The sun had barely risen over Vel Dragan, casting long shadows across the palace courtyards. Silas Maximus stood in the Arcane Wing, surrounded by the faint hum of enchanted wards and the scent of old parchment. Today was not for politics or strategy it was for power, understanding, and mastery.
He had summoned General Alric Vey, the mage-commander hybrid, known for his mastery over elemental mana and the control of magical units within the Imperial Drakes. Alric approached with a mixture of curiosity and caution; few had been invited to teach the young emperor, and even fewer had left without being astonished.
"Your Majesty," Alric said, bowing formally, "you requested training in elemental mana. I am at your service."
Silas nodded, robes flowing black and gold, the dragon embroidery glinting in the early light. "I need more than just theory. Show me the ways of channeling mana—lightning, dark, light, wind, and earth. And I want results quickly."
Alric's brow furrowed. Most students struggled for months, even years, to achieve a functional connection with mana. Yet Silas' aura, calm and focused, suggested something different.
"Very well," Alric said. "We begin with basic channeling exercises. Focus your mind, feel the energy around you, and let it flow into your body. Each element has its rhythm—lightning is sharp, precise; wind is fluid, ever-changing; earth is grounding, steady; light is radiant, controlling; dark is subtle, consuming."
Silas closed his eyes, breathing in the Arcane Wing's layered magical ambiance. He visualized currents of energy, recalling moments from his past life—years of training, discipline, strategy, and physical conditioning. He felt the threads of magic that surrounded him, subtle yet omnipresent, and reached for them as though drawing on muscle memory.
Alric watched in silence, expecting hesitation. None came.
Minutes passed, and the air in the training chamber began to shift. Sparks of lightning crackled harmlessly across the floor. Gusts of wind stirred the banners above. Small stones levitated, hovering with precise, deliberate motion. Alric's eyes widened in shock.
"By the gods…" he muttered. "I've never seen a student grasp elemental flow this quickly."
Silas opened his eyes, golden and unwavering. "It is not just understanding, General. It is… application. I need to know how to sense the patterns of mana, discover its source, and train it for practical use. Show me the exercises; I will implement them."
Alric hesitated, then guided Silas through structured drills. Lightning currents were directed through small conductors, wind manipulated to trace intricate patterns, stones moved in complex formations, shadows twisted subtly without breaking focus, and light beams refracted and controlled with precision.
Every motion Silas mirrored and improved upon within minutes. By the third hour, Alric, exhausted and amazed, had nothing more to teach but corrections. Silas had not only absorbed knowledge but adapted it, improving on methods that had taken years for previous students to perfect.
"This… this is extraordinary," Alric finally said, voice a mixture of awe and disbelief. "Most of my students require months—sometimes years to even approach what you have done in hours. Your… learning capability… it's unprecedented."
Silas allowed himself a brief, almost imperceptible smile. Past life experience and discipline, he thought. Every skill, every observation, every strategy I ever learned… it all converges here.
Alric studied him carefully. "Your Majesty… this level of control. If fully developed, you could sense mana fluctuations across provinces, detect magical disturbances, and train units far faster than previously imagined. Your army… the empire… will benefit immeasurably."
Silas inclined his head. "That is the goal, General. Knowledge must be applied. Power without understanding is chaos. I intend to build both control and awareness—within myself, the army, and the empire."
For the remainder of the morning, Silas tested each element: channeling lightning through small constructs, weaving shadows into protective barriers, directing gusts to redirect objects, shaping earth into barriers, and bending light to illuminate invisible markers. Every repetition refined his senses, every adjustment sharpened precision.
Alric, once confident in his mastery, now found himself a teacher overshadowed by the student's speed and ingenuity. He realized that the boy emperor was no ordinary leader this was a mind tempered by experience far beyond his apparent age.
By noon, Silas concluded the session, golden eyes still glowing faintly from residual mana. "We will continue tomorrow," he said, voice calm but commanding. "Prepare additional drills, but I want more than control—I want insight. I want to sense where mana is strong or weak, detect manipulation, and recognize flows across this continent."
Alric bowed deeply. "As you command, Your Majesty. I will prepare the exercises immediately. I… have never seen such aptitude."
Silas left the Arcane Wing, the air still humming with residual elemental energy. He thought of Dravenhold, the nobles, the rebels, and the intelligence network. Mana was another tool a subtle, pervasive force he could now master with unprecedented speed. Knowledge, strategy, and power were converging.
The empire will be strengthened not only by armies and law but by understanding the very forces that flow through this world, Silas reflected, golden eyes fixed on the horizon. And I will be the one to wield that knowledge with precision.