I was sure that to Maraine's wise eyes, I looked more like a kid than someone ready to fight for a cause they only half-heartedly believed with the motivation that was born today.

"If you're happy with that answer, then so am I."

I nodded my head. For now, it was good enough, and right now that felt like plenty.

"It's too soon for you to be entering one of these 'Gates'. Come with me, and I'll teach you the basics."

Maraine motioned me over as we stepped away from the windy gate. Leaving it here was a bit unsettling, but if my master wasn't worried then I shouldn't be either.

Following her, I got a proper look at the clearing in the forest we were in. It was like a long rectangle was carved out cleanly. It was hard to eyeball this kind of distance, but it felt like standing in the middle of a neighborhood road and looking both ways, just barely seeing the ends of the street.

We were walking towards this nice, cozy cottage. It looked to be made of the same wood in the trees and fit the natural aesthetic of the place despite being a man-made object.

"Is this where you live, Mentor?"

"Correct, it's a very nice place. It'll be your home too for the foreseeable future."

"Thank you."

"Now, for your training. Have you cast a spell before?"

"Not yet, no."

With us now in her yard, she sat down on the grass and crossed her legs.

"Start by meditating then."

I sat down across from her in the same position.

"Keep your back straight, shoulders even. Make a circle with your fingers, so that your thumbs are touching each other and your fingers are doing the same, and keep it above your belly button."

I took a deep breath and followed all her instructions without much issue, even if forcing my posture to be this straight was a tad uncomfortable.

"Close your eyes. Try to look for the Mana inside your body. It'll feel similar to dipping your fingers in water."

I could feel what she was referring to moving inside me. Flowing through my limbs and focusing in my hands. A little colder than expected, but not uncomfortably so. The Mana swam from one hand to the next, through my fingers as it felt like it slowed down and settled behind my stomach.

"I can feel it. It's settling down behind my stomach."

"That's where your body keeps its Mana reserves."

I could sort of feel what she was talking about. Similar to how water gathers in a pothole, Mana seemed to do the same right behind my stomach.

"That Mana you feel is the most important component of magic and spell casting, but it's not the only one."

I opened my eyes, ready for my lesson. It felt pretty exciting actually. Sensing Mana was like experiencing a completely new sensation, different from anything I could imagine.

"The other two components are Incantations and Gestures. Of these 3, Mana is the only one that is always required. The other two can enhance your spells, though they could be considered inconvenient."

Maraine stuck two fingers out while keeping the rest curled up. With them, she pointed away from the both of us and took a deep breath.

"Amass. Again. Vibrate."

I could sense that familiar cold wetness gathering at her fingertips before she let it loose. The spell itself was nearly invisible, just a small hint of purple that flew faster than my eyes could follow right into the ground, leaving a small scorch mark.

It was a bit mesmerizing to watch. The spell itself wasn't anything grand or amazing, but it was something that even I could learn. Which made me all the more motivated to follow along.

"You could skip the incantation along with the gesture, but keep in mind the spell's effectiveness will be reduced. It will even consume more Mana than expected as a way of compensation for skipping steps."

A little complicated, but it made sense. That would explain the words that the high arcanist spoke when he teleported me such a significant distance.

"Why is it invisible?"

That part still bothered me a bit. The spell itself was pretty much the exact opposite of flashy, and I probably wouldn't have seen it at all before learning how to sense Mana.

"The spell is comprised of nothing but pure Mana. You can't see the Mana in the air which means you won't see the Mana from spell."

Maraine looked a bit confused by the question. I could sort of see where she coming from. I'm too used to spells being very clearly visible from games and TV. 

"It would have been completely invisible had I cast it properly. I'm no spell caster, so even simple spells such as this don't come out perfect."

"What about fireballs?'

"What about them?"

"I could see a fireball being cast."

"Mana can become visible when mixed in with another element, such as fire. Water is typically clear, but when mixed with blood, the whole thing takes on a new color. One you could see."

"I see."

...What the hell kind of example was that? I get it now, but I'm wondering what's going on in her mind? Why blood? Just say dirt or something.

"Ready to try it yourself?"

Hopefully, it's as easy as she made it look. I stood up and prepared myself.

"Try facing away from my house, Sage."

"... That's a good idea."

I thought back to the exact steps she took, playing it out in my head. I tapped into that wet feeling behind my stomach. The Mana responded and I guided it to my hand.

The first two fingers out, everything else tucked in. As if I was making a gun with my hands, except for the thumb.

"Amass. Again. Vibrate."

Right away, that Mana in my hand started shaking, as if it was agitated before shooting right out to a nearby tree. Unlike Maraine's, it was completely visible. A pure bullet of purple that was nowhere near as fast. 

Something I hadn't expected, was the side effects of the spell. The hand I used felt numb like I had been sitting on it for a good while.

[New Skill: Mana Sense. Grade F. Level: 1]

[New Skill: Meditation. Grade F. Level: 1]

[New Skill: Mana Bolt. Grade F. Level: 1]

I got hit by a barrage of popups as I shook my hand, trying to get the feeling back. I sort of expected 'Mana Bolt' to become a skill, but not the other two.

"How's it feel?"

"A little painful, but I'm fine."

Maybe painful wasn't the right word. The numbness in my hand was finally vanishing but it wasn't what I'd call a pleasant experience.

"You'll learn to avoid that sensation with some practice."

I nodded my head and got ready to try again. I reached for my Mana and pulled it to my hand. Maybe it was because of the skill I had just learned, but I could more clearly feel the Mana in my fingers. Even the Mana in my stomach felt more defined. I felt much more aware.

I pointed at the same tree and uttered the incantation once again. The Mana bolt shot out faster into the tree. No skill level up, but the increased Mana sensation had proved its worth.

My hand was numb again, but now I knew why. I was casting the spell inside my own hand, so it's no surprise it would do something like this. Maraine didn't seem the least bit bothered after casting her spell, which is probably something she picked up on instinctively when learning this stuff.

With my right hand still numb, I used my left hand to try casting the spell again. This time, pulling more on the Mana until I had pulled it just outside my fingertips, but still within my control.

[Skill Improved: Mana Bolt. Grade F. Level: 2]

It was a million times better. My hand wasn't numb, and the attack was noticeably stronger when it hit the tree, probably because it wasn't going through my own hand first.

Even if it was still weak, progress is progress.