Daniel hurried through the academy’s sprawling grounds, his thoughts racing as quickly as his footsteps. Anxiety gnawed at him, knowing he had left later than he would’ve liked. The meeting point was a small courtyard near the academy’s main gate.

As he rounded the corner, he saw Shadewood waiting for him. The professor was dressed in his usual dark suit, complemented by a black robe adorned with gold trims.

“Good morning, Professor,” Daniel greeted, trying to mask his nervousness with a smile and hoping the teacher wouldn't mention his slight tardiness.

“Good morning, Daniel; I told you to call me Virgil when in private, didn’t I?” Shadewood replied, his eyes twinkling with a hint of amusement. “Are you ready?”

Daniel nodded. “Yes, as ready as I can be,” he said while adjusting the strap of his bag.

“Excellent. First, we must visit the outer ground management building since the academy asked me to check on something at the outer grounds and arrange for transport.”

As they walked toward the building near the courtyard, the professor began asking about Daniel's first week. “So, Daniel, how was your first week? Settling in well?”

Daniel shrugged a wry smile on his face. “It's been fine, besides burning my hand during metallurgy. But other than that, nothing special happened.”

They arrived at the outer grounds management building, a stately structure adorned with tall, arched windows framed by ivy creeping up its weathered stone walls. Inside, the polished wooden floors gleamed under the soft light filtering through the windows, and the air carried a faint, nostalgic scent of parchment and ink. Dominating one wall was a large, detailed map of the academy and surrounding nature.

Professor Shadewood approached the attendant behind one of the desks, a young elven woman with sharp eyes and a neat uniform. “Good morning,” he greeted her, pulling a letter from his pocket and putting it on her desk. “I have received orders to check on a situation in the dark shade forest, and we need transportation to the nearest outpost.”

The attendant glanced at the badge and opened the letter. As she read its contents, her eyes widened slightly. “Of course, Professor Shadewood. Please wait a moment while I make the arrangements.”

After a few minutes, the woman returned and handed the professor a different paper. He opened it and read its contents before putting it away.

Shadewood made eye contact with the elf, and the woman said, “We’ve arranged for a griffin carriage to take you to the outpost near Darkshade Forest. I’ll guide you to the carriage.”

Daniel and Shadewood followed her through the polished corridors of the building. The air was cool and filled with the scent of the various plants and flowers that adorned the hallways they walked through.

They stepped outside into the bright morning light and walked toward the stables. The attendant led them to a carriage, where two griffins were already harnessed and ready.

“Here you are, Professor,” the attendant said with a respectful nod. “Safe travels.”

“Thank you,” Shadewood replied, helping Daniel into the carriage before climbing in himself.

After an instruction from the driver, the carriage took off, and Daniel’s stomach lurched. The speed was exhilarating, but it made him feel nauseous. Shadewood noticed his discomfort and offered some advice.

“Focus on the horizon, Daniel. It helps with the nausea,” Shadewood suggested

….

After a few hours, the carriage driver instructed the griffons to start descending.

Below them, nestled amidst a dense forest, was an outpost of the academy. It was a small, fortified structure that blended seamlessly with the surrounding trees. The griffins landed smoothly in a clearing, and Daniel and Shadewood disembarked.

They were greeted by a man wearing leather armour that barely contained his big belly. “Welcome to the forest outpost,” he said, extending a hand to Shadewood. “I’m Warden Thaddeus.”

“Thank you, Warden Thaddeus,” Shadewood replied, shaking his hand. “We’re here to check on the situation reported in the Darkshade Forest.”

“Of course, Professor,” The man glanced at the badge on the professor's robe “Shadewood,” Thaddeus said with a nod. “If you’ll follow me, we can discuss the details inside.”

Shadewood turned to Daniel. “I’ll be just a moment, Daniel. Feel free to look around.”

Daniel nodded and watched as Shadewood and Thaddeus entered a chamber within the outpost. Curious and with some time to spare, he approached the carriage driver, who was tending to the griffons.

“Hello there,” Daniel said, attempting to strike up a conversation. “That was quite a ride.”

The driver, a rugged man with a weathered face, chuckled. “Aye, griffin rides aren’t for the faint of heart. But you handled it well. Normally, when students board for the first time, they end up redecorating the carriage with their breakfast.”

Daniel grinned, feeling a bit more at ease with the driver's light-hearted humour. “Yeah, I can imagine. Thankfully, I've got a strong stomach.”

The driver laughed heartily. “That's good to hear, lad. Means you won't be leavin' a mess behind for me to clean up.”

Daniel marvelled at the majestic form as he stepped closer to the griffon. "Can I pet it?" he asked, turning to the driver.

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The man nodded with a smile. “Of course, just mind its beak. Griffons can be friendly but might instinctively chomp on things that get too close to their beak.”

Daniel approached the griffon cautiously, extending his hand to stroke its sleek feathers. The griffon tilted its head, seemingly enjoying the attention, and began purring slightly.

“You seem to have a way with animals,” the driver remarked, watching Daniel interact with the griffon.

Daniel smiled, his eyes still fixed on the magnificent creature. “Yeah, I've always had a knack for it. Animals just seem to understand me.”

The driver nodded in agreement. "Aye, that they do. Griffons are no exception. Treat 'em right, and they'll be your loyal companions."

After a short while, Shadewood emerged from the chamber with Warden Thaddeus.

“Ready to head into the forest?” Shadewood asked, his eyes twinkling with anticipation.

“Yes, Professor”. Daniel took one last look at the griffon and patted it before following Shadewood into the dense Darkshade Forest.

….

