CHAPTER 38: REMARKABLE PROGRESS

The sun had barely risen when Piper and Chloe gathered Ian in the training yard. The cool air still held the scent of morning dew, and the soft rustle of trees filled the space as Piper clapped her hands to draw his attention. Ian sat cross-legged on the smooth stone floor, still groggy from sleep, while Piper stood with her arms folded and Chloe leaned casually against a nearby post, her usual calm smile resting on her face.

"Before you can learn to control what’s inside you, my lord, you must understand what it means to grow as a mage," Piper said. "There’s an order to magic. A hierarchy that separates the beginners from the legends. You are at the beginning of it all, so you need to listen carefully."

Ian rubbed his eyes and nodded. "I’m listening, though I still don’t get why there has to be all this ranking nonsense. Why can’t people just use magic and be done with it?"

Piper sighed. "Because power without structure leads to chaos. And chaos breeds destruction. That’s why mages train for years to climb through the ranks properly." She gestured toward the open yard as if the wind itself could help her explain. "There are nine ranks in total, and each rank has three stages...low, mid, and high. Let’s start with the first."

Chloe spoke softly. "The first rank is Initiate. It’s the lowest stage, where one only begins to sense mana. You can’t cast much, only flickers or sparks if you’re lucky. You, My Lord, are a Low Initiate. You’ve only just started to feel mana flow through you."

Ian raised his brow. "So I’m basically at the baby stage of magic, huh?"

Chloe smiled faintly. "Yes, you could say that. But every master once began as a baby, my lord."

Piper continued, ignoring his smirk. "The next rank is Novice. That’s where you begin to truly channel mana through your body and form basic spells. After that comes Adept, where mages stabilize their mana cores and learn to use mana in physical combat."

Ian scratched his head. "Wait, cores? You mean like a power source or something?"

"Exactly," Piper said, pleased he was paying attention. "Every mage develops a mana core inside their body. It’s where their energy flows from. The stronger your core, the more mana you can control."

Chloe took over as Piper spoke. "After Adept comes Expert. That’s when you can wield advanced forms of one element. Piper here," she said with a small smile, nodding toward her companion, "is a Mid Expert ranked fire mage. She can control flames as if they were part of her own body."

Piper smirked slightly. "And Chloe is a Mid High Adept water mage. She can shape water with remarkable precision, but she’s too kind to use it in battle."

Chloe laughed softly and shook her head. "You, on the other hand, are far from either of us, my lord. But that’s fine. You’ll get there."

Ian chuckled. "You two sound like teachers who enjoy scolding their students."

"We’re not scolding you," Piper replied, though there was a teasing edge in her tone. "We’re making sure you understand. Now, after the Expert Rank comes Master, then Grandmaster, then Sage, Archon, and finally Celestial."

Ian blinked. "Hold on. That’s a lot of steps. You mean I have to climb through all those before I can do the flashy stuff? The lightning bolts and the floating rocks and all that?"

"Exactly," Piper said simply. "Each rank builds upon the one before it. A Low Master could level a city if careless. A High Archon could destroy a mountain range. The Celestial rank is something few ever reach. Some say they can bend time or alter space."

Ian whistled lowly. "So I’m basically a pebble surrounded by volcanoes."

Chloe giggled softly. "You could say that, but pebbles can become mountains too, given time."

Ian leaned back on his hands and looked from one woman to the other. "And where are you both exactly in this grand ladder of magical greatness?"

Piper answered first. "As I said, I’m a Mid Expert. My control over fire is refined, but I still have limits. Chloe, on the other hand, is nearly a High Adept, though she could ascend soon if she trained more seriously."

Chloe smiled, a little bashfully. "I prefer peace over power. But yes, I’m getting close."

Ian nodded thoughtfully, though there was still a spark of disbelief in his eyes. "And me? You said I’m what now?"

Piper looked at him firmly. "As I told you before, you’re a Low Initiate, My Lord. The first step. Don’t let it discourage you. Everyone starts there."

Ian rubbed the back of his neck and muttered, "I’m the weakest person in the room. Great."

"Not the weakest," Chloe said kindly. "Just the newest. You’ve already done what most Initiates can’t...you awakened every element. That means you have potential beyond anything we’ve seen. You only need patience."

Piper crossed her arms and gave a faint nod. "If you can survive my training, you might reach Adept within a few months. But if you slack off, you’ll stay at Initiate for years."

Ian let out a long sigh and looked up at the sky. "Well, I guess I better not slack off then. Because I don’t plan on being the pebble forever."

