"I have studied magic for months so it would hardly be my first time?" Samuel interjected and Alsian shrugged, "But never as a child of mana...." Alsian said and started stretching and he walked a bit closer to the middle of the glade and closed his eyes.
He then started taking deep breaths and slowly exhaling them, this went on for several seconds until Samuel literally started seeing crystal like particles shaping around Alsian, some bloomed into miniature flowers while others became like small wisps that started floating around, it was like the magic was alive... just like with every breath Alsian took.
"Magic is something inside every living being, it breathes with us, takes shape from us... In a way it's just as alive as you and I." Alsian stopped his focus as he spoke but Samuel could still see that the magic particles were hovering around, and he looked over his shoulder to see that the entire glade was buzzing with life and magic itself.
Alsian smiled and nodded towards some of the ponds where Samuel could see the water reflecting everything in a shower of rainbows. "Mana is the term given to our energy reserves for casting magic, the greater ones mana the more powerful spells one can cast or the more spells one can cast. So why do you think we are called children of mana?" Alsian asked the question he had never even considered so far.
"I didn't think about it at all... so I have no idea? Do we have a lot of mana?" Samuel could not come up with any answer so he simply made it clear he had no idea. Alsian looked not the least disappointed, it was one of a few answers he was expecting after all. "So can you cast great magic at high levels or many more times at others in your class?" Alsians question made Samuel sit down and consider the statement and he quickly replied. "No, I can't."
"Exactly!" Alsian nodded in approval, glad to see he could think for himself. "For us children of mana, the answer is simple. We are extremely attuned with magic itself, the most basic example of that gift that will also be your first assignment is to learn how to breathe mana." Alsian held his hands out to show him how mana could look in its natural form. It was more like small tendrils that travelled around and sometimes they physically manifested into wisps or crystals.
"Where it would take normal mages several hours of recovery for mana to replenish their bodies naturally... We can literally breathe in mana just like that!" Alsian empahsised it with a snap of his fingers. "It takes a long time to learn how to do it proper and its just the first basic step to awakening the powers that lay dormant in your blood."
"That is what I will have you do here, a place like this is the most perfect place because it is filled to the brim with nautral mana. There are plenty of places that lack magic of this magnitude, although magic exists everywhere, not every place is an ancient magical forest like this. Breathing in mana is easier in places like this and harder in places like wastelands." Alsian sat down in front of Samuel and crossed his legs.
"There also exist several types of mana to breathe in, like you probably have learned already mana can take any shape or form if you will it to do so. Shape it into fire, water, earth, air, life or death. But inside a volcano it becomes really easy to shape it into fire, one can almost say it exists naturally as fire in there already and instead it becomes harder to shape it into water. Water is abundant near rivers or ocean but in a wasteland or desert... one has to know how to properly shape mana into the elements to not be bothered by natural areas."
"Most mages, yourself included should know this, but as you are still a student it probably isn't so easy for you to do. It takes focus, whereas I could shape it however I want without breaking my concentration on this conversation." Samuel saw that it was true because in one of Alsian's hand water was gather as they were speaking.
"Now I could transform this water into fire if I willed it because of my lineage... however normal mages have a hard time doing this, its not impossible but they lose a lot of excess mana doing it. Only a few a blessed enough to change certain elements because they might be attuned to them or have bloodlines of their own. But drawing out mana in a general shape and creating water like this."
"Trust me when I say it is very basic for graduated mages. Most mages don't ever try changing one element into another, because it is a folly.... but you and me, for us its like second nature. But I my skills lie in basics, because ultimately I am a warrior, my skills lie in my strength with my sword. My chronomancy helps a lot, but my basic skills as a mage are inferior to that."
"You however, have a chance to become a great warrior and great mage at the same time. Combine the best of your talents to hone your practice. Become an archmage and a champion warrior at the same time!" Alsians lip curled up into a smirk. "I know you have the talent to do so. Because not even I can blade cast and blade casting is something that would take most people by surprise, seeing someone with a weapon charge at them like a warrior only for their weapon to slug out spells." Alsian almost seemed to sigh as if he was remembering something funny.
"There are of course those who can fight with one weapon and cast magic using their free hand, those are often dangerous and skilled people as well, but bladecasting takes it one step above them." Alsian smiled as Samuels started opening his mouth and eyes in surprise. It seemed like the young man finally understood what he was insinuating.
