He had made it through his first year at the Academy. Only a few classes were still active and they were largely just exams. Jack had finished his last class yesterday and was now just relaxing in his room. Henry was on a shelf currently deactivated, and Pyke was asleep on his lap. It was late spring now and the summer heat was almost upon them. The air was hot, but the breeze was still cool. Jack simply relaxed while laying with his eyes closed.

His room smelled of cedar with a hint of metal. A note of apple hung in the air, probably from the piece of pie he had eaten earlier. The air was cool and clean, but the sun was hot. He could hear the birds singing, and the wind blowing through the trees. A gentle breeze blew his curtains in the window, making the sun rays dance through his room. He felt peaceful and content. All the stress of exams, classes and projects were gone, leaving him with just peace. He was filled with a sense of accomplishment. Jack decided to indulge himself in some well-deserved rest. His breathing became slow and steady as he let himself drift away into relaxation. The worries and cares of the day melted away as he embraced the feeling of calmness that surrounded him. Drifting away to sleep. He dreamt of faraway places, adventures, and exciting projects he would take on in the future.

Eventually he awoke from his nap. He sat up, stretching out his arms and legs. He smiled to himself as a feeling of accomplishment filled him. He had done it! All those late nights studying, all the stress of exams, classes and projects were gone now, leaving just a sense of peace and satisfaction in their wake. Jack felt a wave of relief wash over him as he looked around his room, grateful for all that he had achieved this past year. He slowly rose from his bed and stood in front of his mirror. Looking at himself, he felt an unexpected urge to train. Through the year training had become a constant and it had quickly become something he enjoyed doing. He started to stretch his limbs, feeling the tension and stress begin to lift off his body as he worked through each move. His muscles were tight but he felt good. He knew that this was just the beginning of a long journey that would take him far beyond what he could imagine now.

He moved towards his window, which was still open from when he had dozed off earlier. A cool breeze entered through it, bringing with it a faint smell of summer flowers and fresh grass from outside.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Filled with new motivation, Jack grabbed his equipment and headed out for a training session. As the sun set, casting its light on everything around him in golden hues, Jack couldn't help but feel optimistic about what lay ahead. He was ready for the future.

The training session was even more satisfying. Through his traumatizing experience, he gained a tremendous amount of control over his element. He had achieved control over his element, and he knew it. He was standing in the middle of a training room with a practice dummy across the room.

The room was filled with training dummies. All of them different sizes and shapes for different exercises. The dummies were of the same material and steel, the only difference being their shapes. The dummies were covered in scorch marks and dents, some were even missing limbs.

The training room was a square with no windows. The walls were covered in dents and dings, the floor looked like it had been sanded down a thousand times.

Small bolts of electricity danced off his fingertips and into the air. He was standing in the middle of a training room. The scent of electricity was like a city power plant. It smelled of ozone and burned iron.

The only sound that could be heard was the slight crackling of the electricity.

With one smooth motion, like throwing a spear, he willed electricity to flow out of his hand into a long spear shape. He gently lifted his arm, making the spear appear out of nothing, an slowly increasing the power of the bolt. The muscles in his arms flexed as he tightened and prepared to throw. Then he increased the tension in the lightning as he stepped forward and gathered more power. The he released the bolt at the same time that he threw his body into the motion. It flew through the air in a crackling streak, in less than a second it had cut through the air from his hand to the target dummy. The dummy exploded into splinters and dust with a satisfying whoosh. Jack covered his head with his hands to protect himself from flying debris.

Holy shit. He looked down at his hand in amazement.

After his success, Jack was filled with energy. He spent the rest of the evening savagely destroying dummies. He found it extremely cathartic. His muscles grew stronger and more agile. He delighted in the feeling of power he had over his element.

The room was left a mess, but Jack felt no remorse. His anger had been released, and all that was left now was determination and self-satisfaction. He practiced until his fingers ached and his skin sizzled with electricity, yet still he felt no fatigue.

It was late now, Jack knew it was time to rest. Exhausted but fulfilled, he returned to his room and laid down on his bed, content with what he had achieved during the day's training session and throughout the year.