."
I tilted my head.
"Then what will you do?"
"I'll teach you how to use the strength you already possess."
That sounded much more interesting.
We left the guild and headed toward one of the training grounds outside Magnolia.
The moment we arrived, Makarov turned toward me.
"Elior, draw your sword."
I did.
"Attack me."
I stared at him.
"Seriously?"
"Yes."
I grinned.
"Gladly."
I rushed forward.
My body accelerated instantly.
My sword flashed toward him.
Makarov raised one hand.
A magical barrier appeared.
CLANG!
My blade struck it and bounced away.
I landed and immediately attacked again.
Left.
Right.
Above.
Below.
I changed my rhythm and increased my speed.
Makarov blocked every attack.
Not with overwhelming power.
With precision.
He barely moved.
Finally, he flicked two fingers.
A burst of magical force sent me sliding backward.
I stopped myself.
Makarov smiled.
"Your physical abilities are excellent."
"Thank you."
"But you're relying on them too much."
I frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"You have tremendous speed and strength. Your Light Magic makes ordinary physical attacks almost useless against you. Your magical perception allows you to read movement and magical fluctuations."
He pointed at my sword.
"But you still approach combat as though having more power will solve every problem."
I thought about that.
He was right.
"If you want to become a true master, you need to learn efficiency."
He raised his hand.
A small ball of magic appeared above his palm.
"Create a Light Magic sphere."
I did.
A bright sphere appeared above my hand.
"Now make it half the size."
I reduced it.
"Half again."
I did.
"Again."
The sphere became tiny.
"Keep the same magical density."
I concentrated.
The tiny sphere became brighter.
Makarov nodded.
"Good."
Then he made it even smaller.
"Now maintain it without allowing your output to fluctuate."
I stared at the tiny point of light.
At first, it was easy.
Then it became difficult.
The smaller I made it, the more precise the control had to become.
A slight fluctuation caused the light to flicker.
I stabilized it.
Makarov smiled.
"That's your first lesson."
I looked at him.
"Control?"
"Control."
Then he turned toward Laxus.
"Your turn."
Laxus stepped forward.
Makarov nodded toward the field.
"Attack me."
Lightning crackled around Laxus.
He launched himself forward.
Unlike me, Laxus's fighting style was direct.
Fast.
Aggressive.
Powerful.
Makarov blocked his first attack.
Then his second.
Then his third.
Laxus changed his approach and began using his Lightning Magic to accelerate his movements.
Makarov continued blocking.
"Again."
Laxus attacked.
"Again."
Another attack.
"Again."
Laxus gritted his teeth.
He increased his magical output.
Lightning exploded around his body.
Makarov stopped him with a single spell.
"Too much."
Laxus clenched his fist.
"I'm not finished."
"I know."
Makarov's expression softened.
"That's precisely why I'm training you."
Laxus looked at him.
"You don't need more power right now."
Makarov pointed toward the lightning still crackling around him.
"You need to understand the power you already have."
Laxus slowly lowered his hand.
I watched him carefully.
There was something about the way he looked at his own lightning that made me curious.
It wasn't simply pride.
There was something else there.
Something I couldn't quite place.
But I didn't ask.
Not yet.
Makarov looked at both of us.
"From tomorrow onward, your training changes."
I smiled.
"How much harder?"
"Much."
Laxus smirked.
"Good."
Makarov sighed.
"I already regret this."
I laughed.
As we walked back toward Magnolia, Laxus bumped my shoulder.
"So we're really doing this?"
"Of course."
"Every morning?"
"Every morning."
"And after that?"
"We spar."
He grinned.
"You're going to lose."
"In your dreams."
"I've beaten you before."
"Once."
"Twice."
"Details."
Laxus laughed.
For a moment, everything felt simple.
We were just two kids who wanted to become stronger.
Two friends.
Two rivals.
But I had a feeling this was going to change things.
Training under Makarov wasn't going to be like anything we'd done before.
He wasn't interested in turning us into monsters.
He wanted us to understand the power we already possessed.
And if I knew Gramps at all, he probably had something much more difficult planned for us.
I smiled.
"Tomorrow can't come soon enough."