Leo watched Elly's enthusiasm and remembered his own journey learning spells. Each one had taken him months of dedicated practice - earth wall alone consumed an entire season before he could raise it reliably. The fundamentals of earth manipulation came naturally, but proper spell formation demanded patience.
"You know it'll take time, right?" Leo closed his tome. "These aren't like basic element control."
"Of course." Elly's fingers traced the water symbols on her book's spine. "The healing spell was almost a year before I got it working properly. And that was with daily practice."
"I remember that." Leo nodded. "You spent hours in the infirmary studying the theory before even attempting the practical side."
"At least I've got decent water control already." Elly created a sphere of water, letting it dance between her fingers. "That should help with learning the combat spells. But yeah, I know we're looking at months of work here."
"That's good. Some of the other students..." Leo glanced around the Archive where excited voices carried between the shelves. "I don't think they realize these books are just the beginning. Each spell takes serious dedication."
"At least we know what we're getting into." Elly stacked her water magic books neatly. "No illusions about instant mastery here."
A group of first-year cadets huddled near the Archive's entrance, their voices carrying across the quiet study space.
"I picked this awesome fire spell that can create huge explosions!" A red-haired boy waved his tome in the air. "Who needs defence when you can just blast everything?"
Leo caught Elly's eye and shook his head slightly.
"These idiots are going to get themselves killed," Elly muttered under her breath, keeping her voice low enough that only Leo could hear.
Another cadet bounced on her heels. "I got two attack spells as well!"
Leo buried his face in his hands. Even Officer Chen's explicit instructions about balancing offensive and defensive capabilities hadn't gotten through to some of them.
"At least most people listened," Elly said, watching another group discussing shield spells and counter-techniques. "But there's always a few who think they're invincible."
"Remember what Chen said about complementary abilities?" A tall boy near them argued with his friend. "You can't just stack attack spells and hope for the best."
"Whatever." His companion rolled her eyes. "I'll just dodge. These water projectile spells look way more fun than boring old barriers."
Leo turned back to his own books, tuning out the chatter. "Not our problem if they want to learn the hard way."
The excited voices continued to drift over as more cadets made their selections. Some chose wisely, picking balanced combinations that would serve them well. Others... well, the infirmary would be busy during their first practical sessions.
The library manager, an elderly woman with wire-rimmed glasses, beckoned the cadets forward one by one. Her quill scratched against the registration book as she recorded their selections.
"Name and chosen spells?" She adjusted her glasses as Leo approached.
"Leo Shmidt. Earth Armor and Earth Shackles."
The manager's quill danced across the page. She pulled two scrolls from the shelves behind her, each sealed with the academy's crest. "Your study materials. Return the source books before you leave."
Leo stepped aside as Elly moved forward.
"Elly Shmidt. Water Wall and Water Bullet."
More scratching of the quill. Two more scrolls exchanged hands.
The line shuffled forward. Books were returned, scrolls distributed.
Leo and Elly returned their tomes to their proper places on the Archive shelves. The excitement of spell selection had worn off, replaced by the weight of the sealed scrolls in their hands - months of study ahead.
The first-years gathered their belongings and filed out of the Archive. Their footsteps echoed through the stone corridors as they headed toward their next class, some already comparing their chosen spells, others clutching their scrolls like precious treasures.
The next morning's chill bit through Leo's uniform as he joined the other cadets in the training yard. Dawn barely colored the sky, but Officer Chen already stood at attention, surveying their formation with sharp eyes.
"Begin your warm-up exercises. Three laps around the yard, then breathing techniques."
Gravel crunched under boots as they circled the yard. Leo kept pace near the middle of the group, conserving energy. Some eager first-years sprinted ahead, but he knew better - Chen's exercises always built in intensity.
After the run, they spread out across the yard for breathing practice. The ritualized movements helped channel magical energy more efficiently, though many newcomers dismissed their importance.
"Focus on your core," Chen's voice carried across the yard. "Each breath should flow like a river, steady and controlled."
The sun climbed higher as they finished morning exercises. Leo's muscles burned pleasantly as they filed into the lecture hall after a quick breakfast.
