I reached out and knocked twice before taking a step back and waiting. A moment later, it swung open, and I could see Master Julian standing near his board, again drawing some intricate diagrams. Unlike before, I could understand bits and pieces, but not much. As near as I could tell, he was creating a spell, though I had no idea what it did.

"Good morning, Vayne. Or is it afternoon? Tough to tell sometimes." Julian said, half-turning towards a clock before continuing, "A moment, please. Just finishing up something."

I paused before taking a seat, wondering if this would happen during every visit. Not that I planned to make this too much of a habit.

Julian grunted, rubbing a finger on one part before a floating chalk stick redrew the same thing as he erased. After a moment, he shook his head and turned back towards me.

"I give up! " he shouted, sliding into his chair and rubbing his eyes as three chalk sticks landed in a small pile.

"An issue, my lord?" I asked, trying to hide my curiosity behind a veneer of polite respect.

"To put it nicely. I've been working on that for ten hours straight now, and I still can't get it to work right..." Julian said, gesturing towards the board with a frown.

I took the invitation, scanning the board again and trying to make heads or tails of it. A complex jumble of arrows and sigils surrounded a drawing of a man. It looked as if he was attempting to use mana to create...something. A shield of some kind, maybe? But the shape was unusual, and was that fire mana? But the markings below looked like wind mana. Why-

"Flight," he said, interrupting my musings, and I turned to face him, catching his raised eyebrow and smirk.

"Flight, my lord? Forgive me, but I thought flying spells existed already."

"They do, but many of them are inefficient and usually require multiple other spells. Things like keeping you warm, making sure the air is breathable, and so on. I'm hoping to streamline the entire process and bind it into a single spell or enchantment. Safe and effective flying."

"I think I understand. If I may, are those connected?" I asked, pointing up to the ceiling. I remembered from our meeting the strange figurines, many of which resembled birds and other flying creatures.

"Nice catch. I hope that studying these figures might give me ideas to improve a flying construct's speed or efficacy. But that is a topic for another day. How has your practice gone with Sig? I trust he hasn't damaged you permanently."

He must have caught my grimace, bursting into laughter as my face heated. I replied, "It has gone excellent, my lord. Thank you for arranging that. Forgive me for my curiosity, but...well, why did you? You have done enough for me already."

"Curiosity is not a crime, you know, though some may feel otherwise. We are at a damned school, and some of these teachers would rather hoard information like gold," he said, a bit of heat entering his voice as he frowned.

That did not exactly answer my question, though I could not push for more without coming across as rude. Or rather, ruder than I already risked appearing.

After a few seconds, Master Julian cleared his throat before saying, "Regardless, I assume you had a reason for coming by today, and it was not to hear my complaints. How can I help you?"

"With your assistance, my training has progressed well. I finished your recommendations, have learned to control my mana, and have even cast several spells. However, I have come across a...gap in my knowledge. One that I was hoping you might be able to bridge."

"Let me guess, you want to increase your mana reserves but cannot find out how?"

I tried and failed to keep my surprised expression off my face, and he laughed, saying, "Not a tricky thing to guess based on your position and family. I actually thought you would come by earlier if I'm honest."

"I-I am afraid I do not follow, my lord."

"Right. Well, another lesson feels appropriate. Ah, but first, a drink! We've both earned it, I'd say."

His hand waved, and there was a brief shimmer on the table before a bottle, and two glasses appeared. Julian flicked one finger, and the neck slid off, cleanly cut by an unseen blade. Briefly, I brushed my throat with one hand, wondering if it was too late to find another advisor.

If he noticed my trepidation, Julian was polite enough to not mention it for once. The bottle levitated and tilted with another waved hand, filling both glasses halfway before settling down. My glass floated over, and I reached out, grabbing it and taking a sip. The pleasant was pleasant, a tart fruity flavor, but I repressed the urge to drink too much. I was not a fan of alcohol at the best of times and would rather keep my wits about me.

Julian took a long drink, letting out a sigh before beginning.

"Your inability to find information on mana gathering is not truly your fault, but rather a deliberate omission. The Academy restricts information on these techniques in particular. Now tell me, why would we do this?"

I took another sip to buy time, thinking over his question. Better to pause and answer with something intelligent than rush and make a mistake.

"To prevent mistakes, my lord? It is easier to avoid disaster if a mage is weak, and less mana ensures that safety."

"True, but incorrect. We freely allow knowledge of spells, enchantments, arrays, and a dozen other things that could just as easily maim or kill. Why make this exception?"

I had already known the likely answer before coming here but decided to feign ignorance at first. It was the smart move, but as I met Julian's gaze, I saw something lingering there an unspoken challenge. Playing dumb was the more intelligent move...but some instinct said he would not help me if I played the part of a fool.

I met his eyes evenly before responding, "To maintain control. Keeping this information hidden ensures that power remains in the hands of the noble families and the Academy. Spells are dangerous, but without sufficient mana, they are like a dull blade; A threat only to the lowliest and least prepared."

