The trio moved closer to the village, this time just outside the walls. Thank goodness no animals in sight. Jack's clothes were torn up and his face covered in dirt. He never felt this tired before. He just used the spell roughly 5 times, but it felt impossible to find his breath.

"Gear up," Ace said while stretching a couple of feet away from Jack.

"I find it kind of brutal that you are going to fight me after having me chased by a rhino for an hour." Jack tightened the shield around his left forearm. He drew his sword and tossed the sheath off to the side.

"Don't worry, I am not going to take it too hard on you," Ace said, drawing a chef's knife from a holder behind him. A pure black shape formed from the edge of the blade and the handle. It now looked like he had a sword similar to Jack's but made out of pure black with the knife still completely visible.

"I am starting to hate when you say don't worry. I thought you didn't have mana." Jack stared at the picture that wasn't adding up.

"This is all Tenny. This knife is special and when Tenny is close by, I can use it to take this shape. The blade is dull for now. Come at me like you are trying to kill me." Ace signalled him to start when he is ready.

Jack rushed in and swung his blade diagonally downward from his right to the left. Ace glanced it away by holding the sword diagonally as well. Jack swung back in the same path but from left to right. Ace continued to glance the blade each time.

"Fighting is about rhythm. Trying to stay in your rhythm without falling into your opponents." Ace stopped his blade this time in place of the deflection and punched Jack with his left hand knocking him down. "By glancing each of your strikes I forced you into rhythm that was not yours, so when it stopped, I had the advantage."

Ace signalled for the boy to attack again. Jack rushed in and again Ace glanced the blade off. Jack continued but switched directions of the swings and held back the timing. "Very good, you are thinking about the rhythm, but a fight is also a force of will. Each strike must have a purpose." While finishing that sentence before Jack could start his swing Ace quickly punched him knocking Jack on his butt. "You are so focused on trying to ensure I don't force your rhythm that you stopped having a rhythm completely. Not only that but your swings stopped serving a purpose. Every action you do in a fight should have a purpose behind it. With experience you will know how to develop plans and tactics whether it be looking for counter attacks, powering through their guard, tiring them out. All of these are viable, but you have to believe in one to make sure every swing counts. The moment you make a swing without a purpose then you have surrendered your plan and are just trying to avoid falling into your opponent's plan." Ace helped Jack to his feet.

"That is a lot to remember when you keep punching me in the face," Jack said while spitting off to the side.

"Maybe you should stop getting punched in the face then. Every fight is a dance, and the factors of this dance is, rhythm and distance control. You will become a master of these two things in no time because I will beat in into you."

Jack rushed in again and Ace tossed his sword up in the air at him. Jack raised his own to block the blade coming down, but Ace was already in front of him. He took his wrist and flipped him over. He pulled out the sword from the ground and placed it on Jack's chest. "Let's go again."

They kept at it until the sunset, but now they found a seat in the soft grass and watched the sight while drinking water. Ace lit a cigarette.

"You think that if I can master both of those then I can beat anyone?" Jack asked.

"Not really because distance and rhythm are not techniques. It is something that will always just happen and using different tools such as mimics, allies, weapons, tricks, would change how the rhythm and distance behave. It especially becomes noticeable when the opponent uses things like Null Metal in the battle. The important thing is that you have to keep these concepts in mind while we train the basics into your muscle memory. The more you trust that your strikes will have a purpose and your defence will be there, then you can use your brain power to focus on your opponent and your tactics. If you are able to think about your opponent in the fight more than he is, then you have an advantage."

"I can understand what you are saying but do you think it would take only a couple months to get it?"

"I am completely sure because we are going to teach you while beating it into you. Plus, this will greatly increase your mana. Mana goes hand in hand with stamina. Many people think it is the same thing, but that just shows that we can't fully grasp the idea yet. It is generally believed that by practising magic, you are able to make the spell more efficient and so it uses less mana. By training your stamina, your body will naturally have more mana. Makes sense?"

