Chapter 5 - The Magic of Training

The sun wasn’t even above the horizon yet. The guild grounds were cloaked in a pale blue dawn, the kind that promised the heat of day was still hours away. The crisp air carried the scent of damp earth and the distant, smoky aroma of the guild’s morning kitchen.

Aiden dragged his boots across the cobblestones, the rhythmic scrape a testament to his weary state. He yawned so hard his jaw cracked, creating an echo throughout the training grounds. He peered up at the faint glow coming from the east.

“I thought you said at first light, not before.” he muttered, rubbing sleep from his eyes. “Pretty sure I saw something in the Geneva Convention about not waking people up before sunrise.”

Valerie stifled a laugh behind her hand, then smirked.

“The Geneva Convention doesn’t exist in this world.”

She leaned over, her breath warm against his cheek, and gave him a quick kiss before giving him a playful smack on the backside. “Get moving, mister. Maybe if you weren’t such a baby about mornings, you’d actually enjoy this.”

“I am physically allergic to mornings,” Aiden deadpanned, his shoulders slumping.

She simply rolled her eyes and strode ahead, her curls bouncing in the light breeze as she moved with effortless grace. Chloe fell in step beside her, cheerful as ever, while Maximus gestured for Aiden to follow him down a separate path.

“Come,” Maximus rumbled.. “The early air sharpens the mind and opens the spirit. It is the best time for beginners to connect to the elements.”

Aiden groaned. “That’s your opinion.”

“That is fact,” Maximus replied flatly, which only made Valerie’s distant laughter echo a little harder as they disappeared around a corner.

Aiden shot her a look, half annoyed and half amused, but couldn’t help grinning as she blew him a quick kiss before disappearing around a corner with Chloe.

Maximus led Aiden to a secluded section of the guild’s large training grounds. This area was a small clearing surrounded on all sides by towering trees. Patches of flowers painted the grass in splashes of yellow and violet. Birds stirred in the branches, chirping the beginnings of their morning songs.

Wow, this is eerily similar to where we got ambushed by those wolves.

But what caught Aiden’s eye was the boulder.

It sat in the middle of the clearing like a giant, daring anyone to disturb its slumber. It was at least twice his size, its surface mottled with moss. The dirt it sat on seemed to bow from the sheer weight of it.

Aiden let out a low whistle. “Yup. Nothing says ‘good morning’ like moving a small mountain.”

Maximus’s lips twitched beneath his thick grey beard. “That is your opponent today.”

Aiden stared at the massive stone, then turned to the guild master with a blank, uncomprehending expression. “…You want me to fight a rock?”

“Not fight.” Maximus’s eyes gleamed. “Move.”

“Uh-huh. Sure. And then I’ll bench press the sun while I’m at it.”

“You joke now,” Maximus said, folding his arms, “but you have already proved you understand the foundation of magic. You told me yesterday you sparked fire by recalling a memory of your wife.”

Aiden rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish smile on his face. “Yeah. Well, Valerie was the one who figured it out. I just copied her idea hoping it would work. It helps having a wife smarter than yourself.”

“Remarkable,” Maximus said, a genuine look of awe on his face. “Most new casters stumble through weeks before finding such clarity. You both found it on your first attempts. Do not diminish that.”

Aiden’s chest puffed slightly at the praise. “Guess I’m a natural, huh?”

Maximus’s expression returned to a neutral, stern one in an instant. “Do not get cocky.”

“…Right.”

Maximus placed a heavy hand on his shoulder. “Magic is not just memory. It is your belief in that memory, your confidence and the depth of your connection. For this boulder, you will need to recall an earth memory, one tied to peace and stability.”

“Earth memory,” Aiden repeated. His brow furrowed. “Like…a picnic? Or mowing the lawn?”

“Preferably something stronger,” Maximus said, his voice softer, more guiding. “A memory involving Valerie would be a good start. Something shared that grounds you.”

Aiden closed his eyes. He sifted through years of shared memories, searching for one that felt rooted. Then one surfaced, warm and vivid.

“Our camping trip,” he whispered.

Maximus raised a brow. “Explain.”

“It was right after graduation,” Aiden said, his voice distant as the memory pulled him in. “Val and I didn’t have much money so we thought a camping trip would be the perfect get away instead of some flashy trip. We were a complete disaster with the tent, it took us over an hour to set it up. We roasted hotdogs, burnt marshmallows, and spent half the night laughing at how bad we were at camping. But then…we laid down under the stars. It was just the two of us, no noise, no distractions. It was one of the most peaceful nights we ever had.”

Maximus’s eyes softened. “Good. Very good. Let that be your anchor.”

Aiden squared his shoulders and walked up to the boulder. He spat into his hands, rubbed them together, and braced himself against the rock.

Maximus coughed to grab his attention. “Not with your hands. With your will. The body is irrelevant.”

He asks me to move a rock and I’m supposed to know he meant with no hands?

Aiden blinked, sheepish. “…Right. Sorry.” He stretched his arm out dramatically, narrowing his eyes. “Okay, rock. Prepare for brawn to meet brain.”

The boulder did not budge.

Sweat beaded on his forehead. He gritted his teeth, trying to “force” it, imagining invisible hands shoving the thing across the dirt. He poured all of his frustration and determination into pushing, but the boulder sat smugly in place, immovable as ever.

Aiden’s arm dropped. “This is stupid. I feel stupid.”

“You are trying too hard,” Maximus said calmly. “You are forcing the world to obey you. Magic is not about force. It is about flow. Let the memory fuel you, not your frustration.”

“Easy for you to say,” Aiden muttered.

“Try again,” Maximus said, firm but patient.