"An...apt metaphor, if a bit concerning. I would caution you not to pick up too many habits from Sig, but no matter. As a reward for rising to my little test."

Again, there was that brief shimmer, and in his hands, he held a thin, leather-bound notebook. He placed it flat on the table with a flourish, and as I leaned forward to grab it, he said, "Normally, you would get this during your first day in Magic Theory, but a bit of a headstart for my personal apprentice feels warranted."

I froze, my hand hovering over the book until Master Julian snorted, continuing, "That was a joke, Vayne. You might be interesting but crossing Duke Estton by stealing his future advisor is not a smart move. There's daring, and then there is suicidal."

I flipped through, finding that it was mostly empty save for the first few pages. Several diagrams of a human body, with simple arrows and a few short paragraphs, stood out starkly, and I began reading, trying to understand its meaning.

"What is this, my lord? I asked, wanting confirmation before my hopes rose too high.

"A mana gathering technique, of course. There are more varieties than you can imagine, and this one is the grandfather of them all. We call it Origin Breathing."

He stood, arms behind his back as he paced back and forth. For once, his face had an air of seriousness, and I realized I was looking at Master Julian for the first time, not Julian the eccentric wind mage.

"Origin Breathing is the oldest known gathering method we have and the simplest one by a mile. The stories say the Founders themselves crafted it, though who knows the truth. Normally, you would try to figure it out on your own, but I feel generous today. Be warned, though, I hate repeating, and I have never been a patient man."

His desk suddenly lifted off the ground, floating high into the air. Both chairs slid to one side, books danced, and in seconds, he had cleared a space in the center of the room. As if he had not just moved a thousand pounds of objects, Julian knelt on the ground, placing both hands on his thighs before closing his eyes. One cracked open again, and he stared at me, continuing, "Finish your drink and copy me."

The commanding look in his eyes struck me, and my training kicked in. Before I could think, I finished my wine in three huge gulps before rushing to kneel across from him.

"Find your core and visualize your mana. Let the tension in your body slip away and focus on just the energy. Now tell me, what do you see?"

The loose cloud of green swirled and pulsed, just as always. I was not sure what he was looking for and reiterated my observations.

"Look closer. Take in deep breaths and observe. Carefully."

I almost opened my eyes, wondering if this was a trick of some kind before deciding to humor him. Strange though he was, Julian had not misled me so far.

As I breathed, I noticed something...strange. It was almost like my mana swelled and receded with each breath, like the tides in an ocean. If not for Master Julian pointing it out, it would have escaped my awareness.

"I...my mana seems to move in time with my breathing," I muttered, trying not to lose sight of the phenomenon.

"Exactly. Mana is all around us, filling the air. Every breath you take, you draw that into your lungs, and your core reacts. Mana attracts mana, and that mass in your center wants to pull more inside. It is its nature. Now, I want you to take a deep breath, as deep as you can. Fill your lungs to bursting and when you reach that point, hold it."

I did as he asked, feeling my chest swell uncomfortably. My lungs burned as I held my breath, and without thinking about it, I pushed my awareness there. The volume was tiny, but I could sense motes of Aether there, floating around aimlessly.

"You have it? Excellent. Now, you have to guide that mana through your channels and into your core. Only a little will make it there, but that is fine. After a few seconds, exhale and release what is left back into the air."

My first attempts failed miserably. Several times, I could separate enough mana to draw into my core. A few others, I exhaled too fast, and any energy still in my channels flooded back out. And others still, mana impacted the dense impurities blocking the way, bouncing around until I gasped for air. But I did not plan to give up, not yet.

Finally, it clicked. I pulled a few green motes along, weaving them through the impurities, down my channels, and closer to my core until I felt something take over. Another force began to pull it, and I 'let go,' watching as they whizzed forward to join the mass of green at my center. I could not tell if I imagined it or not, but it appeared just the tiniest bit larger.

A smile crossed my face, and I opened my eyes, finding Julian watching me over the lip of a book.

"Nicely done, apprentice. Only an hour to get it down? Pretty quick, I'd say."

"Thank you, Master-wait, an hour?!" I shouted, pushing to my feet with wide eyes. He raised an eyebrow, and I took a deep breath, bowing low and continuing, "Deepest apologies, my lord. It was improper to raise my voice like that."

"Straighten up, Vayne. No offense was taken. And yes, an hour. Mana gathering passes quickly, particularly when you are deeply focused. Well, that and I gave you an elixir to give you a bit more help, which probably affected that as well."

I blinked, his words sinking in. How had he-

"The wine?" I guessed, looking at the glass now sitting on the ground behind me.

He winced, responding, "Guilty. As I said, patience was never one of my virtues. I've been using it to help my own research and felt that it might give you a bit of a helping hand. It should last several more hours, by the way."

I could not pretend I was thrilled that he effectively drugged me. In fact, I felt a flash of heat and nearly stood and walked from the room. But I pushed down my anger and had to admit it was helpful, at least. Without it, chances are my attempts would have fallen short.

