2 years passed while Arden and I studied under Instructor Blake. Blake had to leave occasionally due to his position in the Guardians but we kept up our training on our own, using what he taught us. 

On a warm summer morning, Blake stood in front of me and Arden, a smile playing at the corners of his lips. "Good morning, boys. Today, we begin to put all of our training to the test. Your physical abilities are now strong enough to withstand the demands of mana, and it's high time you learn the art of magic."

Filled with a mix of nervousness and excitement, Arden and I exchanged grins and stood at attention, ready to delve into the unknown and discover the full extent of our potential.

“Yes sir!” We replied in unison. 

Blake led us to a serene corner of the training grounds, surrounded by nature's beauty. A tranquil pond was situated in the center of the area, with crystal clear water that sparkled like diamonds in the sun. 

A variety of fish swam in the pond, including shimmering koi with their vibrant orange and white scales, and playful goldfish with their bright orange fins. The water reflected the beautiful surroundings, including a group of rocks above the water level in the pond, providing a perfect little island for a family of ducks. 

The sun cast warm rays of light on the area, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere, perfect for our training. We wouldn't be disturbed in this peaceful haven, giving us an amazing opportunity to focus on our lessons and learning.

Blake motioned for us to take a seat on some pristine white rocks that were expertly carved and displayed intricate patterns. Each one was unique, with delicate swirls and curves that caught the eye and drew one's attention to the skillful craftsmanship that went into their creation. 

The rocks provided a comfortable and stable seat for us to perch upon. Surrounded by the serene beauty of the training grounds, we settled down and prepared to start our lesson. 

Blake settled himself comfortably on a larger rock that seemed to have been polished over time by the elements of nature. He crossed his legs in front of him and placed his hands on his knees. 

"Now, drawing in mana is the first step. It's simple, but not necessarily easy." Blake began. “The goal is to tap into the natural mana in the air around us and bring it into our bodies. This allows us to both perform spells and strengthen our bodies.”

"How do we tap into the mana in the air?" I asked, trying to get as much information out of Blake as possible.

Blake replied, "The key is to learn how to sense the flow of mana. You need to be able to feel for it, and understand how you can direct the flow into your body. With practice, you'll become more attuned to its rhythm, eventually able to sense the flow of mana just as you can feel the wind on your face."

Arden chimed in with his own question, "How do we start feeling the flow of mana?"

"That comes with practice. The more you feel for and draw in mana, the more attuned you will become to its rhythm. You need to find the tiny openings to your mana channels throughout your body and attempt to guide the atmospheric mana to flow in. More or larger mana channels make this process easier due to a larger number of openings." Blake explained.

I could feel adrenaline beginning to pump around my body as Blake spoke. I closed my eyes and began to focus on finding the flow of mana around me. 

I took a deep breath and felt for it, trying to sense the rhythm of the energy. It felt like I was grasping at thin air. I couldn't seem to find the flow no matter how hard I tried.

I opened my eyes and looked over to see Arden with an agitated look on his face, it seemed he was in much the same position as I was.

Blake noticed our struggles and said, "It’s incredibly difficult because you're not yet attuned to the rhythm of the mana. You need to learn how to sense the flow of mana, and to be able to guide it once you can. Just keep focusing on the air, imagine you can feel the mana, and try to pull it towards you."

I closed my eyes and focused, encouraged by Blake’s faith in us and my drive to live up to the Vale name. Instructor Blake sat silently, watching as we attempted to find the mana. 

Slowly but surely, I began to sense something. It was like a faint whisper in the air, a gentle rhythm that I could feel coursing through my body. It was an indescribable feeling, like touching small, moving threads in the air with an invisible limb.

I focused on that feeling, imagining myself opening up the tiny openings in my mana channels and allowing the mana to flow in. 

It was like a rush of energy, filling me with power and vitality. I felt my body grow stronger with each passing moment, along with the power, pride and accomplishment filled my body.

It was a challenging process, but also incredibly exciting to see the progress I was making. I was grateful for Blake's guidance and patience, and I knew that I would never forget that moment – the moment when I first felt the power of mana coursing through my body.

It took a lot of practice to get the hang of it, and even then, it was still a bit of a challenge. Though I felt that I was getting better each day as I learned to tap into the mana in the atmosphere and bring it into my body. 

We continued to practice under Blake's guidance, slowly getting the hang of drawing in mana and sensing its flow. Instructor Blake spent hours with us every day, guiding us through the process and helping us to improve until we could manage the meditation on our own. 

We kept at it, day after day until finally, I could consistently sense the flow of mana around us, I could feel the power of it coursing through my channels. It was an incredible feeling, and I felt my confidence grow with each passing day.

I could tell Arden shared a similar feeling, we were both improving, and fast.

Blake sat down with us one day, a sombre look on his face. "Arden, Kai, I have to leave for a bit. My duties as a Guardian have called me away once again, but I want you both to continue your training."

"How long will you be gone?" Arden asked, a hint of concern in his voice.

"It could be a few weeks, maybe even a few months," Blake replied. "But I have faith in you both. You've come a long way in your training and I know you'll continue to make progress even without me here."

"But what about our training?" I asked, feeling a bit apprehensive.

