Magnius had been Sedia's pupil for about a month, and had been exhausted the entire time.
His routine was rigorous.
Sedia trained him in hand-to-hand combat, or "mano-e-mano" as she liked to call it. Magnius wondered what language it was, but he wouldn't be surprised if it was just gibberish.
She would occasionally take him into her library or storage room, so he could research the different tools hunters used and artifacts, how to test if something was edible inside of a gate. What things to avoid. Some theory about martial arts too.
Magnius was still a bit torn about his values. So far he'd made zero progress on the assignment. It was difficult because he had no idea what kind of values he was even supposed to have.
Sedia always dodged the question when Magnius asked what her values were. She just made a joke or gave an obviously fake answer, and Magnius had come to accept he may never know the answer.
After a particularly harsh training session, Magnius couldn't resist and asked Sedia what she though the most dangerous thing a hunter could encounter would be.
"The most dangerous thing a hunter can encounter on the other side of a gate is another hunter."
Magnius teased her. "Isn't a dragon more dangerous?" But Sedia was completely serious, no sign of her joking nature.
"A dragon doesn't even come close." Sedia's eyes looked clouded, as if she was thinking of the past.
"Noone really knows what happens when a hunter enters a gate. Many other hunters take advantage of this. Every hunter wants to be successful and to do that you need achievements- Like hunting a manticore. But not every hunter wants to hunt a manticore. You see what I'm getting at? Many hunters would rather hunt another human being with a manticore trophy and steal it after killing them. Not to mention every other thing they get up to before they kill and steal all your stuff. If you ever find yourself in a situation like that just be glad you're not a woman."
Sedia looked him over. "Though you're pretty handsome so that might not even matter."
Magnius felt rage simmer under his skin at the thought of it.
"Those people don't deserve to be called hunters."
Sedia grinned.
"Damn right. That's why I call them motherf@$#ers."
Sedia dusted off her clothes.
"Now get up so I can beat you up before you head over for another lecture with the old coot."
Magnius groaned but got up anyway.
"You're improving y'know. When I get back from the manticore hunt next week we'll move on to weapons and hunting." Magnius rushed at her with a roundhouse kick but she blocked it effortlessly.
"You're only leaving now?"
Sedia smacked away the jabs he threw like they were flies. "Shock traps are difficult to get y'know? They're order made."
She struck back like a snake, her leg aiming for his abdomen. Magnius barely managed to block it but he was thrown back like a ragdoll. "Why are your blows so heavy?"
Magnius had been trying to figure this out ever since she began training him, but he had no clue. Sedia was a weight class below him without a doubt. So why did it hurt Magnius when Sedia blocked his attacks, and why could she blow him away like it was nothing?
"You'll figure out why when we move on to weapons training. I have to teach it or you'll die."
—
Magnius kind of liked taking the trip to the city every time he was due for a lecture. It was a welcome break from the whirlwind known as Sedia Alimenti, and it was a beautiful sight every time. Sedia's personal island was located at a higher altitude than the massive island the city was on, letting him see everything whenever he moved down with the sky lift.
The walk to the academy wasn't bad, either. Sedia was nice enough to give him an allowance in case he wanted to buy something. So whenever he took the trip once a week he would indulge himself in the delicious street foods or browse for books to read when Sedia wasn't training him.
He was in a bookstore when a familiar voice called out to him.
"Magnius?" Layla had entered the bookstore and spotted him.
"Where have you been? You just disappeared and left all your stuff in the room…"
She suddenly stomped over to him when she got over her shock.
"What the hell, man?! Where have you been? You get beat up and just leave?! Without coming back? Do you have any idea how worried I've been?! You…"
Tears filled her eyes as she trailed off.
"You just left me like that, without a word…"
"Sorry…"
She started crying when he apologized.
Magnius noticed people watching them, and led her out of the book store.
"I'm sorry, alright? So stop crying. I'll explain everything so let's get out of here first."
Magnius felt a great amount of guilt and shame as he led her through the streets.
"I'm sorry for last time, and then disappearing."