Both women exchanged a glance, then smiled. Piper said softly, "Good. Because the world doesn’t need a pebble, my lord. It needs a flame that refuses to die."

________

The weeks that followed were unlike anything Ian had ever experienced. From dawn till dusk, his days were consumed by training. Piper and Chloe rarely gave him a moment’s rest. They drilled him in the fundamentals of mana control, taught him to breathe in rhythm with the flow of energy, and made him endure long hours of meditation until his body and spirit began to move in unison. At first, Ian struggled terribly. The mana within him was restless and wild, slipping through his grasp each time he tried to command it. His fire would spark too early or fade too quickly, and his attempts at summoning water usually ended with more steam than substance.

But Ian was stubborn. He refused to accept failure. Every mistake drove him harder, every burn or exhaustion only made him more determined to understand how his power worked. Piper often stood over him with a firm gaze, correcting his stance or snapping her fingers to dispel his unstable flames. Chloe, in contrast, was gentler. She would place her hands over his and guide the movement of mana, showing him how to mold it as if shaping something delicate rather than forcing it to obey. The difference between their teaching styles balanced him perfectly....one sharpened his will, the other steadied his heart.

The courtyard of the estate became his second home. By the third week, his fire spells no longer flared out of control. He learned to call forth a single flame at will, small and calm, one that danced at his fingertips without burning him. Piper had been the first to notice the change, watching silently as he shaped the flame into a ring, then a narrow beam. She said nothing at first, only nodded with approval, though Ian could see the faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

Water was another story. It flowed through him with gentleness but demanded patience. Chloe made him sit beside the garden fountain for hours, feeling the faint ripples of energy beneath the surface. She explained that water was unlike fire....it did not respond to emotion or aggression. It moved with intention and calmness. The day he finally managed to draw the water out of the fountain without splashing it all over himself, Chloe clapped her hands with pride. The stream he controlled wove through the air like a ribbon, cool and shimmering in the sunlight.

By the end of the fourth week, Ian had begun to notice something stirring inside him. His mana felt heavier, denser, more vibrant. The exhaustion that once followed every training session had lessened, replaced by a quiet, steady strength. His core...which Piper often spoke about...had grown firmer, its presence more defined in his consciousness. During one evening session, as he meditated beneath the fading orange sky, he felt a sudden pulse ripple through his body. The air around him shifted, and the ground beneath his palms trembled slightly. Piper and Chloe, who had been observing nearby, exchanged quick glances.

Piper approached him slowly. "Do you feel that?" she asked, her tone calm but her eyes sharp.

Ian nodded without opening his eyes. "It feels... different. Like everything is clearer. The energy isn’t slipping away anymore."

Chloe’s lips curved into a knowing smile. "He’s breaking through," she whispered softly.

The moment stretched on, the mana around Ian thickening until it almost shimmered in the air. His breathing slowed, his focus deepened, and then, with a sudden rush, the tension snapped. The energy within him surged upward like a wave, powerful yet controlled. When he opened his eyes, they glowed faintly for a brief second before returning to normal.

Piper crossed her arms, her voice carrying both pride and surprise. "Five weeks... and you’ve already reached High Novice. That’s unheard of."

Chloe nodded in agreement. "Even prodigies take twice as long, sometimes longer. Whatever it is that drives you, it’s working."

Ian exhaled slowly, his chest rising and falling as the last traces of energy settled within him. "I just... didn’t want to stay weak forever," he said quietly. "I can feel the power now, stronger than before, but it’s still not enough."

Piper stepped closer and gave him a light pat on the shoulder. "It never will be enough, not if you want to keep growing. But for now, you’ve done more than anyone could have expected."

Chloe smiled and added gently, "You’ve come far, My Lord. But remember, mastering elements takes time. You’ve tamed fire and water, but the others still wait for you. Don’t rush it."

Ian nodded, staring at the faint wisp of flame that appeared above his palm. It flickered softly, steady and warm, then vanished as he turned his focus to the fountain nearby. The water responded almost instantly, forming a smooth arc that glimmered beneath the morning light before sinking back into the basin.

For the first time since he arrived in this strange world, he felt a quiet sense of pride. The girls watched in silence, both of them seeing the difference in him...the confidence, the control, and the strength that was slowly taking root.

By the fifth week, the news had spread beyond the estate. Even the Queens had heard of his progress. They did not summon him or interfere, but word reached him through Piper that they were impressed by how swiftly he was advancing.

Still, Ian knew he had a long road ahead. His control over fire and water was growing sharper each day, but the other elements remained silent within him. He could sense their presence somewhere deep inside, waiting to be awakened when the time was right.