(Jason, 16)

"You don't often show up with Lina as well," Kayla comments as we take our seats. "And why do you both look exhausted? Where are Jacob and Alex?"

"Thanks for the concern," Lina looks at her. "But we're all rather exhausted, so Jason took them straight to their university."

"There was an assassination attempt," Tasha explains. "Just as they were preparing for bed. It resulted in a long night, and until the assassins' path of entry is discerned, Jacob and Lina are staying at Jason's, with him, Sage Alyssa, and Sage Michael present."

"The actual target was Jacob," Lina says. "So he is staying in Jason's room for extra protection."

Kayla raises an eyebrow at that, and Tasha gives me a curious look.

"That way he's in a room with a stronger fighter," I say.

In addition to an army that can be summoned with a snap of my fingers. Jacob's reaction to the stuffie golems last night was pretty amusing, especially since his introduction to them was Tiger Alpha jumping between us and asking who he was.

I suppose I should have warned him that I'd woken up around thirty stuffie golems while we were talking.

Our professor enters the room and calls for everyone to settle down, so our conversation ends, and the day is a slog for me to push through. I did not want to stay up all night, but neither Jacob nor I could sleep, and Jacob is not supposed to take any potions to help with sleep, just in case it was poison, and I didn't want to in case something happened.

Admittedly, we didn't really have to worry about either of those things with my mama and papa there, but we still didn't take them.

By the time lessons finish for the day, I just want to sleep, but need to get through everything. Since we are leaving the for the weekend and they'll be missing a total of three lessons with me, Niko decided to invite the ten Marran teens studying under me as well.

Well, the ten other than him.

With the fourteen members of my training group, the ten Marran teens, the Leviathans, Adam and Elise, and myself, that brings us to thirty-two total people at this training week. No, thirty-six, because of my cousins' guards.

This is a big group to manage. Thankfully, I have help this weekend.

Or maybe… that's a bad thing? Well, I can't blame my mamas and papas for stepping in, giving my current record of what happens when I'm left to my own devices. It isn't my fault, though – some of the stuff just walks to me.

Like Marianne Holdir and her son and those incidents. Jacob asked me to do the thing with the dragons.

Instinct led me to investigating the reason Connor was not at university. They don't know about that, though.

Yeah. None of that is my fault.

"Alright," I tell the group once they've assembled in the training room my training group's assigned and I've checked their bags to make sure no forbidden items are being brought. They might be in dimensional spaces, but we'll trust them to be responsible. "Some quick stuff before we arrive. Those of you not in the advanced training group, you'll get to see some of what we do and use during the advanced training. Those of you who aren't in my advanced training group or my training group, you'll get to taste what it's like to train professionally.

"For everyone," I hesitate on this part. "You'll get to find out what it's like to learn under one of the Sages. Papa Michael and Papa Samuel are coming out because I'm not trusted not to have problems attracted to me. Mama Alyssa and Mama Elena will be there as well.

"We'll be staying in a special building constructed just for this," I tell them. "Mama Alyssa, Niko, Papa Samuel, Papa Jared, and Mama Elizabeth worked together to build it over the last two weeks."

"This was not planned until a few days ago," Jacob speaks up.

"I meant for training camps," I clarify. "I was planning on one at another time. It can hold up to fifty residents."

"Sage Samuel left Mar?" Niko looks concerned.

"Mama Elizabeth is staying there in his place," I tell him. "While she might be a weaver and tailor, she is still a warrior with a violet magical power. She doesn't buy everything she uses in her outfits."

Sometimes, she sends her only son to hunt it down. Or she goes and acquires it herself.

Seven-year-old me had quite the fright when she brought me along for one of those trips. I was confident we were both going to be devoured by that spider, and she just smacked it around like it was nothing.

"So we're learning under the Sages?" Kayla asks.

"Yes," I answer. "And me as well. We each have our areas of expertise. Papa Michael will be in charge of warrior combat training. Papa Samuel will train in spells. Mama Alyssa and Papa Jared will train in enchanting, though Papa Jared might not come out. Mama Elena will train in alchemy. Everyone will receive training from each of us."

"You didn't list yourself," Kyra points out. "What are you training?"

"Special training," I answer, then answer my comm plate. "Yes?"

