A young girl with red eyes and grey hair stood in the midst of a massive hall holding a gladius sword in an awkward stance. 

She was currently being stared at by her sensei Latia, the woman with the swollen head and sunken cheeks, The teacher stood with an one hand on her hips and while the other lazily held a similar sword to that of her pupil.

The woman raised an eyebrow as she questioned the inability of Alicia to use a sword. "So, you're telling me you've never used a weapon before... How are you even alive right now".

A sweat rolled down the girl's nervous face, she felt akward as the woman intensely stared her down. 

"You are strange, too strange". The woman whose name was Ayu said.

Alicia fidgeted as she looked down, avoiding the dead eyes of her trainer.

"What next? You'll tell me you don't know how to use aether". Latia asked with a tinge of annoyance in her voice.

The lack of a reply made her squeeze her already ugly face. "You really can't?"She added furiously. 

Alicia held her head down as she thought long and hard about her reply.

Her thoughts were interrupted as the blue woman breathed in deeply, calmly took place beside her, and took a strange stance.

Her stance was firm and commanding, she held piercing eyes and impeccable posture reflecting years of combat mastery. 

"This is the stance you assume girl", Latia said with vigor, before straightening herself. 

Beside her stood Alicia, timid with hesitant steps and a nervous gaze. She held the gladius in her hand, its weight unfamiliar and daunting. 

Latia observed Ayumi's hesitant posture with a furrowed brow, her patience thinning as she began the lesson. "Listen closely, Alicia," she began, her voice sharp with authority. "The foundation of any fight is your stance. It must be strong, unwavering, and ready to strike at a moment's notice."

With a swift motion, Latia demonstrated the proper stance again, her feet planted firmly, knees slightly bent, and gladius held with purpose. "This is the warrior's stance," she declared, her tone uncompromising. "Now, show me what you've learned."

Latia watched intently, her nerves amplifying with each passing moment. With a deep breath, she attempted to mimic Latia's stance, her movements hesitant and unsteady.

The blue woman's patience wore thin as she watched alicia struggle. "No, no, no!" she exclaimed, her annoyance evident in her voice. "You must be stronger, fiercer! Stand as if the ground beneath you trembles at your will!"

The grey haired girl swallowed her fear, determined to prove herself. With newfound resolve, she adjusted her stance, her muscles tensing with determination.

Latia nodded approvingly, a hint of pride softening her features. "That's it," she acknowledged, her tone softened slightly. 

"Listen closely," Latia commanded, her voice echoing off the damp stone walls. "The gladius is not just a weapon; it is an extension of your body. You must learn to wield it with precision and grace."

She demonstrated the proper grip, showing how to position the fingers and align the blade with the forearm for maximum control. "Your grip must be firm but not too tight," she admonished. "You must be able to adjust quickly to any situation."

Next, she instructed the girl on footwork, emphasizing the importance of balance and agility. "Keep your stance wide," she commanded, demonstrating the proper positioning of the feet. "And always be ready to move."

With each movement, the sensei explained the purpose behind it, emphasizing the need for speed and efficiency in combat. "Every strike must have purpose," she said, her voice sharp. "Waste no motion, for in battle, every second counts."

As the lesson continued, the girl struggled to keep up, but she remained determined, knowing that mastering the gladius could mean the difference between life and death in the treacherous world she found herself. 

The sensei's teachings delved deeper into the intricacies of swordplay, focusing on the fundamental strikes and defensive maneuvers essential for survival.

She demonstrated the basic strikes the thrust, slash, and parry each movement executed with precision and fluidity. "The thrust is your most powerful attack," she explained, driving the gladius forward with controlled force. "But do not underestimate the effectiveness of a well-placed slash."

With each demonstration, she emphasized the importance of timing and anticipation, teaching the girl to read her opponent's movements and react accordingly. "Anticipate their next move," she urged, her voice echoing off the dungeon walls. "And strike before they have a chance to defend."

As the lesson progressed, the sensei tried to introduce more advanced techniques, such as feints and ripostes, teaching the girl to outmaneuver her opponent with cunning and deception, but the pupil couldn't quite keep up. "What are you doing, Your mind must be as sharp as your blade," she bellowed, her eyes flashing with intensity as the girl sloppily mirrored her.

As the girl attempted to mimic her sensei's movements, her grip faltered, and her strikes lacked the precision the sensei demanded. Frustration grew evident on the sensei's face as she watched her apprentice's sloppy execution.

"You're weak! You're sloppy, careless!" Latia barked, her patience wearing thin. "If you can't take this seriously, then we're done here."

With a annoyed sigh, the sensei abruptly ended the session, leaving the girl feeling disheartened and defeated. 

Breathing heavily and covered in sweat and shaking from exertion and exhaustion, the young girl dropped the sword, her hands red and aching, she collapsed soon after, her heavy breathing turning into sobs.

She layed there for a long time, until she was kicked in the back, she jutted up and tried to rub her back as she felt so much pain, holding back sobs. 

She looked towards the figure that kicked her which was none other than her other sensei, the arrow shaped head woman slshe seemed calmer, and more patient but judging from her actions was just a facade.

This woman specialized in aether and it's manipulation.

"We shall begin" she announced, no particular emotion on her face, obliging alicia.

Under the guidance of the new instructor, the girl delved into the study of aether, the mystical energy that coursed through all beings. She talked on the explored ways in which aether could be harnessed to enhance both the body and the mind, unlocking powers derived from the elements themselves.

"Close your eyes and feel the flow of aether within you," the woman instructed, her voice calm but not so soothing. "It is the essence of life, the source of all magic."

As the girl focused her concentration, she sensed a subtle energy pulsing through her veins, connecting her to the very fabric of the world around her. 

"Focus on the element you feel most attuned to," the instructor encouraged. "Let it guide you, shape you, empower you." She encouraged as white radiant flames engulfed the woman slowly from within as she performed a series of movement. 

The instructors powers manifesting as flames that danced around her fingertips. She practiced controlling the flames, shaping them into weapons and washing herself in it's protection.

"Fire is both a tool and a weapon," the instructor explained. "It is one of the most basic and raw forms of aether, when we find your affinity it'll be easy for me to teach you."

The instructor went on a long rant on how she learned to unleash torrents of searing flames upon her enemies, leaving destruction in her wake. She also mastered the art of flame manipulation, using the fire to light her path in the darkness and to purify tainted objects.

As the blue woman boasted about her own mastery of fire powers, the girl listened half heartedly after discovering she can't quite use aether . The woman stopped talking, and instructed her as she tiredly attempted to channel the flames as her instructor had described, she was met with frustration and disappointment her efforts yielded no results.

The woman did nothing but fold her arms and stared without emotion at the girl

Feeling disheartened, the grey haired girl stopped trying and called for the status window, which she looked over it for a long time, before dismissing it.

Looking at a rat crawling from around a hole at a corner of the dungeon hall. 

A determined look slowly crawled on her face Raising her hands and pointing it at a hole in the ground level of the wall.

A slow build up of blue necrotic energy filled her palm, making her eyes widen in marvel and surprise.

She launched the liquid like formless energy, squeaking could be heard as it missed it's target, hitting the right side of ahole.

A voice resounded in her head as a notification bar appeared over her head, both were [you have used corrosive touch].

She looked at her palm in a mix of awe and awkwardness.

Empowered by these abilities, the girl emerged from her dilemma, ready to confront her instructor once more and prove that she was not a disappointment. In the depths of the dungeon, facing her instructor who wielded flames, the girl stood tall, an auto of determination and resilience enveloped her.

All these made her stoic instructor burst into maniacal laughter, startling her.