Layla and him had lived together ever since they started at the academy, so that was about 6 years. Male/Female pairs weren't usually allowed, but they had made an exception for them. Magnius still didn't fully understand why, but he was glad they did.
Layla had taken care of him over the years, and he had taken care of her. He'd beaten up that idiot that tried to make a move on her last year, and she'd cleaned his cuts afterwards. They'd eaten together, laughed together and lived together. She was like his sister. He should've at least told her where he was going.
They were resting at a bench near the academy. Magnius was waiting for Layla to stop crying. It always difficult for her to stop crying once she started.
"So, where have you been?"
"I can't tell you that, but I can tell you what I've been doing," One of the agreements him and Sedia had was that he wasn't allowed to tell anyone who his mentor was. 'That would cause political issues I don't want to deal with', was her explanation.
"I've been getting trained. By a hunter."
"What?!" Layla stood up and looked down at him as if she was about to lecture him, but gave up and sat back down instead.
"Well, it's not like I could stop you now. How'd it even happen?"
"..."
"Well, I guess that doesn't matter now. …Are you safe?"
"The person training me is capable, if nothing else. You don't have to worry too much."
"What do you mean I don't have to worry?" Tears started to well up in her eyes again. "I finally see you again and then you barely tell me anything about where you've been or what you're doing… You really are safe, right?"
Magnius hugged her. "Yeah, I promise I'm safe." Layla buried her face in his chest.
"It's fine, then. But…" She dug her long nails into his side, making him flinch. "Don't just disappear like that again, you dumbass. You're visiting me at least twice a month from now on just so I know you aren't dead."
"I-I promise I´ll visit, so ease off the nails, would you?"
"Hmph."
—
An hour later Magnius was attentively listening to Mr Grafton explain what the differences were between hunting a single monster and hunting a monster that was part of a pack. Certain monsters were extremely weak and common, like strylids. But they were still considered extremely dangerous to encounter due to their social nature. Strylids hunted in co-ordinated packs which could make hunting them without a strategy more difficult than hunting an adult blood lion.
When Mr Grafton finished explaining the differences and multiple tactics he went into more broad detail about endemic life and monsters on the other side of the gates.
"Note that in theory, it is possible to communicate with every monster you encounter."
"Am I supposed to smack my teeth to mimic stylid clicks?" Mr Grafton didn't crack a smile at the joke.
"While that would be a fine attempt, no. As a baseline, every monster has enough intelligence to communicate. We know this information as we have encountered numerous civilizations on the other side of gates, who had tamed monsters. Elves, for example, have been known to tame treants and use them as forest care-takers."
Magnius suddenly got an idea.
"So that means I could tame a dragon?"
"Magnius… Do you want to survive as a hunter?" Magnius nodded in reply.
"Then you do not fuck with dragons." This was the first time Magnius had ever heard Runald Grafton curse, and the look that accompanied Mr Grafton's statement could freeze Magnius for eternity.
"U-understood."
Mr. Grafton clicked his tongue. "But… yes. Theoretically, it is possible to tame a dragon. However, to tame a monster you need your interests to align, so it seems unlikely."
—
Magnius and Sedia were taking a run around her island. They did this every morning until Magnius fainted. If he lagged behind Sedia she would use magic to put some flames behind him, making him run faster. The first time they ran, Magnius had managed 10km non-stop before fainting. Today they ran 200km and he was barely tired.
"So, how do you use magic?"
"Grafton hasn't explained spirits yet?"
"Spirits?"
"Just wait 'till he explains if you want the details, but long story short, they're parasites. See these?" Sedia held up a strand of her hair, with the soft flame burning on the edge of it.
"Also 'cause of my spirit. The spirit eats my mana and converts that into magic I can use. Mine is especially strong, you see. I need to use its magic constantly, or it'll overflow and become a hassle."
"What kind of hassle?"
"I'll burn down my house while I'm sleeping."
"Oh." Magnius was beginning to understand a bit. Regardless , he would just ask Grafton later like Sedia suggested.
"Ah, I forgot to mention something." A wide grin split Sedia's face.
"When I come back from my manticore hunt we're beginning weapons training."