"We're ready," Papa Samuel tells me.

"Alright," I open a gate. "Sending them your way," we end the call. "Everyone, head through the gate."

I wait for everyone to pass through the gate, then I pass through as well, closing it behind me. We're in front of the new lodges, a two-story building with fifty bedrooms in it. Thirty on the top floor, twenty on the bottom. The top floor also has a lounge to relax in and two bathrooms, and the bottom floor has a kitchen, dining hall, library, and two separate training rooms.

The entire building was built of stone, which made it easier to construct than if it were made of wood. It's complete with plumbing and magical lighting, everything powered by a mana generator beneath it, past the storage rooms. There is wood, such as floors, walls, and furniture, but the combined efforts of my papas and mamas allowed it to be made much faster than when Mama Alyssa and I made my house.

A three-foot wall surrounds the stone building, with the usual wards. Not that they're needed, since the entire training region is surrounded by the magical construct barrier, but they put them in anyway.

The group is looking at the building, and I turn slightly to look at the pumpkin patch that Mama Elena grew just for this. They already carved out several and put them on the porch and steps, and along the sides of the building, longburn candles inside.

Those are fun to make, and they can last up to two weeks of constant burn, if I'm not mistaking the batch of them. At least, the ones here.

"Alright, people!" I clap my hands, and the training group looks at me. I indicate the patch. "Pick a pumpkin! We're carving them! I hear that's a usual festival prep thing."

Papa Samuel laughs from where he's at with the others, at a group of tables.

Putting the pumpkins out with a candle in them, once they've been carved, is said to help ward away and scare away evil spirits. We did a few of them for the house each year, but I never really understood the purpose of them.

Since we don't know if this house will have the same properties as the others, we're putting the potential wards up.

"You can leave your bags there," Papa Samuel tells everyone. "Elena will put them away."

Mama Elena starts collecting the bags as everyone heads to the patches, and after everyone picks a pumpkin and moves to a table, Papa Samuel explains that for the first pumpkin, we're to carve our sacred beast. If we want to make another after, we can do whatever we want.

Metal bowls are set down for the pumpkin guts, to be separated so we can roast the seeds. The rest of the guts will be used for fertilizer.

Those of us who know how to use our magic to carve our pumpkins, and a few of us help others or show them how to do it. I make five pumpkin lanterns total, the most out of anyone.

Once the lanterns are done, we set them on the walls, placing longburn candles into them and lighting them. I pray to the King of the Gods that the lanterns and other wards actually work, because the small amount of sensing spirits I have done during the festival is more than enough for me.

"Now that the lanterns are finished," Papa Samuel says. "Everyone gather into five groups of seven. Jason, you're one of the instructors, so no joining them, no matter how much you'd like to. We have special lessons for you."

"Yeah," I grin. "They involve sending me out to challenge a monster you think I can't handle, then losing track of me, only to find me dueling it and winning."

"We only did that one time."

"Your memory must be going," I say. "Since mine says it happened fourteen times."

"I only lost track of you once."

"I was only counting the times you lost track of me," I tell him. "Want me to include all the times you didn't lose track of me?"

"He has you there," Papa Jared tells him, causing the other students to laugh.

"You have to tell us that story!" Barry mutters.

"I'll be more than happy to," I say. "But tonight. Let's separate groups that are already together, so couples, friends – part ways. The Marran are the exception – they can't understand Varilan that well, so we can split them into two groups of five, with two additional in them. Jacob, Lina? If you wouldn't mind helping with those groups?"

The royals nod in confirmation.

"Leviathans," I say. "There are six of you, plus Alex. Try to be in at least three groups. Tasha, Niko, Elise, and Adam, please be in a group with someone other than your betrothed."

Everyone assembles into their groups, then is split up. Papa Samuel's groups stays out here, Mama Elena's goes to the kitchen, Papa Jared's stays out here, and Mama Alyssa's goes into a training room.

Me? I open a gate. My group goes to Papa Samuel, whose goes to Mama Elena, whose goes to Mama Alyssa, whose goes to Papa Michael, whose goes to me.

We're only doing half-hour sessions today, but it will still be two and a half hours, meaning we are all having a late dinner. However, after dinner is free time until bed time.