"Just keep up the regimen I've taught you," Blake said with a small smile. "Meditate to draw in mana and strengthen your channels, then spar. Focus on honing your skills and I'll be back before you know it. Also, I have noticed that you can both draw on an incredibly large amount of ambient mana for mages of your age. It seems we may have some young prodigies on our hands." Blake smirked while I tried to a hold grin off my face.

With that, Blake stood up, gave us a nod, and was gone. Arden and I looked at each other, determination in our eyes. We were going to continue our training and make Blake proud.

Arden and I continued honing our skills, just as Instructor Blake had told us to. It began with quiet meditation to strengthen our mana channels and enhance our sensitivity to the flow of mana, followed by intense sparring sessions that lasted for hours. 

We remained diligent in our practice every day for 6 months after Blake's departure.

It was a sunny morning, and I was focusing on feeling the flow of the mana around me when I noticed Blake returning to the training grounds. He looked different from before, with a small scar on his cheek and a serious expression. He approached us with a near palpable aura of tension surrounding him.

He looked us both up and down, likely appraising our progress, before finally speaking.

"You both have come a long way," he said. "But it is time to see just how far you have come."

Arden and I didn’t even have time to respond before Blake unsheathed a practice sword, I realized what was about to happen. It was going to be a sparring match, one that would test our skills and our progress while he was away. 

I took a deep breath and picked up my practice sword as well, I looked to my left and watched Arden do the same. I felt much more comfortable with a sword in my hand than when Blake left, gripping the hilt provided a sense of safety and routine. 

Arden and I locked eyes and nodded, steeling ourselves for the battle ahead.

I was determined to show Blake just how far I had come in my training. I kept Blake’s attention focused on me, constantly moving and dodging his attacks, while Arden darted in to deliver devastating blows.

I moved fluidly, keeping my movements tight and controlled. I could sense the flow of mana around me, and I felt its power coursing through my veins. My movements were graceful, and I was able to maintain them for a long time due to efficient energy usage. 

Arden's style was different but just as effective, especially being used in conjunction with mine. He was lightning-fast, dashing in and out with powerful strikes that were nearly impossible to dodge. Blake was forced to either take a hit from Arden or open himself up to me, and it was clear that, at this stage, he was having trouble keeping up.

The match intensified as Blake started to get more serious. I tried to use my precision and quick movements to keep up with him, but he began to overwhelm me with his powerful strikes. I could dodge a few of his attacks, but he managed to land a hit on my shoulder, sending me stumbling back. I quickly regained my balance and retaliated with a quick thrust of my own, but Blake was able to parry it and step into my guard, getting up close and bringing his knee up to my chest at an incredible speed, knocking the air out of me.

I jumped backwards, having to stay out of the fight while I regained my breath and footing. Arden managed to hold him off, but I could tell he was tiring, and fast.

Once I felt comfortable breathing again, I moved back into the action, resuming the strategy that Arden and I had been working on for months. I parried a powerful strike from Blake, creating an opening. Arden and I wordlessly coordinated the attack, he dashed towards Blake’s right side with impressive speed and swung at his neck with his practice blade while I thrust at his torso with mine. Blake pivoted at an inhuman speed and delivered a blow that connected with Arden’s sternum, sending him flying backwards across the training area like a ragdoll. 

I bailed on my attack, just as Blake’s leg cut through the air where I had been moments ago.

I could feel the sweat starting to form on my brow as I tried to keep up with Blake's relentless attacks. I managed to land a few more blows, but he maintained the upper hand. I could feel my muscles straining as I tried to dodge and parry his attacks. Blake's blows were strong and precise, and I could feel each one reverberating throughout my body.

Despite the odds against me, I refused to give up. I pushed myself to keep up with Blake's relentless pace, and I managed to land a few more blows. But Blake was too experienced for me, and I could feel myself starting to tire. I made one final effort to land a blow, but Blake was ready for it and he managed to dodge my attack and land a final hit that sent me sprawling to the ground.

I lay there for a moment, trying to catch my breath as Blake approached me. He offered me a hand and helped me up. Despite the beating I had just received, I felt proud of myself and grateful to Blake for pushing me to my limits.

When it was all over, Blake was clearly impressed. But, he was a tough critic, a bit harsher than before he left, and he didn't hesitate to point out our mistakes. "You two have a lot of potential, but your mana usage is quite poor," he stated. "All it did was provide a minor strength boost to your entire body, it was not versatile at all. Half your mana was wasted in muscles that weren’t even being used. It would have been more effective if you knew how to focus the mana in the muscles actively being used."

Despite his criticism, Blake was quick to praise our teamwork. "You two complement each other well in battle. Arden's speed and power, combined with Kai's precision and control over the flow of battle, make for a deadly duo. Now that you can absorb mana to a satisfactory degree, we will begin work on more effective mana usage. Keep up the good work, I expect to see you back here tomorrow," he advised.

We took Blake's words to heart and promised to work hard to improve our mana control and versatility in battle. And with that, Blake disappeared, leaving us to bask in the glory of our hard work and progress.

“You know,” I spoke up, breaking our silence, “sometimes it feels like he just doesn’t give us a chance to respond.” 

“I was thinking the exact same thing!” Arden replied with a laugh. 

We lay on the grass, our laughter echoing into the open air. It was a moment of pure bliss, and I felt content, having no idea of the horrors that the future held.