Professor Aldrich adjusted his spectacles, chalk scratching against the blackboard as he outlined key dates in Usman's history. "The northern campaign of 847 marked a crucial shift in military doctrine..."
Leo's quill moved across his notebook, recording the professor's words. Two rows ahead, Elly stifled a yawn. History wasn't her favourite subject, but understanding past conflicts shaped future strategy.
The afternoon brought combat training. Wooden practice weapons clattered in the training hall as pairs of students worked through basic forms.
"Keep your guard up!" The combat instructor circled the room. "A dropped defence means death on the battlefield."
Leo blocked his partner's strike, wooden sword meeting with a solid impact sound. Sweat dampened his collar as they worked through the prescribed sequences.
"Time!" The instructor's voice cut through the noise. "Clean your equipment and hit the showers. Lunch in fifteen minutes."
The dining hall buzzed with conversation as cadets finished their meals. Leo sat with Elly, both taking advantage of the brief rest period before afternoon classes.
The theoretical course focused on siege tactics today. Charts and diagrams covered the classroom walls showing various fortress designs and their vulnerabilities. Most students struggled to stay alert after lunch, but the instructor's dramatic descriptions of historic battles kept them engaged.
As the rest of the cadets filed out toward the training grounds, Leo, Elly, Jake, and Elena split off toward the mage practice area. The four of them had enough magical power and mana to begin specialized training while their classmates continued physical drills.
"Have fun with basic control exercises." Leo waved to the others as they headed to their assigned practice zones.
Elena created small whirlwinds, her face scrunched in concentration as she worked to maintain their shape and speed. Nearby, Jake conjured flames that danced between his palms, practicing temperature control and containment. Elly stood by the fountain, directing streams of water through increasingly complex patterns.
Leo's instructor today was a fire mage. Different from yesterday's wind specialist who had forced him to deal with attacks from multiple angles.
"Ready position." The instructor's hands flickered with flames. "Show me how you handle heat."
Leo raised an earth wall just as a fireball crashed against it. The stone grew hot but held. He'd learned from previous matches that direct barriers just gave fire mages time to build up stronger attacks.
Instead of maintaining the wall, he collapsed it forward, sending chunks of earth through the flames toward his opponent. The instructor dodged, but the scattered rocks disrupted his footing.
Leo pressed the advantage, keeping the ground unstable while launching precise strikes. Against fire users, maintaining distance and disrupting their stance worked better than trying to tank their attacks.
The practice continued, Leo adjusting his tactics as the instructor switched between different fire techniques. Each element required its own counter-strategy, and these rotating instructors helped him develop versatile responses to each element.
The fire mage's flames intensified, overwhelming Leo's defenses. His earth wall crumbled under the sustained heat, forcing him to roll away from the inferno. Sweat poured down his face as he scrambled to maintain distance.
"Your walls are too thin!" The instructor launched another assault.
Leo gritted his teeth and poured more mana into his next barrier. The thicker wall held for a moment longer, but the instructor simply changed tactics. A wave of fire swept around the sides, forcing Leo to abandon his position.
"Better, but still not enough. A real enemy won't give you time to think!"
A fireball caught Leo's shoulder as he dove away. The protective enchantments on his uniform prevented burns, but the impact sent him sprawling across the practice ground.
"Get up! You think a battlefield will let you catch your breath?"
Leo pushed himself up, arms shaking. His mana reserves felt dangerously low, but he forced another earth wall into existence. It barely materialized before shattering under the instructor's onslaught.
The next blast knocked Leo off his feet again. He tasted dirt as he hit the ground, his last barrier disintegrating above him.
"That's enough for today." The instructor lowered his hands, flames dissipating. "You've got the foundations right, but you're don't have the battle experience. At your current level, half-measures will get you killed. Better to exhaust yourself making three solid defences than fail with ten weak ones."
Leo nodded, too winded to speak. His muscles ached as he pushed himself to his knees. Another day, another lesson in humility from the instructors. But each defeat taught him something new, showed him where his skills fell short.
The instructor helped him up. "Rest up. Tomorrow will be a new day. Your done for today."