(Alex, 16)

Finally! I swear, they made my group attend Sage Samuel's lesson first on purpose, just so that I'd get to Jason's last. My group consists of Adam, Niko, Jeddy, Kyra, and two other members of the training group, Kieran and Cody. They're both first-year C-Class students from the Royal Knight University who are pretty much guaranteed advancement next term, even if they hadn't joined Jason's group.

I'm not actually sure how they tested into C-Class rather than B-Class, but I can tell they're advancing.

When we step through the gate to begin Jason's training, it takes me a moment to realize that we are on a floating platform of stone. It's one hundred feet in diameter, and I'm not sure how high we are. We're near the center, so I can't check that easily.

But we're definitely in the air.

He must be using a mana generator to power the enchantment for this.

"Please tell me we're not floating," Jeddy mutters as he suddenly grips my arm.

He has an intense fear of heights due to a certain incident with another gang in the past. The gang ceased to exist that night.

"Alright!" Jason says. "Does anyone here know the difference between special-type magic and the other magics?"

None of us answer. I'm sure I knew it as Quinn, but I don't as Alex. Even if Jeddy knew, he's too frightened by the idea of us being in the air to answer. Why are we floating? And I suppose he meant special magics when he said 'special training'. He wasn't being cryptic.

"My Papa Samuel asked me this once, when I was little," Jason says when none of us responds. "Admittedly, I never did give him an answer on this. The answer is actually rather simple."

Jason looks at us expectantly, but none of us answer. I'm surprised Niko doesn't, with how much Jason's probably been training him so that he can be caught-up to his classmates. After a few more moments of silence, Jason sighs.

"How different is it to cast special-type spells?" Jason asks.

"Very," Kieran answers. "With special-type magics, there often isn't any visualization at all. At least, not direct visualization. To enhance your speed, you visualize yourself moving faster. They're indirect visualizations, most of the time."

"Exactly," Jason says. "There are a few exceptions, but even those often fall into this."

"But do not curse, holy, and mind magics do something similar?" Niko asks. "I specialize in curse magics," that earns him a few uneasy looks. "And they do not necessarily always require direct visualization, but indirect."

"Correct," Jason nods. "A decomposition spell, used to aid in the turning of carcasses into dirt, often visualizes the corpse as dirt rather than the full decay process, though that does help with the visualization for the spell.

"That's because," Jason says. "Holy, mind, and curse magics are, in fact, special-type magics. However, they are also individual branches as well that utilize a 'truer' visualization than most special-type magics, which is why they count as separate types.

"In actuality," Jason says. "Special-type magics are an entirely different class of magic from the other types."

Yes, we go that, that's why they're their own type.

"In some cultures," he says. "They're called 'high magics'."

That dredges up memories from stories in my life as Kris, and I realize what he's referring to.

"They are spells," he continues. "That don't just manipulate magic or nature, but perform other actions, often directly defying nature. This is why those three categories of spells are only partially a part of special-type magics. If you truly wanted to, you could create a couple of more types of magic, such as gravity and spatial."

"Gravity?" Cody asks. "What is that?"

"Anyone here know the answer?" Jason asks.

I only know about it because of my life as Kris, but I know this world has some idea of it. I've heard of a story of Jason being trapped in a gravity spell before because his papas and mamas were punishing him and he was trying to sneak cookies.

"Gravity," Adam says. "Is the force that keeps us from floating around all the time. It causes anything that goes up to go down. The platform we are on is defying this, floating in the air."

"Correct," Jason uses his right foot to tap the platform. "We're currently floating two hundred feet in the air."

Jeddy's grip on my arm tightens.

"Don't worry, though," Jason says. "The enchantment is secure enough, and the mana generator has plenty of mana in it, so we won't fall. Even if it did fail, we'd have plenty of leeway for me to save us or evacuate everyone.

"So!" He grins. "Let's get started with my session. We will not be performing special-type spells. Instead, we will be performing… special training."

Jason opens up his spatial storage and pulls out a giant crate, one I recognize because he's been sticking homemade candles into it all week. He drafted Eden, Sage Alyssa, and me into helping him make the candles, too.

"This is a basic form of training magic," Jason says. "Where you focus on magical control and finesse."

Jerk.