*Meanwhile*
Ulma followed Triss into another grove/glade it was open and beautiful but also shining and magical. "We have finally arrived, everyone say hello to the Queen of Nature!" Triss shouted into the glade, to Ulma's surprise, all kinds of animals came running into the glade, squirrels, rabbits, deer, all kinds of birds sat in the trees. But what really made her jaw drop was the three unicorns that came walking into the glade and stopped beside her. These legendary creatures only spoken off in books and stories, rarely they were ever encountered.
Ulma turned to Triss who simply stood there with a smile and seemingly taking a few animals in her hands and greeting them. She turned to Ulma and smiled and Ulma couldn't help but return the smile, this was truly a magical place. She also saw that there were a few druids that had gathered on the outskirts of the glade. Most of them elves but also a few halflings. They gave her simple bows when they noticed her looking at them.
"I am no Queen..." Ulma said with a dejected tone and she extended a hand to the unicorn in front of her. The unicorn inched closer to accept her gentle hand and she started running her hand through the unicorns mane and hair. "But you are!" A gentle voice suddenly ran through Ulma's head and she flinched back and started looking around and felt the unicorn put its head towards her. "That was you?" She asked the unicorn which neighed. "Whom else?" It replied in her mind.
"I was the princess of the elven nation of Tinahsea, nothing more than that." Ulma sighed, "But now I am a princess no longer, I am just a lost former princess. Trying to survive in this world." When Ulma said that Triss giggled a little. "You are not alone in feeling lost and surviving fire and death. We know who you are because nature itself has whispered your name child!" Triss sat down in the middle of all the animals who seemed to take comfort seats or positions of their own as Triss motioned for Ulma to sit down next to her.
Ulma gave in and sat next to Triss who grabbed her hand gently squeesing it. "There are many of us who are still lost and have a hard time walking forward, but I have found some purpose here, to take care of nature and help some new friends that treat me with respect as an equal rather than my home that intended to use me by sending me far away. Here instead I was treated as an equal by the Archon."
"Ever since you arrived at Kar Azal the mage college, the trees of Kalashago forest here..." She held her hands out pointing at the trees. "They have whispered your name non stop. I know quite a bit about the ancient history of your home even though it was more than three hundred years ago that it fell. Your father was the son of a princess of the sea elves and a prince of the forest elves. Your mother the greatest druid the circles had ever seen, ever since you were born you were marked as the Queen of Forest and Sea. You can command life and wreak down upon your enemies with the vengeful spirit of nature itself... If you so wish." Triss added the last part after a brief pause.
For Ulma it was a lot to take in, but she was surprised to how much Triss knew, "How do you know so much?" Ulma almost demanded and Triss smiled brighter.
"The one who showed me here, his name is Vulcon... he is an old ally and friend to Vazal and newer friend to me. He was someone that survived through the events of the fall of your kingdom, he does not come around often however if you wanted to meet him. But rest assured that he took survivors of your people and helped guide them to safe places."
"Uncle Vulcy?" Ulma's voice quivered and tears started streaming down her cheeks... "C-c-could it be my Vulcy?" Ulma stuttered every word, not only for the fact that it could be her Vulcon, but also for the fact that some of her people had survived, all this time she thought herself to be alone but if there were other survivors then she was not alone anymore.
Triss saw her despair and pulled her in for a hug. Gently stroking Ulma's hair while she sobbed until she finally started calming down. "I do hope it is your Vulcon!" Triss said with another bright smile. "Would you like to go meet your people?" Triss asked her to make her realize she could go be with her people.
Ulma almost shouted yes instantly but only almost. Her thoughts ran back to Samuel and the promise they had made to become stronger together, she still felt torn however. But after several minutes of thinking she answered, "Not yet, I haveto become strong enough to be worthy of this title of Queen first, I need to become strong enough to protect people from such horrible things from ever happening again. Besides I do not intend to become Queen of a people after so long unless I am asked to be." Ulma sat up beside Triss with strong dedication and Triss could not help but admire the girls strength.
"If that is your answer then you really are worthy and prepared for the title that nature itself seems to have given you. I will help you grow stronger... a few times a month at best, I am a very busy woman after all." Triss smiled, now eager to help this Queen take flight.
"Our first lesson begins today, come and I will guide to through it!" Triss excitedly grabbed Ul's hand and half dragged her all the way to the largest central tree in the grove. "You will need to increase your connection to nature and life itself, to learn how to breathe through nature!" Triss said every word really fast filled with excitement that Ulma had never thought possible from such a gentle soul. But it just proved to her to never judge someone from their outer appearance.