After walking for a while, they approached a clearing. “Daniel, do you see those weeds?” the professor spoke up, pointing to a patch of unassuming vegetation.

“Yeah? What about them?" Daniel asked, curious.

“We'll use them to attract wolves, but first, I want you to lay down a few traps,” Shadewood said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small pouch. “These are specially enchanted rune stones that I call Flame Mines,” he explained, holding one up for Daniel to see. “When stepped on, they explode with enough force to take down most lower-tier beasts.”

Daniel's eyes widened with intrigue as he examined the rune stone. “That's impressive. So, how do we set these up?”

Shadewood gestured towards the surrounding area. “You'll need to bury them in different directions, creating a perimeter around this clearing. That way, no matter which direction the wolves approach, they'll encounter one of the Flame Mines.”

As Daniel carefully buried the rune stones among the weeds, Shadewood supervised, offering guidance and adjustments as needed.

After several minutes of work, they stepped back to admire their handiwork. The rune stones were hidden among the weeds, ready to spring into action.

Shadewood nodded in satisfaction. “Well done, Daniel. Now, crush those weeds with your shoe.”

Daniel stared at the professor, perplexed. “How will this attract wolves, sir? Don't wolves eat meat?”

Shadewood chuckled. “You see, plants are more intelligent than we give them credit for. This weed has a symbiotic relationship with the nearby wolves, and it releases a special pheromone that attracts wolves when it's being harmed.”

Daniel nodded and also began crushing the weeds. After they were done, Shadewood spoke up, “Good luck! I'll be nearby evaluating your performance.”

Before Daniel could say anything, the professor jumped up and disappeared.

….

Daniel waited with bated breath, eyes scanning the forest edge for movement. The eerie silence was abruptly broken by the rustling of leaves and the appearance of a pack of wolves. Daniel estimated their numbers to be over forty, their eyes glowing menacingly in the dim light. The first five wolves set off one of the Flame Mines, and its fiery explosions lit up the clearing and sent the wolves into frenzied chaos. Their pained howls echoed through the forest.

Daniel launched his first abyssal bolt with steely determination, striking a wolf squarely in the chest. The beast collapsed, its body lifeless before it hit the ground. He moved swiftly, his mana flowing through his body as he finished chanting and launched another bolt towards a wolf. The bolt missed its target by a hairsbreadth.

Not wanting to be surrounded, he kept moving while chanting another bolt, this time finding its aim accurate, killing another wolf. Daniel felt a surge of confidence as he saw the remaining wolves hesitate. He sidestepped an incoming wolf, driving the dagger he had retrieved from his ring moments earlier into its side and twisted it to ensure a fatal blow. Another wolf lunged at him from the left, but Daniel was ready, spinning on his heel and firing an abyssal bolt directly into its gaping maw.

He continued to kite the wolves around the opening, letting them step onto the mines he had prepared earlier and reducing their numbers.

As he dispatched the twentieth wolf, Daniel noticed a notification from the system in the corner of his eye. He dismissed it instantly and allowed himself a brief moment of satisfaction. However, his victory was short-lived. He failed to notice a few wolves that had circled, using the chaos to their advantage. Suddenly, three wolves leapt at him from different directions. Daniel managed to fend off the first two with a quick series of slashes and a well-placed bolt, but the third wolf was too fast.

The wolf's claws raked across his arm, drawing blood and knocking him off balance. Daniel stumbled, his dagger slipping from his grasp as he tried to regain his footing. The wolf snarled, ready to deliver a killing blow, but a dark aura enveloped the clearing before it could strike.

Shadewood jumped out of a tree. As he landed, his mana began filling the clearing, freezing the wolves in their tracks, their bodies trembling in the face of his overwhelming power. Shadewood raised his hand, and multiple magic circles appeared in the air around him, glowing with intense heat.

With a swift motion, Shadewood unleashed a torrent of flame spears. The spears shot through the air, leaving trails of fire in their wake. Each spear found its mark, impaling the remaining wolves with brutal efficiency. The clearing was engulfed in flames, the heat intense enough to make Daniel take a step back.

The wolves' lifeless bodies littered the ground, smoke rising from their charred remains. The once fierce and deadly pack was now nothing more than a collection of smouldering corpses. Shadewood lowered his hand, the magic circles dissipating into the air as his aura faded.

Daniel stood up, clutching his wounded arm. He looked at Shadewood with a mix of gratitude and awe. “Thank you, sir,” he said, shaking slightly.

Shadewood nodded, his expression calm and composed. “You fought well, Daniel. But remember, never let your guard down. And we'll have to work on your chanting and mana control; it's barely passable.”

Daniel nodded, his resolve hardening. “Yes, Professor.”

“Good. Now, let's clear the area of our residual mana,” Shadewood said, summoning a small black disc from his pocket and tossing it to the ground. He noticed Daniel's curious look and continued, “It's crucial not to leave traces that animals or others can track. Your spell uses a rare type of mana, which might attract unwanted attention.”

“So what does that disc do exactly?” Daniel asked, watching as the disc began to emit a soft hum.

“It absorbs the ambient mana and stores it in a gem inside,” Shadewood explained. “I can later use the gem as a mana battery to fuel my spells if needed. It’s a handy little invention I designed when I was a little bit older than you are right now. Think of it as a magical vacuum cleaner.”

Daniel watched in fascination as the disc glowed briefly before fading, indicating it had completed its task. “That’s impressive, Professor. I didn’t realise there was a way to reuse residual mana like that.”

Shadewood nodded a hint of pride in his voice. “It’s one of many techniques you’ll learn in time. Efficiency and resourcefulness are the most important things to a mage. Now, let's move on. We have an ant hill to visit.”