[City of Magnolia]
The sun was shining brighter than usual today, with not a cloud in the sky. The temperature was hot for a day like today, if Ivan was back on earth, he would have guess it to be around mid-eighties. Not something he had been used to, but something he had grown to appreciate in this second life.
It had been a week since he had awakened his own magic, a little more since he'd awaken his magical power. Time had moved fast and the days had blurred together from all the training Makarov was dishing out.
One might think Makarov's training be centered around physical work, not mental. They would be wrong the old man was sick in the head for what he had Ivan and Gildart's doing. Early lectures at eight with a small quiz after and then brutal hikes and weightlifting in the afternoon. Makarov would make them scale the hills around Magnolia for hours on end until they work in a pool of sweat. Only when they were done were they allowed to drink water, Makarov wanted to simulate some real jobs apparently.
Ivan's face soured at the thought though he did not lose focus. With a deep breath in his body tightened and muscles bulged, magical power flooded into him. In both hands a tree log lay, and with an exertion of will he lifted the tree log up off the ground, moving from a squat postion to a full stand, letting his muscle take in the strain of the movement.
The log flew high into the air before crash landing a few feet from Ivan on its other side, he smiled at the sight. Inwardly though he groaned, his body was soaked in sweat. He moved over to the logs other side getting ready to repeat the same movement. Makarov had explained to him in Gildarts that this workout would be beneficial for channeling their magical power faster as well as getting their bodies in shape for jobs.
Ivan was already big for his size with broad shoulders and a large back; he was also tall almost six feet, roughly 180cms. Over the weak he had gained very little muscle, that stuff would take far longer, but he had noticed more definition on his body. He even looked a bit slimmer too; he wondered if magical power would increase his strength recovery?
Maybe.
As he prepared for another repetition his ears picked out the barest hit of a groan, he glanced over to the side to see Gildarts.
He was a fair distance away; Makarov had wanted them focused on the workout and not each other, so Ivan couldn't really talk to him. He did see Gildarts training, he channeled his magical power quickly and with a spring flipped over the log before quicky moving to do the movement again.
'Determined much?' Ivan had noticed Gildarts pushing himself more day by day, it seemed Ivan having awakened his magic first had put him in a sour mood. Ivan could only laugh. 'The dude's gonna be a monster in the future, maybe even more of one cus of me now. I wonder how much I'm going to change by existing?'
Hopefully not too much...future knowledge was only valuable if the future stayed the same. Of course, minor differences wouldn't cause to many problems, Ivan still had to watch what flowers he stepped on. It would do him no good to be the root of the guild getting destroyed by some force it entirely to unprepared for.
'Dam man, all the books make training arcs feel so easy, same with learning magic. If only it were so easy, then I could kill off all the big bad threats and live a life of peace. Ahh, what would be the fun that anyways.' Ivan kept on musing as he continued his workout.
Soon enough though the sun began to set, Ivan and Gildart's moved through a few more workouts before night fell. Though while Gildarts might be finished for the night Ivan had been given his own personal training by his father.
Resting against the logs on the training field Ivan channeled his magical power. Darkness pooled upwards from his body, the thick black smoke comforted Ivan. He understood know what Makarov and Yajima had meant with all their words on magic, he too felt a connection of sorts to his magic, to darkness. It wasn't a weird edgy one, but rather a familiar one, like a loving parent giving their child a hug.
The darkness seemed to love Ivan Dreyar in this sense. Coming to him like a mother would to their baby, making sure he was protected and loved.
Ivan stood and stretched his body, it was time for some more training, Makarov wasn't here this time. He had grown to trust Ivan when it came to his own magic and what he saw in it. Ivan didn't blame him though; he had many different spell ideas after all. One of which he was working on now.
A deep breath in and a deep breath out, Ivan's magical power moved according to his will, in his mind he imagined what he wanted the magic to do. Just like what the books and Makarov had told him to do, though it was easier said than done.
Though Ivan didn't feel the resistance talked about in the books or what Makarov had warned him about. Instead, what he felt was as if the darkness was questioning him and what he was doing, something it had been doing for a week now. Though Ivan believed he finally had an answer to give.
This time when he formed the image of what he wanted his magic to do immediately he felt a foreign emotion, the same questioning feeling.
What do you want?
Ivan's breath became shaky; he was channeling his magic for a much longer time than before. He resolidified the image in his mind, the darkness began to lighten though Ivan did not. He kept pushing at his magic, unrelenting in what he wanted.
Then something snapped into place and darkness consumed Ivan's figure.