III. Training

Spencer let out a sigh as he turned towards his mentor. "So...what's going on today?" He asked.

Meistrof let out a slow breath, observing the surrounding greenery as he spoke. "I'm going to make you try out every single type of magic in existence, so I know which ones are your forte and which ones are not." He explained. "Once I figure that out, I can help you strengthen those that are your forte, and maybe some that are weaker. And if I cannot help you with some types, such as dark magic, I know others that can help you with that."

Spencer's eyes nearly bugged out of his eye sockets, and Meistrof let out a small chuckle at the reaction. "Did I just hear that you said you're going to make me try out every single type of magic?" The apprentice asked, completely shocked and surprised at the same time.

"Yes, Spencer." Meistrof replied smoothly as he let one of his hands run through his long hair. "I did."

"E-even the dark type?" Spencer stammered slightly.

There was a pause, before the response came. "...Everything but the dark type, for certain reasons."

"Why?" Spencer asked. "I mean, I know it's dangerous, but...is it seriously that dangerous?"

"I'll tell you later." The older man murmured quietly, crossing his arms loosely. "How about we start with nature magic first?" Spencer nodded in response, listening to his mentor carefully. "Alright, try to focus on that small flower bud there." He started, gesturing to a nearby rosebud. Spencer nodded, staring at it with all his might. "Just focus your energy on the bud, and slowly try to imagine the petals opening up."

"So, all I have to do is imagine that the flower blooming?" Spencer asked, looking at his mentor briefly, before focusing on the plant again.

"Yes, Spencer. That's exactly what you have to do." Meistrof answered him. "Imagination is often a good way to make the magic happen."

"Does that mean you imagine a lot of thunderstorm magic a lot?"

"Exactly." Meistrof smiled a little, glad that his apprentice understood what it meant for him. "I do imagine a lot of thunderstorm attacks whenever I use my magic for offensive purposes. I can imagine other element types of magic attacks, but light is my forte, so I imagine that more than the rest."

"Huh. Basically, whatever type of magic you imagine the most is the one you're strongest at?"

"Yes." Meistrof knew he should probably get his apprentice to focus. "Alright, now. Focus on the rose and try to imagine it blooming."

"Okay!" Spencer grinned, shut his eyes as he held out his hands towards the rose. There was a pause, before the petals of the rose began to open. "Am I doing it?" The apprentice asked excitedly, still having his eyes shut.

"Yes." Meistrof whispered softly, a small smile making its way onto his face.

"Really?!" Spencer's eyes shot open, and he let out a whoop at the blooming rose he saw in front of him. "Alright! I did it!"

"Don't get too excited!" Meistrof shouted suddenly, pointing. "You're making it overgrow!"

"What!?" Spencer looked at the plant, and the two stared at it in horror, as well as some maids and a courtyard gardener that were passing by them. Instead of the rose it once was, it looked more like a red cabbage of sorts. "...Whoops."

Meistrof took the opportunity to face-palm himself.

"Alright...well, let's try something a little safer." Meistrof started. I should have just done this earlier-it's faster and much easier to figure things out...

The two were now back in the West Tower, in a vast, vast chamber that was actually underneath the tower. If it was up high in the tower, Meistrof doubted it would fit there, but underground had more than enough room for that place to exist. He knew the name of the place well-everyone had heard of it, but not many had ever entered it before.

It was known as a place of rebirth, of awakening. Meistrof felt it was fit to show Spencer to this place-after all, this was a much safer place to figure out what types of magic Spencer was stronger at.

There was a large, circular fountain in the middle of the chamber, and Spencer stood in front of it quietly.

"I need you to nick your finger with something and squeeze a drop of blood into the fountain." Meistrof instructed him.

Spencer stared at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"Just do it." Meistrof muttered in response. "It's just one drop of blood, Spencer. It won't kill you. Many mages in the past generations have done this to determine their strengths and weaknesses, and they lived to tell the tale from spilling a single drop of blood."

"Okay..." The apprentice paused as he was about to bite his finger, and spoke up again. "Doesn't this fountain ever get contaminated with all the blood dripping into it?"

"Erm, I think it's a special fountain, Spencer. I believe that is the only reasonable-sounding theory I can conjure up to explain why the waters of the fountain are not corrupted." The older man responded. "It's alright. Just do it."

Spencer hesitated, before biting his finger and pulling as hard on the flesh as he could. The skin split, and a few drops of blood fell into the fountain.

The water did not stir for a moment. And then, they started to glimmer gently. A large, hollow circle of light traced itself in the waters, and there were various coloured dots on the circle that appeared as the circle formed. As soon as the circle's formation was complete, the dots began to travel either inwards or outwards from the center.

"Um...can you explain to me what this-" Spencer pointed at the circle, "-is supposed to be?"

"Oh, right..." Meistrof took a deep breath, before explaining. "You see, all of these coloured dots here represent each type of magic; water, fire, earth, air, ice, time, space, dark and light. The closer the dots are to the inside of the circle, the stronger you are in those types. The farther away they are from the center...that means that they are less likely to be mastered." He pointed at a few of the dots as he spoke. "For you, it seems that you have an exceptional strength in light magic. It probably explains how you were able to defeat that dark mist the other day." He paused at a certain small dot. "...Oh."

"What?" Spencer asked, confused as he looked at the dot, and then at Meistrof's worried expression. "What's wrong, Meistrof?"

"...That dot represents dark magic. Spencer...that dot is just as close to the center of the circle as your light magic." Meistrof frowned slightly at this. "This result is the same as mine."

"What?" Spencer asked in disbelief. "Seriously? Can I see?"

Meistrof nodded quickly, before biting open the skin on one of his fingers. The two stared as a drop of blood entered the waters of the fountain. Spencer's circle disappeared, and a new circle formed. Spencer couldn't believe what it looked like.

The circle looked like an exact replica of Spencer's circle previously.

Both looked at each other in disbelief at first, before Spencer spoke up again.

"...So...you're strong in dark magic, too?" Spencer asked quietly.

Meistrof let out a quiet sigh, nodding in response. "Yes, I am. I never bothered trying to use it too much, though."

"Why?" Spencer didn't get it. "Why did you not give attention to something else that you're good at besides light magic?"

"...It's a long story, and I don't plan on telling it to you anytime soon." Meistrof answered quietly, making eye contact with the younger one. "I can train you in terms of the light magic, but as for the dark magic I will have to find a tutor for that, so at least you can master it properly. Dark magic is not something to trifle with, and I don't want for you to use it improperly. Understood?"

Spencer nodded, before Meistrof dismissed him.

A shadow finished listening to them, before disappearing into nothingness, not wishing to be caught by either of the two.