James stood in the center of the training ground, his hand still tingling from the fire magic he had just barely managed to control. Now, he was about to attempt something even more volatile: lightning magic. The thought made his stomach knot up. If he had nearly blown himself up with fire, what kind of disaster was lightning going to bring?

Elysia watched him closely, her arms crossed over her chest. She wasn’t offering any comfort, but there was an unspoken understanding in her gaze. She knew this wasn’t going to be easy for him, mastering lightning magic wasn’t easy for anyone, especially not a beginner. “Lightning is fast and unpredictable,” she said, her tone clinical. “It’s a surge of energy that demands precision. If fire is about control, lightning is about timing.”

James swallowed hard and flexed his hands, trying to psych himself up. He could feel the electric energy buzzing just beneath the surface of his skin, crackling faintly like static. “Timing,” he muttered to himself. “Got it.”

Elysia raised an eyebrow. “I mean it, James. You have to release the energy at the right moment. Too soon, and you’ll fizzle out. Too late, and you’ll fry yourself.”

“Right. No pressure,” James muttered, feeling his nerves kick in. His hands began to spark, tiny arcs of blue lightning flickering between his fingers. The tingling sensation was strange, almost ticklish, but he could already tell this was going to be much harder to manage than fire. Fire, at least, felt familiar, warm and controllable. Lightning felt alive, as if it had a mind of its own, and it was eager to escape.

He raised his hand toward one of the remaining targets, focusing on gathering the energy into a single point. He could feel the power surging, building up in his palm, waiting to be released. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he concentrated, trying to find the right moment.

“Okay… okay…” he muttered, his heart racing.

The energy reached its peak, and he released it. A bolt of lightning shot from his hand, crackling through the air like a jagged line of blue fire. It zipped toward the target with frightening speed, but just as it was about to hit, it veered off course, hitting a tree instead. The tree shook violently, its branches splintering as sparks flew in all directions.

James flinched as the tree erupted into a shower of leaves and debris. “Whoa! That wasn’t supposed to happen!”

Elysia sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. “That’s because you didn’t control the release. You hesitated.”

James shook his head, trying to shake off the nerves. “I wasn’t hesitating! It just, went the wrong way!”

“The magic is responding to your uncertainty,” Elysia explained, her voice firm but patient. “You’re second-guessing yourself, and the lightning reflects that. If you’re going to use lightning magic, you need to commit. No hesitation. No second thoughts.”

James stared at the smoking tree, his frustration building. “I’m trying! But it’s like the magic just does whatever it wants!”

“Because you’re letting it,” Elysia said. “Magic is a force of nature, James. It’s powerful, but it’s also wild. You have to bend it to your will, or it will overwhelm you.”

He clenched his fists, feeling the energy flicker beneath his skin again. She was right. He had felt it, that wild, uncontrollable power. But he had also felt how quickly it could get out of hand. His frustration only made it worse, but he knew he couldn’t give up. This was his chance to learn magic, to be the hero he had always dreamed of being. He had to push through.

“Alright,” he said, taking a deep breath. “Let’s try this again.”

Elysia nodded, stepping back to give him space. “Focus. Trust your instincts. Don’t overthink it.”

James squared his shoulders and raised his hand again. This time, he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to calm the racing thoughts in his head. He could feel the lightning buzzing, waiting to be unleashed. He needed to trust himself, to let the magic flow through him without fear.

With a deep breath, he opened his eyes and released the energy.

The bolt of lightning shot forward, faster and more controlled this time. It arced through the air, hitting the target dead center with a crackling burst of electricity. The wooden dummy shook violently as the bolt coursed through it, smoke rising from the impact point.

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James blinked in disbelief. He had actually hit the target.

“Nice shot,” Elysia said, a hint of approval in her voice. “Now do it again.”

James grinned, feeling a surge of confidence. He raised his hand again, ready to summon another bolt. But as soon as he tried, the energy fizzled out. He stared at his hand, confused. “What the, ?”

“You’re out of mana,” Elysia said, walking up beside him. “You need to pace yourself. Lightning magic uses up a lot of energy, especially for a beginner.”

James let his arm drop, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over him. He hadn’t realized how much the magic had taken out of him until now. His legs felt weak, and his head buzzed with the remnants of the lightning spell.

Elysia placed a hand on his shoulder, her expression softer now. “You did well. You’re starting to understand the flow of magic, but you need to build your stamina. For now, that’s enough training.”

James nodded, too tired to argue. He could barely keep his eyes open, let alone summon more magic.

