The next day, Valeron stood before the students once more, a small object hovering between his fingers—a simple stone, yet it pulsed with green energy.
"Tell me," he said, holding up the stone, "what is this?"
Brago frowned. "A magically enhanced stone?"
"Yes, but how?" Valeron asked. "No runes, no inscriptions. Just raw mana. How is it enchanted?"
Morgan's eyes widened. "You're using Spirit Magic to sustain the enchantment. Instead of forcing a spell onto the stone, you're guiding the mana to maintain itself."
Valeron smiled. "Precisely. That is the true power of Spirit Magic. It does not impose—it guides. Instead of pushing mana into rigid forms, you allow it to flow naturally, shaping it as needed."
He let the stone drop. As it hit the ground, the magic dissipated instantly. "Now, let's see if you can grasp this concept for yourselves."
He motioned for the students to gather around. "Each of you, take a stone. Do not try to enchant it. Do not try to force mana into it. Simply feel the flow of mana around you. Let it move as it desires."
The students obeyed, each picking up a stone and closing their eyes.
At first, there was only silence. Then, the room came alive with energy. Some students, like Tista and Quilla, could feel the faintest pulse of mana, like a heartbeat within the stone. Others, like Yurial, struggled, trying to force their will upon the stone instead of listening to it.
Valeron observed them carefully. "Stop trying to control it. Listen. Spirit Magic is not about bending mana to your will. It is about understanding its will and guiding it."
Minutes passed. Then, slowly, something changed. A faint green glow began to flicker around Tista's stone, erratic but present. Phloria gasped softly as her own stone pulsed for a brief moment before fading.
"You're beginning to feel it," Valeron said. "But you are still thinking in terms of elemental magic. Spirit Magic is not an element. It is the breath of mana itself. When you cast a spell, you are giving mana shape. When you use Spirit Magic, you are giving mana purpose."
The lesson continued for hours, each student struggling in their own way to grasp the elusive nature of Spirit Magic.
As the session came to a close, Valeron spoke once more. "Remember, Spirit Magic is not learned in a day. It is a journey of understanding, of patience. The more you connect with mana, the more it will respond to you. And one day, you may find that it is not you who wields mana, but mana that chooses to flow through you."
With that, the lesson ended. The students left the chamber, their minds filled with possibilities. Spirit Magic was unlike anything they had learned before—an art not of force, but of harmony. And though they had only taken the first steps, they knew that the path ahead was vast and uncharted.
Valeron watched them go, a small smile on his lips. The lesson had begun, but the true journey had only just started.