He has each of us take nine candles and arrange them in a three-by-three grid in front of us, the candles spaced approximately one inch apart. From there, we have to light only the center edge candles without an incantation.

Simultaneously.

If we fail to light even one of them, we have to put them out and start again. If we light more than those four, we have to put them out and start again. If we don't light them all at once, we have to put them out and start again.

This does not sound like fun.

We take our candles and sit down, then begin to work. I repeatedly fail. First, I only light one of them, then I light two connected candles. After that, I light three candles, including a corner candle. This is frustrating, and I start to wonder if Jason ever had to do this.

"Did your papas and mamas make you do this?" Niko asks just as I start to wonder this.

"Yes," Jason answers. "It was one of the first things they had me do to train such types of control."

"What is the purpose behind doing this?" I ask. "It seems like a weird exercise."

"Say you're in the middle of a battlefield," Jason says. "Allies and enemies all around you, and you want to cast a spell that hits only your enemies. You'd need to be able to control your spell so that it doesn't strike your allies. This helps with that, among other things."

"This is how you were able to lift every cube at once, isn't it?" Kyra asks. "I heard that in your group during the application test for universities, you lifted all of the specific cubes instantly, simultaneously."

"Correct," Jason answers. "This, among other similar training methods, gave me immense control over my magic, and not just in how much power I put into it, but how much true control over its direction I have."

He pulls out candles and creates a grid that's eight-by-eight. Red and black candles, rather than the off-white ones we're using. That looks like a chessboard, Jason.

That game doesn't exist on Midlaris, either. Perhaps we could introduce it here?

Jason holds out a hand, and while all of the candles illuminate, the black candles' flames are red, while the red candles' flames are black. For a full minute, he adjusts the height of the flames, making them as small as he can to six inches in height. At the same time, he changes the color of the flames every three seconds, keeping them the same color for the candle color. So all of the red candles' flames stay the same color, and all of the black candles' colors stay the same color.

"And that," he says, the flames fading away. "Is something that you can build up to. And while it's greater control for one element, it affects your control itself and there are techniques for the others as well."

How do the others work? I cannot fathom how to do it for the others.

"Remember," Jason says. "Visualize only the four target candles lighting, shape the spell, and cast it. Don't use words to do so. An incantation helps, but what if someone strikes you with a silencing spell? Or you're trying to be as quiet as possible. Once you grow into the habit of visualizing without incantations, it will become easier to do it all the time, as it opens your magical visualization. It's like another muscle to be trained."

That's not an explanation or comparison I've heard before. Did you make that up just now?

"Return," he gestures to us. "Anyone who fails to do this by the twenty-minute mark of this session will have to do a series of brutal physical exercises for the last ten."

Crap.

I work my hardest at it, and in the end, only Adam manages to complete the task.

As our punishment, Jason creates fourteen lines of light on the platform, starting with red at the center, then orange, yellow, all the way to violet at the furthest pair of lines. We start at the red line and run to the next, then to the orange past the first, then the other orange.

Suicide sprints. Our legs are going to be killing us after this.

When we finish the suicide sprints, we have to do pushups, situps, and squats until the session ends. I didn't realize everyone was exhausted because of Jason, we're all exhausted after a day of lessons and then going through training by the four Sages here.

I should have expected that, though. Our advanced training sessions are brutal. He's never done a failure punishment before, though. Is this something his papas and mamas did to him? Or something he made up as incentive to try harder?

Whatever it is, we stop when Jason opens the gate.

"Also," he says, and the area around the platform changes, the air not as thin as it was a moment before. Did he just teleport us back to the ground? We're even with the rest. "We were never in the sky. I heard a certain person had a fear of heights, and though that simulating it with illusion and air magic might help. You forgot you were up high, didn't you?"

Jason looks at Jeddy, who only realizes now that we were up high. Or rather, supposedly up high.

"Were you sustaining those spells the entire time we were up there?" Cody asks in shock.

"Yes," Jason answers. "That's another use for this training. You were all trying to cast a single spell, except for Adam, who realized that I never said it had to be a single spell. Casting multiple spells at once can be a great boon to any mage, knight, or slayer. Performers can often perform up to three spells simultaneously."

Dang.

"So, Jeddy," Jason smiles at him. "Sorry for frightening you at first, but Alex's mentioned before he's wanted to help you overcome that, but didn't know. I hope that helped some."

