"Aether is the fifth element and the most important one that we use every day. The system is made up of transcendent aether. When we go to war, there is an exchange of massive amounts of aether with the intent to destroy everything in its path, most of the time in very flashy, pretty ways. This next week and the weeks to follow, you will begin training in not only your martial prowess with the weapons you have but will begin to integrate the use of aether."

Sergeant Agron said as he walked slowly up and down in front of the formation. He took hold of a saber and began pushing his aether into the weapon.

"What you see me doing is pushing my aether around this weapon increasing many aspects about it such as its durability and sharpness. Your aether types will flavor your attacks with different effects based off your will and path. I use a steel path, so my swords are more durable and extra sharp among other things that are none of your business."

He turned to a wooden dummy behind him and lazily swung the sword and the crease between its next and shoulder and the blade slid through as if it were a red-hot knife through warm butter. As the dummy fell apart, he turned back to the formation.

"There are offensive and defensive techniques. Corporal! hit me with one of our aether techniques."

Sergeant Agron said as he raised his weapon.

The corporal immediately drew in aether and stomped his foot in the ground forcing a spike of stone to shoot up and then he kicked it and launched it like an arrow at the sergeant. The sergeant stood there calmly drawing upon his aether as his skin went steel grey just before impact. With a very metallic ping, the stone shattered forcing the sergeant back a single step but left him completely unscathed.

"Moving forward your fights and training will be with the employment of your path with your weapons and techniques you know or will soon develop. Healers will be available, but do not be careless. Failure to defend yourself or purposely moving to kill result in very undesirable consequences. Soldiers! Begin the day's training!"

The sergeant turned on his heel and walked away as the soldiers began dividing the conscripts.

Sorin had a lot to try and with his increased ability to manipulate fire and aether in general he was curious if he could do a few things and now that they were training aether use he could put a lot of it to the test. He was also looking forward to throwing a few fire balls and detonating things around him. At this point his skills were so new every use of them was going to give him large jumps in skill and proficiency.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

He was placed into a group of six. Two other humans were in this group with a vampire, two dwarfs and ogre.

"Pay attention! I am Corporal Ries and I will be your group instructor for the foreseeable future. I will be here to help you train in aether use and in the integration with your fighting. We will begin by infusion techniques into your weapons. Something to keep in mind...if you put too much aether into your weapons you will destroy them as they will corrode or melt. You must find balance. I assume each of you can manipulate your paths and aether to some degree."

All nodded but one dwarf who looked rather angry. He was slenderer and stockier than the barrel-chested dwarves you read about in the stories. Corporal Ries walked over. "You cannot?" He asked.

The dwarf bowed his head immediately. "No corporal, I cannot. My path is an internal augmentation class." Corporal Reis smiled. "Thats fine, as long as you can use your aether to boost your offense and defense then it doesn't matter. Ries said turning the group.

"Behind the ogre is a whole barrel full of wooden swords. You will practice the infusion technique or its equivalent until I say stop. By the days end, anyone who cannot competently infuse or use their aether in a way that is beneficial is leaving to the mines."

Sorin looked at his two short swords and opened up his sense. He pulled aether into the blades and trying to infuse them and as he pulled more, they began to heat until they caught fire.

"Conscript! you use fire. coat the blades and give a burning effect rather than destroy your weapons. The hotter you can make the edges without destroying the weapon the better."

Sorin bowed his head. "Yes Corporal!" Sorin got two more swords from the barrel. They were not as good as the ones he had just destroyed as they seem to be worn out rejects meant for this training. He pulled the heat aether to the edge of the blades and lowered the temperature of the sword compressing the heat between the two boundaries he set up. He compressed them until it ignited and then kept going. If he could press it down, he could get the flames so agitate that it looked almost like a laser, or at least that was his working theory. The flames when from orange then to white and began small around the edge of his blades. He turned to the dummy near him and swung. His sword made contact with the dummy. Smoke and flames billowed up from the dummy and then his sword snapped like a twig.

"You did not infuse your weapon to add durability. Fill the weapon with aether and apply your edge. You must do multiple things at once." Ries said.

Sorin looked up and saw the rest of his group in various stages of infusion. Of all of them, the vampire was doing extremely well. Around his weapon was a red aura that smelled of copper and when his blade hit the dummy he could see if visibly begin to wither like a plant left dry and, in the sun too long.

"Good! well done conscript...Do it again!" Reis said to the vampire.

Sorin tried many many times to get the balance right and went through weapon after weapon. He stopped pulling two every time and ruined one at a time. At about four hours in, it clicked.

The balance was achieved and the flames around the blade settled more neatly and the sword itself felt sturdier. Maintaining the energy and control, Sorin swung cleaving the dummy in half searing it and setting it on fire at the same time. The metal that held the dummy in place was completely cut through and glowed bright orange.

"Excellent! About time conscript! Continue practicing!"