The dawn came earlier than expected, nonetheless it is not an excuse to delay the training. Together with the other trainees, Alastor and Sherry did an early exercise run. The route they follow was from the forest to the mountain side, taking turn over the hill and return to the base where they did another set.

30 minutes break wasn’t enough for Sherry. Most of them recovered quickly from the long tiring run, except Sherry. Sherry felt that her stomach would turn upside down, given that it was kilometers that they’ve run.

“You alright there?” Alastor asked and sat down beside her.

She shakes her head and took a long tiring breath before facing him, “It wasn’t a casual strolling, so no, I am not fine.”

“Okay. No need to be so stingy.”

“You guys make this whole routine sounds so easy.”

“Because it is. Well, for newcomers like you won’t be easy. After months of expanding your cardiovascular endurance, I doubt that you won’t be able to catch up with us.”

“Speaking of which, what’s next?”

“Nathaniel will be the one who’s going to teach you all about the basic principle of magic. He may not look like it but he’s experienced as I am.”

Nathaniel stands on top of the stadium. His hair is unkempt. His tired, almost passive expression already tells that he’s not up to the task, but was forcefully to do so. He took out a small note, it was nothing but a summarization of the topics he will discussed. He was never an academic devotee. His specialization belongs to fighting monsters and all related to that, teaching kids is a big no for him. If it wasn’t for the additional fee he was tempted with, he wouldn’t waste his time staying here.

“Everyone!” Nathaniel shouted, “Please gather here. We’ll be starting our class within the minute.”

Alastor was left behind to oversee Sherry’s development. Surprisingly, everyone seems to be compliant. No one cause a commotion unlike before when he was a trainee like them. Picking, nicknaming, the usual pricks who would put throw stones to the other group and causes fist fight, that’s the usual thing they would do before.

He scanned the windowed position of the trainees. “This morning we will be discussing how magic works? Do you have any idea how magic works?”

Curious as she is, Sherry raised her hand. “Um, aren’t you supposed to be the one who’s going to discuss what it is?”

“I’m asking to spare the whimsicalities of this class so that everyone would be participative.”

“Then how would that do better to us?”

Alastor smirked. A vein pops out on Nat’s head, but he’s still remains calm.

“Because, by doing so you would know how to be comfortable with.”

“Then that would mean some who doesn’t have prior knowledge would be left behind.” Sherry replied.

“No, they will not, because I will expand the idea into a simple yet understandable concept. Now, please, sit down. You’re interrupting the class.”

Nat started, “Now everyone, as we all know energies are part of our life, it exists in a not so obvious way. Energy can take in many forms, from the physics way and in supernatural way. The river, the wind, the heat of our sun that grants as another type of nutrient for the plants and trees to grow and to the planet that is tidally locked to our sun that keeps the balance of the nature intact.

Most importantly, there are energy that is supernatural, such magic and any form of spells. This comprises in the need of energy, one way to use magic is to use the energy that is store within us, our mana. The mana serves as our gases for us to use magic, without it, it would be impossible to us to use magic.

There are three different types of amassing mana, nature energy, physical energy and dark energy. Now it is important to note that this type of energies has different purposes and can be uses in different ways. Let us start with the basic one, the physical energy, this kind of energy comes from our body itself, and within it underlies our natural source of mana, now don’t he confuse about the energy and mana, because this two come by in hand, you can say that they are the same thing, but uses different terms to easily sort out the difference between physical and supernatural. This energy that flows within our body can be regarded as our mana, with it we can use our magic, but it has limits. Only the person itself can tell if the mana’s capacity is approaching its depletion, but for some they have large quantity of it and can perform dozens of magic before dying out.

The second is nature energy, this energy comes out from the nature itself. We draw magic from the nature and store it on our body temporarily. Why temporary? Because of the side effects. While using it, our mind would be susceptible to spiritual entities and might cause disturbances psychologically, such as hallucinations, delusions, fatigue, anxiety. There are few people that can use this ability and some are members of the Glade. Practicing how to use nature energy requires a tremendous amount of effort to master. Those who have mastered the nature energy can convert it as a mana that would replenished the strength and increased the capacity of the user.

The last type of energy is the dark energy. This is the abundant type of energy, no sane mortal would use this kind of power because of its bad effects. Why is it bad? Because it’s obvious, there is dark in ‘dark energy’, the name itself speaks trouble, literature-Ly-ish. Unlike the minimal friendly nature energy, dark energy requires the user to be devoted and hellbent to it, such extreme decisions are required for the user to use it. Dark energy would come from different sources, some would be totem and relics that is made directly by an evil spirit. Weapons can be sources of dark energy too and there actually curse weapons that are locked in various museums in this world. The reason why it’s forbidden to use is because of the side effects, it will torment the user, physically, mentally and spiritually. Those only who have known darkness in their life are the ones who would be able to endure it and would be able to fully control it.”

One of the students asked, “If cursed weapons are dangerous why would anyone think to display it on museum.”

Nathaniel replied, “The knowledge itself is not forbidden, only the use of it. There are some cities that reluctantly displays cursed objects and explains the history so that people would come to know how dangerous it is to wield one. But there are certain countries that totally ban specifics dark objects because of it has a wide range of bad effects.”