Magic 101

"Edwin, huh? What a curious name. I would associate that name with someone who actually has some mann....."

"You said you're going to teach me magic, right?" The lying down man interrupts in a rapid voice that shows a subtle growing annoyance as a minor grumble accompanies it. 'I don't know if I'm happy that the first person I meet is someone who can't shut up or if I actually enjoyed the time alone more.' The realization slowly sinks in with the knocked-down man, in a situation that even what he could only assume a day prior seemed a sweet wish. Somehow this new situation was already becoming more burdensome than bargained for as the distinguished-looking gentleman will simply not keep quiet. The pounding headache made the man think that there might be something trying to forcefully crawl its way through.

"Indeed, the trip to Lucille's light will take around 2 years, so plenty of time to get acquainted with the ways of mana." Cornelius simply adds on, acting as if he speaks of something completely unimportant. Both the prospect of becoming a magician and that the trip will take 2 years are apparently things that he takes for granted.

"Two more years." The worn-down man mutters under his breath. Two more years of staying in the dark but now with a sense of feeling and an unknown man to guide him.

"Do you have any idea how to activate your mana?" Cornelius asks, having judged that he had given his new little protégée enough time to mentally understand the situation.

"No, well, I guess I succeeded once. I did manage to manifest you, or whatever that was."

"That was more ritualistic, so don't give yourself too much credit." He says, quickly crushing the self-esteem of his pupil. "We're talking about becoming a spell caster. Imagine having to draw a specific engraving for each spell that you cast. That would be burdensome and ridiculous. Besides, are you genuinely trying to claim your act of spilling blood on a stone as magic?

"..."

"That's better," Cornelius says as he holds out his hand for little Ed. The hand is grabbed lazily as the gentleman has to do most of the lifting to get him off the floor. Now standing before each other, Cornelius straightens him up. "Mana is something that is very innate for demons, devils, elves and some other races. This, of course, means you intrinsically have a higher aptitude for mana. This does not however mean you'll automatically become powerful. That can only come with talent, refined effort, and the proper guidance." Cornelius says, looking very smug at the last part. Even pointing to himself, all but basically actively patting himself on the back. "You use mana as if it is an extension of your body and senses. For example, when looking at someone and trying to know more about this person. You have to mentally ask yourself to know more about this person. This will then coincide with your internal mana flow which will enhance the necessary senses to gather information." Cornelius looks over his protégé and raises his cane toward the emerald green eyes. "Takes those eyes as an example, pretty I'll admit but useless at the moment. However fusing them together with your arcane aura and you'll see a whole new world.

"What type of information?" The man decides to ask, a hint of childlike curiosity mixed with a sense of duty to learn.

"This calls for our first lesson, doesn't it? My dear Edwin!" He yells…again. "Try to look at yourself. Ask yourself: What am I? What can I do? and the other questions that you want to know. Come on, try it!" Cornelius says as he slightly hits little Ed's head with his cane. Not in any way does the cane hitting help as it instead distracts his pupil from the task.

Still, little Ed closes his emerald-colored eyes. The only thing differentiating him from the pitch-black dark around him. Whilst the eyes are closed, Cornelius continues to poke around at different parts of his body. The eyes of the gentleman now focused on his pupil's left hand and palm. The tattoo of a single eye as small as a pimple can narrowly be seen.

'I did not agree to visitors.' Cornelius thinks with a light grin as he pokes the tattoo with his cane. Hitting it more forcefully than his other small pokes which causes a small grunt to escape little Ed, who seemed to have been taken by surprise. "Sorry about that." Cornelius says with a slight grin as the tattoo no longer remains. "What do you feel? No sentences pure thoughts."

"Boiling blood? Warmth? Embracing Darkness? A purple river?" The pupil Cornelius so endearingly calls little Ed responds with questions rather than answers. His scrunched forehead quite the adorable sight as he succeeded in confusing his pupil once again.

"How wide and long is the river? Again, no need for precision. Let your emotions speak."

"Long? I can't really…. Very long, it reaches the horizon. Wide? Maybe, like a large lake-wide? It's hard to tell." The pupil tries to instinctually respond, hesitating as he has to try to clearly define what he feels. "It doesn't feel like wa…" He tries to continue before being cut off.

"Not a terrible start you're accurate enough to feel the abstract emotions. Defining them will come with the lesson package. Now get walking, 2 years aren't going to go by themselves." Cornelius says as he gives a final small hit on his pupil's forehead with the cane. Forcing the emerald eyes open as they both continue onward.