Jeddy gives him a shy smile, then Jason ushers us through the gate.

(Jacob, 16)

When Sages Samuel and Alyssa begin showing us the rooms and telling us to take them, Jason joined Sage Elena in the kitchen to help prepare dinner. I suppose he does not care about which room he will use, unless he takes a gate to a more cozy place to sleep.

I would not put it past him to do that.

The rooms are all identical: eight feet on each side with a desk, wardrobe, bed, and nightstand with drawers. A shelf hangs above the bed, and another above the desk, which also has a chair slid underneath it. Not much space, but I suppose it works when the rooms are meant to temporarily house us for a few days to weeks at a time, and not be a home.

This is a building meant as a training facility, after all.

Though I know Jason could have handled all of us, which makes me curious about the real purpose behind the Sages joining us. It cannot be due to his tendency to enter into issues when left alone, as they would know there would be no room for that out here unless he abandoned us.

After selecting my room and putting my clothes away, I make my way to the showers. My guards took the rooms to either side of mine, claiming that they are still on-duty, even though I know they are not.

They just do not feel comfortable with others taking the rooms beside mine, in case something happens. Quicker response, and all that.

It seems most of the others had the same idea of taking a shower, as there are ten others already in the showers on the first-floor. Each set of showers can take up to five people, and there are two on the first floor and three on the second floor. That means that only ten can shower on the first floor, and fifteen on the second, at a time.

Figuring the showers on the second floor are at capacity as well, I wait in the changing rooms for three spots to open up, then take my shower, my guards taking theirs at the same time so they can keep an eye out for danger.

While we all want to hurry to wash off the sweat, we also want to soak in the hot water and steam to relax our muscles after the training with Jason and Sage Michael. This means that the showers take a few minutes longer than they could for us to clean ourselves effectively, but not long enough to delay others who might be waiting.

Having now trained under four different Sages, even if only for half an hour at a time, I can see where Jason acquired his training style from, though I feel confident in that some of it may have come from his life as Nolan as well.

When I finish my shower, I dry off and dress in evening clothes, then make my way to the dining room, where the lessons with Sage Elena took place. A buffet-style counter is set up for us to pick our food from, and Jason is standing in the kitchen, cooking something as Sage Elena serves.

As soon as all of us trainees have our food and are sitting, chatting, Jason finishes up in the kitchen and joins us, the Sages keeping food ready for those of us who want seconds. They made dessert as well, pies, cookies, brownies, and pudding.

There is a new thing as well, some item I have never heard of before. Cold, creamy, and delicious, and the Sages call it 'ice cream', which they recommend eating either by itself or with a hot slice of pie. If we eat it by itself, there are several toppings we can put on it.

Slices of strawberries or bananas, sprinkles like the sort we might put on cakes, and then drizzles of chocolate or caramel.

I do a little of each, to see how it tastes, and am amazed by it. According to Sage Elena, the one I acquired was vanilla. I can taste that, just subtly, and it tastes quite good.

"Did you invent this?" One of the Marran boys asks. "I have never heard of such a treat before, and I live somewhere cold."

"No," Sage Elena answers. "It would normally be eaten on a hot summer's day, actually, but who says that summer treats cannot be eaten in winter, or winter treats in summer?"

"Indeed," the boy nods. "Where is this from?"

Sage Elena looks at Jason, giving him a slight nod of her head. That was not her indicating something, but giving permission. Most of the others did not notice that, however, and simply believed that to be her saying that Jason did.

Before anyone can say something, however, Jason stands up and walks to the front of the dining room, standing beside the Sages.

"All of you," Jason says. "Have been vetted by myself and my mamas and papas, whether you are aware of it or not. Each of you was tested and observed over several weeks, among others. We trust you to keep what I am about to tell you a secret until given a different word."

Everyone here? Including Eden? But he was not even a part of the training group until this week.

Or was he included because he is an S-Class student?

Wait. Is Jason about to tell everyone that he is the reincarnation of one of the Magi? Are they about to reveal the war to people who were not yet approved for the knowledge?

"I brought the idea of ice cream to Mama Elena," Jason tells us. "Because of my memories of my past life, a life from another world and one without magic."