As they walked back toward the cottage, James couldn’t help but feel a mixture of pride and frustration. He had made some progress, sure, but he still had a long way to go. Magic wasn’t going to come easy, and Elysia wasn’t going to let him off the hook.

But at least he wasn’t alone. He had Elysia to guide him, and even though she was strict, she was helping him become stronger. And he was going to need all the strength he could get in this world.

By the time they reached the cottage, the sun was starting to dip below the horizon, casting long shadows across the magical clearing. James trudged behind Elysia, his limbs heavy with exhaustion. His mind was still buzzing from the intense training session, and his body ached in ways he hadn’t expected. Magic, as it turned out, wasn’t just mentally draining, it took a toll on the body, too.

Elysia opened the door and stepped inside, her expression still calm and composed, as if the day’s events hadn’t fazed her at all. She seemed to glide across the room, her purple hair shimmering faintly in the warm light of the cottage. Meanwhile, James felt like collapsing right there on the doorstep.

Cosmo, perched on the arm of a nearby chair, looked up as they entered. “Ah, you’ve returned. I trust the young master didn’t incinerate himself today?” The familiar’s voice, with its posh British accent, carried a note of amusement.

James rolled his eyes, dropping heavily into a chair near the hearth. “No, but I came close.”

Cosmo smirked, his eyes glimmering like stars. “A small victory, then. I suppose I’ll have to adjust my expectations.”

Elysia ignored the banter, moving toward one of the bookshelves that lined the walls. Books floated off the shelves at her command, organizing themselves into neat stacks. James marveled at the ease with which she controlled her surroundings. She barely lifted a finger, and yet the entire cottage seemed to respond to her will.

“You did well for your first real training session,” Elysia said, her tone more measured now that the day was winding down. “But you’ve barely scratched the surface. You have power, but power without control is dangerous. It’s going to take time.”

James nodded, rubbing his tired eyes. “Yeah, I’m starting to get that. It’s a lot harder than I thought it’d be.”

Elysia’s eyes flicked toward him, and for a moment, her expression softened. “Magic isn’t about strength alone, James. It’s about balance, focus, and discipline. You’ll learn that over time, if you survive.”

James managed a weak laugh. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

She gave him a small, almost imperceptible smile before turning her attention back to the books that floated around her. “Tomorrow, we’ll work on refining your control over fire magic. You’ll also need to practice mana conservation, especially when using lightning. It drains you quickly.”

James grimaced, remembering how quickly he’d run out of energy. “Yeah, I noticed.”

As Elysia continued organizing her books, Cosmo leaped gracefully onto the table beside James, his starlit fur shimmering. “You’ll find Mistress Elysia’s methods are tough, but effective. If you keep up, you might actually make something of yourself.”

James snorted. “Gee, thanks.”

Cosmo smiled smugly. “I do try.”

Just as James was beginning to relax, Elysia turned back to him, her expression more serious now. “There’s something else.”

James looked up, curious.

“We’re running low on supplies,” she said, adjusting her glasses. “I’ll need to make a trip to town tomorrow to gather what we need. And you’ll come with me.”

James blinked. “Wait, to town? You mean we’re going back into the city?”

Elysia nodded. “Yes. We need potions ingredients, spell components, and a few other essentials. Besides, it’ll be a good opportunity for you to familiarize yourself with the local merchants. You’ll be helping me from now on, remember?”

James groaned inwardly. He had just barely survived his first real training session, and now he had to go into town with her to… shop? It seemed anticlimactic, but then again, nothing about this world was ordinary.

“Alright,” he said, leaning back in his chair. “Town trip it is.”

Elysia gave a short nod. “Good. Get some rest. Tomorrow’s going to be another long day.”

As she left the room, the floating books finally settling back onto the shelves, James sat in silence for a moment, staring at the glowing symbols on his hand. His exhaustion was starting to catch up with him, but beneath the fatigue, there was a small spark of excitement.

This world was still new to him, still dangerous and full of surprises, but for the first time since arriving, James felt like he was starting to understand it. He had a long way to go, sure, but with Elysia guiding him, he knew he was on the right path.

Cosmo, now lounging lazily on the table, stretched his cosmic limbs and yawned. “Tomorrow should be interesting. Mistress Elysia rarely leaves the cottage for long.”

James raised an eyebrow. “Why’s that?”

Cosmo’s eyes gleamed mischievously. “Because, young man, wherever she goes, trouble usually follows.”

James chuckled, shaking his head. “Great. Just what I needed.”