I bowed low again, replying, "Well, thank you, my lord. My debts grow larger every time we meet, it seems."

When I straightened, he waved a hand before saying, "Friends do not deal in debts, Vayne. And I would rather we be friends than master and servant if it's all the same."

Friends did not slip unknown mixtures into their friend's drinks, but that was conveniently forgotten. Maybe he sincerely thought he was helpful, but that did not make it any easier to accept. If nothing else, I would keep a closer eye on what I ate and drank from now on.

"Of course, sir. If I may, I do not understand why the Academy restricts most methods but provides this one. Why give one at all?" I asked as I settled back into the chair that slid forward again.

"No guesses? I thought you might have one already."

"The stated goal of the Academy is to share knowledge and train the next generation of mages. By providing a gathering technique, they ensure every student has some capacity to grow stronger." I answered, settling on the cautious response.

Master Julian stared at me for a heartbeat. Then another, before bursting into laughter.

"Ahh, that was a good one. If you truly believe this school is as selfless as all that, you aren't paying attention. I doubt Girem would permit you to be so naive, though. Now, a proper answer, please."

I had already guessed my answer was wrong. If it was true, there was no point in restricting so much information in the first place. As near as I could tell, there were two plausible reasons, and if charity was not the answer, that only left one other explanation.

"Origin Breathing is useless, or at least very ineffective. I cannot say why, not with limited information, but it seems plausible this method is one of the worst around. This lets the Academy feign evenhandedness while ensuring the superiority of a select few."

"Got it in one. Origin Breathing is a relic from a time when our knowledge was pitifully primitive. It's slow, inefficient, and provides no secondary improvements to the user's magic. Other techniques can imbue mana with unique properties, improve control, force your core to grow larger than usual, or a hundred other things. Elden, for instance, uses a method to gives his spells unmatched range. That's a distance measured in miles, as an aside."

My hand briefly patted the notebook in my pocket, his wisdom stark in my thoughts. Julian caught the movement, and a moment later, a pen flew through the air before impacting my chest. I needed no more encouragement than that, grabbing the book and writing down an abridged version of his words.

"As I was saying, Origin Breathing has none of these benefits. Its only advantage is simplicity. It's quick to learn, easy to master, and viable for any mage around. A talented mage could get it down near-perfect in a few months."

"Am I, my lord? Talented, I mean?" I asked, raising my eyes from my writing.

He paused, staring at me, and I nearly cringed, wondering if I had made a mistake.

"Talent is a nebulous concept...but not really, no. Not magically, at least. You learned Origin Breathing quick, true, but with my guidance and that elixir bolstering your mind. A prodigy could get it down just as fast, without either of those."

My stomach plummetted, and I dropped my eyes to the ground as he continued, "Physically, you are...strange. Your channels and core are both massive, even by adult standards, but flimsy as anything and filled with more blockages than any mage I have ever met. I suspect these are connected, actually, but that is beside the point."

He paused, refilling his glass before taking a drink, and I took the chance to put words to my understandings.

"So, I am barely better than a cripple? Those blockages make my magic slow and weak, and my growth is stunted. Even if I did clear all that, there is a good chance I will injure myself if I cast too often, even as a Vapor. And, on top of all of that, my talent for magic is middling at best?" I surmised, rubbing his chin with a frown.

He shot a bright smile, responding, "Pretty much! Oh, but you forgot that you face the same risks as any other Aether mage. Your core and channels can stand up to Vapor mana but condense too fast, and you might pop like a balloon."

My face must have fallen further because he smiled wider, continuing, "Don't look so glum. It's not all rainclouds and thunderstorms. You did say you wanted challenges, right? Well, wishes do come true, it seems."

A snort slipped past my control, and I gave a dark chuckle, saying, "Is it too late to go back on that?"

"Entirely. If nothing else, you can still practice Origin Breathing and start gathering more mana. Volume matters much less than density, and your core should be up to that task, at least." the master said, his smile unchanging.

More questions still hung in my thoughts, but Master Julian glanced at a clock hanging on one wall, muttering under his breath before turning towards me.

"Though I would love to continue this, I am late for familial obligations. You should be thankful you have never had to deal with a mother's guilt."

There was the same sensation of being grabbed by winds as last time he dismissed me, and I quickly grabbed both books, stuffing them into my pockets before sailing through the doorway. Unlike last time, I managed to half-catch myself, stumbling rather than falling right over. I was growing used to his antics, it seemed.

The door slammed shut, and I brushed off the front of my shirt before letting out a low breath. Whatever Julian gave me still seemed to work, leaving my thoughts razor-sharp and my memory near-perfect. I pause, staring at the door before hurrying through the hallways.

The inklings of a plan had sprung to mind, and I wanted to make the most of Julian's boon. After all, as the master had said, there was a challenge in front of me. I would be damned if I failed to meet it.