Morning light streamed through the high windows of the East Tower training hall when Evan arrived with Serin at his side. The air hummed with faint static pressure the kind that came from a room full of powerful mages trying very hard to pretend they were calm. Senior robes in deep blues and sharp grays filled the room each decorated with symbols of rank and study. Some of the mages looked curious others skeptical and a few looked like they would rather wrestle a dragon than listen to a stranger who taught vowel placement.

Arilon stood at the center of the hall his long sleeves resting neatly as he addressed the group “Today Evan Hartley will demonstrate the second rule of spell articulation Sound placement controls mana direction”

Murmurs rose at once

“That cannot be right mana follows the mind not the mouth”
“Direction is determined by intent not breath”
“Who is this outsider to lecture senior masters”

Evan inhaled slowly letting the air drop low into his ribs. He felt the same familiar nervousness he used to feel walking into a room of faculty members back home. Teachers often respected results but they rarely trusted newcomers especially newcomers with ideas that disrupted everything they believed.

He stepped forward “Thank you for being here I know you all have years even decades of study under your belts so I will keep this simple I am not here to replace your methods I am here to stabilize them”

One mage with a sharp beard scoffed “Our methods are already stable Outsider your claim is arrogant”

Evan nodded “Then let me test them on you Which one of you wants to demonstrate a directional spell”

Another mage stepped forward her robe lined with silver thread “I am Master Thyren I teach elemental projection I will demonstrate Gale Slash spell directionality”

Evan gestured for her to begin “Go ahead”

Thyren inhaled sharply her shoulders rising. She spoke “Sar vel tharan” and a blade of wind shot forward slicing through a practice dummy’s shoulder instead of its chest. The cut was strong but angled wrong landing several feet off from the target line Thyren had set with her staff.

Some mages clapped politely others looked away.

“That is normal for projection spells” one muttered “Air currents shift slightly”

Evan shook his head “No The problem is tongue placement not air currents”

Thyren bristled “Explain”

“Your ‘thar’ sound is too far back Your tongue retracts causing the airflow to tilt left and downward That shifts the mana direction”

A senior mage barked a laugh “Absurd The mouth cannot change the direction of magic like a river cannot be moved by a pebble”

Evan sighed “Do you want proof or do you want to argue”

Arilon raised a hand “Demonstrate Evan”

Evan faced Thyren “I need you to do the spell again this time push your tongue forward at the start of ‘thar’ and press the sound toward your front teeth Keep the vowel open”

Thyren narrowed her eyes “If this fails do not expect apology”

“Never expected it” Evan said lightly “Now try it”

She inhaled again this time slower. She spoke “Sar vel thar an”

The wind blade shot forward perfectly straight slicing the chest of the dummy with precision so sharp it cut clean through.
Gasps exploded through the hall. Even the skeptic who had laughed earlier froze mid breath.

Arilon stepped closer his voice low with shock “That direction is flawless I have never seen her produce that angle with such accuracy”

Evan nodded “Sound placement controls airflow Airflow guides mana Mana determines spell direction You cannot separate them no matter how much tradition says otherwise”

Thyren stared at her staff as if it had betrayed her for years “I have been compensating with intent for decades I thought weak direction was my own flaw but it was the sound all along”

The sharp bearded mage spoke quietly “Then show me I teach lightning projection My spells often veer right when my students cast them How do we fix that”

“Say the chant” Evan said

The mage lifted his hand “Varek thol sarin”

A bolt of lightning cracked across the room striking a stone pillar three feet off target.

Evan nodded “Your ‘vek’ is too tight Relax the vowel Your ‘sarin’ is collapsing on the second syllable which throws the mana arc Let it stretch Keep the airflow steady through the final syllable Try it again”

The mage tried “Vaa rek thol saar in”

Lightning shot forward dead center blasting a crater into the target wall.

The hall exploded in shouts surprise disbelief awe. Voices overlapped

“It doubled in power”
“He corrected the direction by speech alone”
“This is impossible”
“No impossible would be if he turned water into gold this is worse this changes everything”

Evan held up a hand “This is not me This is structure Your world has been speaking magic without understanding how your own mouths work I am just pointing out the mechanics that were always there”

Arilon stepped beside him “Senior mages of the academy I expect you to assist Evan in mapping the spell language and teaching correct articulation All curriculum involving spoken magic will be reviewed under his guidance”

The hall fell silent. Dozens of powerful mages stared at Evan as if seeing the foundation of magic shift beneath their feet.

Arilon continued “This is not a suggestion This is the beginning of our reform”

Thyren bowed to Evan deeply “Master of Speech I request permission to study under you”

Evan stepped back embarrassed “I am not a master I am just a speech therapist”

But the damage was done. The legend was already forming in their minds. The outsider who corrected ancient spells with nothing but simple adjustments. The man whose voice changed the shape of magic.

Serin leaned close whispering “You just won over the entire senior division Evan They will follow you now”

“That terrifies me” he whispered back “I just wanted them to stop yelling at their vowels”