Aurelius walked through the underbrush of the mountain range, once again using his sword as a makeshift hatchet to clear the way. To lighten the tension in the air, Aurelius decided to make some light conversation with Lyra, who was walking next to him.

"Lyra, what knowledge can you share about the Frostfang Wyvern? I'm curious to know more about its abilities," Aurelius inquired.

Lyra glanced at Aurelius, a flicker of suspicion crossing her face before she refocused her attention ahead, responding with a no-nonsense tone.

"You should already be aware, but I'll fill you in. Pay close attention as I won't repeat myself."

"The Frostfang Wyvern is a winged reptilian creature, adorned in icy blue scales. It has sharp, hooked claws and a serpentine tail bristling with frozen spikes. Fully grown, these wyverns boast an expansive wingspan of nearly twenty feet."

"In addition to its physical prowess, the Frostfang Wyvern possesses some magical abilities. For starters, its icy breath can congeal the very air surrounding it, shrouding visibility and impeding groups from anticipating its assaults. Furthermore, its fangs and claws are razor-sharp, effortlessly rending through both armor and flesh."

Lyra's explanation caused Aurelius's eyebrows to rise. Once she concluded, he gazed at her, his expression one of disbelief.

"We're going to face that creature? Just the five of us?" he questioned incredulously.

Gareth couldn't help but emit a snort at Aurelius's reaction.

"Already trembling, are we? We haven't even laid eyes on the damn thing yet," Gareth interjected.

Lyra ignored Gareth's comment and turned her gaze to Aurelius once more.

"Not quite," she began. "Although we'll be confronting a Frostfang Wyvern, it's an adolescent one. Our academy instructors have informed us that it hasn't yet developed the ability to fly and lacks the agility and speed of its fully grown counterparts."

Lyra gestured downward to the map she clutched, revealing a mountain range marked with an unmistakable "x," signifying the presumed location of the Frostfang Wyvern.

After their conversation, the group fell into a silence as they trudged slowly through the mountain range. As no one else was speaking, Aurelius decided to ask Lyra another question that had been on his mind, specifically directed at her as a fire mage.

"Lyra, you're a fire mage, right?" he inquired.

Lyra looked up, a hint of annoyance creeping onto her face, but she still responded, "Yes, I am."

Aurelius continued, slightly unsure of his wording, "How does being a mage work exactly? Why did you become a fire mage instead of another elemental type?"

Aurelius could see Gareth roll his eyes out of the corner of his eye and also sensed Lyra's initial reluctance to respond. However, she soon let loose, clearly passionate about the topic.

"First of all, becoming a mage is quite random," Lyra began. "While it's true that if you come from a lineage of fire mages, you're more likely to become a fire mage yourself, anyone, even with no magical ancestry, can become a mage. Usually, your powers awaken during your teenage years, and that's when you discover your elemental affinity. There are numerous affinities, ranging from fire, like me, to life or even metallurgy."

"One important aspect of being a mage is your mana reserve, also known as your winds of power reserve," Lyra explained. "It's difficult to quantify the size of a mage's mana reserve, and assigning a numerical value to it isn't really possible, at least as far as I know. However, you can have your mana reserve tested to determine its strength or capacity. This is usually where the average mages are distinguished from the great ones."

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"Having a large mana reserve comes with obvious benefits," Lyra continued. "More mana means you can cast more and stronger spells. Typically, mages fill their mana reserves before heading into battle through practices such as meditation. For instance, 2 days ago I spent a whole day meditating to replenish my mana reserves in preparation for this fight. However, I've heard that some of the more powerful mages take weeks or even months to completely refill their mana reserves from empty. Mages build up their mana reserves before a battle because although you can regenerate mana during a fight, the process is often slow and insufficient to match the fast pace of combat."

"I see," Aurelius replied, pondering Lyra's words and how they related to the Chosen system he was familiar with. While they shared similarities, Lyra had only highlighted the advantage of being a Chosen compared to an average mage.

"Well, how do you actually use your mana to cast a fireball, for example?" Aurelius asked, seeking further clarification.

"Good question," Lyra responded eagerly, displaying her enthusiasm for sharing her knowledge.

"This is where academies like Lothern Academy come into play," she explained. "It often takes mages months or even years to fully comprehend how to cast a certain spell. This understanding wouldn't be possible without the guidance of instructors, who teach us how to channel our mana through specific incantations. Without instructors, we would have to create spells on our own, which can be extremely difficult."

"Casting spells involves directing the flow of mana through a specific incantation to form a spell," Lyra elaborated. "It requires precise control, which is why I dress in a robe. If I were wearing armor, for instance, I wouldn't be able to move my arms and body with the necessary fluidity to cast the spell."

“However, the power of the spell is usually dependent on the amount of mana invested into the spell,” she added. “Usually there is a limit though, because the more mana you are attempting to control into a spell, the harder it is and the more precise control you need. At a certain point you are attempting to control so much mana that it becomes near impossible without extreme levels of expertise. When you lose control of the mana the spell either dissipates or backfires, which, as you can expect, can have deadly consequences.”

Aurelius took a moment to process the overwhelming amount of information Lyra was sharing with him. His mind was abuzz with all the new knowledge.

"So..." Aurelius started, "what is mana exactly? Is it like air? Always present around us?"

"I suppose you could see it that way," Lyra replied, pausing to scrutinize Aurelius.

"Have you truly never heard of mana before? Most of what I've told you is common knowledge," she asked, raising an eyebrow.

Aurelius scratched the back of his head, feeling embarrassed. "I come from a remote, backwater village," he responded, trying to deflect the question.

"Well, yes. Mana exists all around us, although it's often imperceptible. However, I've heard that some powerful mages can sense fluctuations in the mana surrounding them."

"Another important aspect of mana is that its level isn't uniform everywhere. Some places have higher mana density than others. For instance, the capital city was built in its current location due to its rich mana environment. This density not only allows mages to replenish their mana reserves more quickly but also increases the likelihood of newborns becoming mages."

Aurelius nodded, comprehending the information. He still had some unanswered questions, though, such as how creatures like the Frostfang Wyvern learned to cast spells. Were they taught or did they inherit the ability? However, he realized he had already asked a lot of questions, and he was starting to get on the nerves of some of the group members.

"Thank you, Lyra, for explaining all of this," Aurelius expressed sincerely. "It's truly fascinating to learn about the workings of mana, and I understand why it takes years of training and guidance."

Lyra nodded, a small smile appearing on her lips. "You're welcome, Aurelius. It's my pleasure."

As they continued their journey through the mountain range, Aurelius couldn't help but develop a newfound respect for mages. He admired their dedication and patience, realizing the immense effort, and luck, it took to become a skilled mage.

Finally, after hours of trekking through the rugged terrain, the group arrived at their destination—a vast clearing nestled within the heart of the mountain range. The air grew colder, and a sense of anticipation hung in the atmosphere.

The clearing was dominated by a towering cliff face, its jagged edges seemingly reaching for the sky. The sound of rushing water filled the air as a powerful waterfall cascaded down from the cliff, creating a mesmerizing display of mist and spray.

Aurelius felt a shiver run down his spine as he beheld the awe-inspiring sight. The adrenaline surged within him and he tightened his grip on his sword, mentally preparing himself for the upcoming battle.

Stepping forward, Lyra's unwavering gaze focused on the towering cliff face and the map clasped in her hands. "This is our moment," she declared, her voice resolute. "The map indicates that the Frostfang Wyvern lies within."