"Listen carefully," Vexar said with a firm voice. "There will be no training today."
Some apprentices looked at each other in surprise. Others sighed in relief.
"During these days you have been refining magic and forming the foundations of your path," he continued. "For children with no prior preparation, the progress has been acceptable. However… one of you has stood out above the rest."
Vexar turned his head slightly.
"Drowen, step forward."
The boy took a step forward immediately. His posture was straight, and in his expression, satisfaction was visible in his eyes.
"You have been the first of this group to form a stable magic core," Vexar said. "You have correctly entered Rank D. That deserves recognition."
A faint murmur ran through the group.
Vexar raised a hand and one of the puppet servants stepped forward, holding a small dark leather bag. At a glance, it looked ordinary, but it emanated a strange sensation, difficult to describe.
"This will be your prize."
The servant handed the bag to Drowen.
"It is a spatial alchemical item," Vexar explained. "Every mage who respects themselves must have one. The internal space of this bag is half a cubic meter."
The apprentices widened their eyes in astonishment.
"A spatial bag?" someone muttered.
"That is correct," Vexar continued. "To use it, it is enough to surround the bag with magic and think about storing or retrieving the desired object. It is simple, efficient, and extremely practical."
Drowen nodded vigorously, clutching the bag between his hands.
"Open it."
Drowen obeyed. Inside rested five small glowing stones, each emitting a soft, bluish light.
"And these stones?" he asked.
"Magic stones," Vexar replied. "They are obtained from certain magic beasts. Not all possess them, and the higher the rank of the beast, the greater the density and purity of the magic contained within."
The old man paused to ensure everyone was listening.
"The magic contained in these stones is much easier to refine than ambient energy. Using them notably accelerates training. Furthermore…" he added, "they are also used as currency among mages."
The murmuring intensified immediately.
"Use them wisely," Vexar said, staring fixedly at Drowen. "Excessive use can cause imbalances."
"I will, master," Drowen replied with a smile he no longer tried to hide. "I won't waste it."
Vexar nodded and then shifted his gaze.
"Thiriel, step forward."
The atmosphere grew tense again.
Thiriel advanced calmly until he stood in front of the platform.
"You have the highest talent among the new apprentices," Vexar said. "Blue. However, you were not the first to inform me that you had formed your core."
"It was recent," Thiriel replied bluntly. "And I didn't give it much importance."
Vexar observed him for a few seconds, evaluating him.
"Hmph, I see."
He said nothing more about it.
"As long as the progress is real, the order is not that relevant," he added. "Continue training and remember to notify me of your advancements; you don't want the others to take the rewards, do you?"
"I understand, master." Thiriel bowed his head and stepped back.
Vexar addressed the group again.
"Tomorrow," Vexar continued, "I will begin teaching the first basic spells to Drowen and Thiriel. Today, rest. Celebrate if you wish. Starting tomorrow, you will cease limiting yourselves to refining magic."
He tapped his staff gently against the stone.
"You will learn real magic."
Without adding anything else, he turned around and headed back toward the tower.
Immediately, the apprentices surrounded them.
"How did you do it so fast?"
"What does it feel like to form the core?"
The questions were directed almost entirely at Drowen.
Proud, he began to explain.
"The main thing is to concentrate," he was saying. "Feel the magic and don't force it too much. When the core stabilizes, you just know."
He showed off the spatial bag without concealment, and the murmurs increased.
Thiriel stayed to the side, in silence.
Only Kael approached him.
"Thiriel…" he said timidly. "Could you give me some advice?"
"Don't try to absorb too much magic at once," Thiriel replied. "Keep the flow constant and watch your breathing. If you feel dizzy, stop."
Kael nodded with gratitude.
"Thank you."
As the minutes passed, the group dispersed. Drowen continued speaking animatedly with several apprentices, while Thiriel returned to his room.
He closed the door and sat on the floor.
He activated the Magic Warrior Aura.
This time, the flow was more stable. He slightly adjusted the internal routes, correcting small energy leaks. The sensation of reinforcement ran through his body with greater clarity than the night before.
He tried moving.
Striking the air.
Changing stance.
The consumption was still high, but the performance had improved.
After a few minutes, he deactivated the technique and breathed calmly.
Tomorrow something different would begin.
Real magic.