"Well enough."

***

5 Months passed and the routine stayed the same for it entirely. Study, dodge animals, and fight. The only difference that occurred was the fighting started involving mimics. It was a tough time but after the second month, Jack noticed a drastic improvement. His body was so much lighter. He had energy to spare after each training session.

He often got distracted by wondering if Stella was doing okay. He really hoped she was making any kind of progress. He knew she probably was getting frustrated because if she found anything then she would have told them. She would tell them, right? He hoped that she didn't forget them. Thinking that she might send word for them any day pushed Jack to work harder because at any point they could be heading out. These thoughts filled his mind again this morning while sitting in front of his book at the dinner table.

"Today is the day you get your reward," Ace said pulling Jack out of his head.

"Reward? What is it?" Jack's head fell to a slight tilt.

"This is what helped me calm my mind and gave me an experience I think is completely worth wild. Follow me outside." Ace began stretching his legs out in the grass. "Follow me and keep up in any way you can."

Ace takes offs, jumping on his roof, he shoots forward into the trees landing on branches. Jack is close behind moving at intense speeds leaving a green trail with every step he took. They push off a tree and fly over the town's walls. Landing on roofs, going higher then lower. Jack never felt such a rush. He could barely see anything around him but whatever was directly in front of him was clear as can be. Ace was close in lead until he leapt up and off the town's water tower. Turning in the air to face Jack, he reached his hand out. Jack grabbed it and Ace threw him high up in the sky.

The point his momentum shifted from up to down must have been the reward. The hair stood on Jack's body again. His eyes widened and stomach jumped into his throat. The world was still. The village was a fraction of everything he could see. It was beautiful. He could barely gather a full thought. That might be the point of this. Amazing. What else was Ace going to show him?

***

1 month passes again, and Jack feels anxious. He wants to get started, but there is still no word of anything. He has gained some weight and the lectures Ace were giving him were clicking now with better control of wisps. He learned that Stella must be extremely skillful because using ice mimics takes a lot of control. It mixes blue and yellow to turn it into a form that can be more versatile than earth mimics since it can be formed in the air.

"Yo Matty, what brings you here today?" Ace called outside on the porch while tossing him an apple.

"Thanks Mr. Ace. Is Jack around? Mr. Sidra says that a letter came in for him. I think it is what he has been waiting for."

Jack rushes home to open the letter. It is exactly what he thought it was. Stella has found a lead in Nectar Village. That is a couple of days away from here. He has to pack and tell Ace.

"I am guessing that means you are leaving now?" Mr. Sidra asked Jack as he looked above the page.

"It would seem so. Thank you again for letting me do this. For giving me the push to do this. I promise I will make you proud."

"I wanted to give you this before you leave." Mr. Sidra pulled out a box from under the table. Jack wondered how he didn't notice the large crate when he walked in. His father pulled out a glistening blade that was attached to a housing made of shaped metal. The housing was painted a glossy black and it was placed on a leather gauntlet. "I know you have been getting better at mimics. I forged this so you will be able to use both hands if you ever need to use it."

"You forged a mounted blade for me? Where did you get the materials? I don't want to get you in trouble," Jack said worried but truthfully, he knew that he was trying to change the subject before he got emotional.

"I broke down materials from a sword that a customer didn't take."

Jack couldn't take his eyes off it. The metal reflecting any sunlight that visited their home. It really was beautiful. This was the first time someone was able to gift him something like this. The moment made everything feel real. He would be leaving now. The adventure begins. He was going to become a hero.

"Do you not like it? Would you have preferred a normal sword?" Mr. Sidra said as if he could change it if he tried.

"No, it is amazing. Thank you so much dad." The tears finally escaped Jack's eyes. He smiled quickly to indicated that he was crying because he was happy. He wiped his cheek and then the corner of his right eye. "I will be back soon dad. I am off to save the world."

"Yea Son."