My magic training persisted alone for another month.

I am currently in the snow,outside freezing and training.

I can now create the ball of lightning in 47 seconds. 47.5 to be precise.

I achieved this time by making the optimal hand positioning and a spot of good luck.

The issue is, the lightning can never seem to build up fast enough. From time to time, the lightning will even go in the compeltely wrong direction leaving me dumbfounded and frustrated.

If only I could solve this issue...

Then I remembered, there is one thing that might be mysterious enough to help.

World energy. Though I had attempted to use it previously, I must've been doing it wrong.

As my guardian had said, geniuses don't have to do anything.

So I merely dragged the world energy between my hands as the lightning built up.

Before I knew it, lightning was being dragged from my hands and rotated before a maddening ball of red lightning formed with a fulgent white center. It must've only taken around 7 seconds and more world energy had already moved behind it.

Before I knew it my mind gave the comand instinctively.

Boom.

The ball crashed through the snow stopping at a tree. The mark remained even after its dissapitation and I walked back into the cottage.

I had been bored out of my mind for months on end and it was time to address the reason why.

"Are you ever going to teach me anything?" I could hear the child in my voice yet my anger ensued as it rightfully should have.

"I've just been sitting around, solving problems whilst you slouch around looking at books for the rest of your days. What will it take to prove you should train me? Aren't I a genius?"

He looked down at me from the rim of his study glasses.

"Yes, you are a genius. And we are waiting for a visitor as of now."

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I looked even more dumbfounded.

"Unless this visitor is a world-ending monster I see no reason that you must wait by this door for every second of your days."

"You have everything you need to grow strong."

I growled inwardly.

My advancments in the lotus step were meek, I could move fast but I injured myself with every command I sent to the world energy. I feared a fast loss in a real-world fight. My limited study use was mostly for knowledge of this world.

And even then I was restricted from knowing too much.

"What about a name, a birthday an identity?"

I met his cold eyes ruthlessly.

"I don't have those, do I?"

"Make your own name."

"Wha-?" I looked at him dumbfounded.

Was this his way to say he didn't like me. He didn't even want the slightest sense of attachment between us?

"Fine."

I slammed the door behind me gritting my teeth at its enchanted wood that made it impossible to shut loudly.

Name. What should my name be?

A month passed.

My name is still undecided. I don't want to rush it. My name is my identity. My being. I have decided my birthday though. I decided it will be on the 34th month on the 8th day. This world seems to be an awkward parralel to Earth. It has 36 months and an average of 12 days in a month. I don't even understand how the astrolodgy works out.

Unfortunately, I doubt my guardian is the type to heave gifts on ones birthday.

My training has advanced slightly. I can form the ball in 7.4 seconds and my Lotus Step has become more refined. I'd argue I could beat a beginner by now in terms of strength.

I've begun going on long strolls. There is little to no life in the smog lands.

I went on a particularly long walk today, taking in a large amount of the strong odour of smoke.

I found a ravine of sorts, I was sitting by a silver tree when I saw a snake-necked bird fly over the ravine.

Curious, I watched as it flapped wildly and cruelly.

"CAAWW."

I watched in boredom as it flew over my head, yet watched in paralysis at what happened after.

An invisible force, grabbed the bird by the neck. Dragging it down the ravine, I dared not look over.

Sweat streamed down my body as my knees trembled uncontrolabbly.

I hid in the grass for hours. Inhaling the now deathly odour of smoke.Even prompting a questionable look from my mentor when I returned later that day.

Over the following weeks I took more and more strolls, observing this ominous force of nature. No major training advancments were out yet I concluded something much worse than a stagnation in my training.

This was no force of nature.

This was a monster. A creature. Alive.

I begun experiments and tests the following week.

I begun by throwing down a stick. Then another. Then two at once. And so on.

Next I threw a rock. Then another. Then two at once. And so on.

Later, I found a small scaly lizard by my sole.

I picked it up and crossed the smog lands.

I threw it into the air above the cranky ravine.

Like time stopped the frog flew through the air, towards the other side.

Then time resumed. Nature, even.

The frog was clenched in an invisible hand. And dragged to the depths of the ravine.

There was something down in this ravine. And it was hungry. I dared not think of the consequences of going down myself. Who in their right mind would do such a thing.

I decided to stay away from the ravine. I trained as I had done for months again and and again. Pushing the ravine to the back of my mind and stomping out any sparks of curiosity that rose.

Never.

I swore to myself that I would never go near that ravine again.

Not if I was feeling less than suicidal.