Aiden sighed and closed his eyes. He chose to focus on the memory instead of moving the boulder. He pictured the grass damp with morning dew as he and Val took a hike. He remembered how the breeze felt on the lake as Valerie teased him for not catching a single fish. He pictured the sunset, streaks of pink and orange across the sky as she leaned against him, their laughter mixing with the rustle of the trees.

The smell of smoke from the campfire. The sound of crickets. Her hand finding his.

GRRRAAANNKKKHHHH—

A low, deep grumbling sound resonated through the earth and into Aiden’s body.

His eyes flew open. The boulder was scraping slowly across the dirt, leaving a jagged trail behind it.

“No freaking way!” he shouted, a surge of adrenaline and disbelief rushing through him.

Maximus’s beard curved upward in a rare smile. “Yes. Way.”

“Ha! Call me paper cause I just beat this rock!!” Aiden pumped his fist in the air. His knees wobbled, lightheadedness rushing through him. The disorientation made the boulder ground to a halt about five feet away from its starting position.

He stumbled back onto the grass, clutching his spinning head. “Ugh…okay, moving mountains is harder than it looks.”

Maximus chuckled, offering him a steadying hand. “Children grow up learning to use magic in small bursts. While you, a grown adult, are trying to awaken a muscle you never knew you had. Do not be discouraged. This was extraordinary progress.”

Aiden collapsed onto a bench with Maximus, still catching his breath. “So this is gonna take…a while, huh?”

“Yes,” Maximus said. “But you will get there.”

Silence fell, broken only by the chirp of birds. Then Maximus tilted his head. “Tell me, Aiden. Why did you decide to marry? What made you so sure?”

Aiden leaned back, staring at the sky. “Why did I marry Valerie? Honestly…it wasn’t even a question. She’s been by my side since high school. We’ve shared everything. Our best days and our worst days. Does our relationship take time to build, yeah, but it’s time I wouldn’t trade for anything. I’ve got someone who celebrates my wins with me, who holds me up when I fail, someone I can cheer for in return. Valerie isn’t just my partner…she’s my best friend.”

Maximus’s eyes softened at the conviction in Aiden’s voice, though his expression stayed steady.

Aiden leaned forward, his voice quieter now. “When I married her, I made a vow. That no matter what, I’d take care of her. Support her. Protect her. Even if it killed me.”

A shadow crossed his face, a memory flashing like lightning. The car crash. Valerie’s blood. Her fading voice. His useless hands pressed against broken glass. A tear welled unbidden, and he wiped it away quickly, jaw clenched.

“That’s why I have to get stronger,” he said firmly. “Why I need to master magic as fast as possible. I refuse to ever be that helpless again. I want to make good on my vow.”

For a long moment, Maximus said nothing. Then, slowly, he nodded. “You have something most here will never know. A bond worth bleeding for. I envy you, boy. I spent my youth chasing adventure, throwing myself into quests. Never stopped long enough to find someone to share it with. And when I finally became guild master…it consumed me. The chance passed me by.”

He stood, his presence filling the quiet training field. “But you? You’ve got that bond. And I’ll do everything in my power to help you sharpen it into strength. If it takes all I’ve got, I’ll see you become what this world needs.”

Aiden rose too, shoulders squaring with renewed resolve. “I appreciate it, Maximus. That means a lot.”

The guild master’s grin widened, his booming laugh echoing across the courtyard. “Then enough talking. Let’s get back to it. Training doesn’t wait for sentiment!”

The two of them returned to the clearing, the massive boulder patiently waiting for what comes next.

The guild’s food hall buzzed with life by the time they arrived. The long wooden tables smelled of roasted meat and fresh bread. Adventurers slumped in chairs, their armor scuffed, some arguing over quests while others nursed mugs of something strong.

But Aiden only had eyes for Valerie.

She was at a corner table with Chloe, both laughing over a plate of steaming potatoes. When Aiden walked in, she looked up, her face lighting like sunrise.

He crossed the hall in three strides, sweeping her into a hug and kissing her.

“Get a room,” Chloe teased, wrinkling her nose.

They all laughed, even Barrett from the next table grunted in amusement.

“How’s training going?” Aiden asked, sliding into the bench beside Valerie.

She lifted her hand, palm up. Water spiraled into existence, curling into shapes. A droplet became a bird, wings shimmering before it splashed back into her hand.

Aiden gawked. “That’s…awesome!” He sprang up, nearly knocking over the bench. “Wait till you see this.”

He opened his palm, concentrated, and a cluster of pink daisies, her favorite, sprouted in his hand. He plucked them and offered them to her with a grin. “For you, m’lady.”

Her cheeks flushed pink. “Why thank you sir knight.” She reached out, their fingers brushing as she accepted the gift.

Fwoooooooom—

A radiant wave pulsed out from their fingers, invisible yet undeniable. The air thickened with warmth. Across the hall, wounded adventurers gasped as cuts sealed and bruises vanished. One man leapt to his feet, flexing his once-broken arm in disbelief. Another blinked, her limp gone.

Maximus straightened, eyes wide. Chloe’s jaw dropped. “Did…did that just…?”

Aiden and Valerie both gasped, feeling the surge flood through them, leaving them rejuvenated.

Maximus’s booming laugh shook the rafters. “By The Creator! You’ve done it!”

Chloe leapt onto the bench, nearly shouting. “HEARTLINK!”

The hall went silent, every adventurer staring.

Aiden looked at Valerie. Valerie looked at Aiden. Their shock melted into something softer, something glowing.

Aiden squeezed her hand, his lips tilting into a crooked smile. “Guess this mission won’t be so hard after all.”