An Appetite for Artillery

After less than 4 hours, Saava was left without words.

"What is with you, human?!" Saava demanded, making Reinhart lift the faceplate of his helmet with a frown.

"What do you mean? I just did what you told me, but using rocks didn't make sense. Yeah, you can coat yourself in them, but they don't fuse together. That is, only after putting a layer of air between your hand and the rocks, or you will hurt your hand when you hit something right?" Reinhart explained, flexing his gauntleted hand.

He had created an entire suit of armor, but it was like the knights of old in King Arthur's time. Needless to say, it was a bit fancier than it needed to be, but Reinhart just imagined what he wanted and then the process it would take to make it. He had to find the metals, but thanks to Vexille, that was child's play for Reinhart to pull it right out of the ground and then start melting it. He had used the wind like Maze had and got an exact image of his body, framing it over. Reinhart had considered going with the Ironman look from the comics, but he didn't understand how it worked.

"So you made a knight's armor," Saava began, her green eyes examining the finely crafted form surrounding Reinhart. "But unlike a regular knight's suit, yours is directly moving with your body. It's as though the armor is an extension of yourself. This is remarkable. With your advanced control over your Mana, you've done in a few hours what Dralkons have never figured out in their multitude of lifetimes... Do you now see why I am distressed about this?

Reinhart rubbed the back of his head, but could only shrug. "I come from a world that is dramatically more advanced than this one. Many of the ideas we have are the results of us working together and sharing information over something called the internet. I used it to look up videos of new styles of construction as they came out so I could stay up today. I think you have something like that with your telepathy, but it can't reach everyone in the world at once, right?"

Saava stared at Reinhart, her mouth slightly agape, before shaking her head and snapping out of her stupor. "That's... remarkable," she admitted. "Perhaps if we Dralkons had a tool like this... internet you speak of, we'd be much more advanced. But again, to us, this 'internet' is a foreign concept and not one easily implemented with our ways."

She allowed herself a moment of contemplation before she continued, "As for telepathy, yes, you're correct. Our telepathy network, though expansive, has its limits and is only useful for those within specific clans. It doesn't connect everyone as your internet does. That being said, your approach of harnessing your Mana with your construction knowledge is our primary concern here. I didn't expect you to adapt so fast."

Saava then gave a wry smile, "We have much more to learn from you, Reinhart, dare I say. Perhaps you can show us new ways to enhance our Mana and perfect our combat technique, effectively changing the way we've been living and fighting for centuries."

"Wait! I thought you were supposed to be my teacher?" Reinhart asked with a small smirk.

"I am, but that does not mean I am perfect nor does it mean I cannot learn anything from my student," Saava replied, returning his smirk. "Effective teaching works both ways. As much as we are teaching you about the ways of magic and combat, I realize now we must also be ready to learn from you and your unique perspective."

This statement was met with a surprised nod from Reinhart. This was a concept very much in line with what his journey in Fallenia had been about: learning, evolving, and adapting. As he looked at his mentor, the intrepid Sylph Saava, he realized he was being offered not just a teacher-student relationship, but a partnership of knowledge and survival. At the same time, he felt a surge of pride. He was contributing, really changing things in this world. And he was eager, now more than ever, to bring that change to those who sought to harm Maze.

"Alright. What is next then?" Reinhart asked, and Saava put up her hands as air and rock gathered to them.

Reinhart was starting to be able to sense the different kinds of magic without seeing them, even before they could manifest. He wasn't sure how he was doing it, but he was slowly starting to see magic.

"While your skills with control are amazing as usual; we need to see how you can perform in combat like that," Saava said, and then rushed Reinhart.

While this was not his first time in a fight, Saava came at Reinhart with killer intentions, forcing Reinhart to defend himself. Not only that, but he had to control his created armor, or he would move too slowly from how heavy it was.

Before Reinhart could entirely process Saava's warning, the verdant-skinned Sylph was upon him, her movements swift and lethal. Panicking wouldn't serve any good here, and so Reinhart hurriedly fortified his mind, turning his fear into fuel. His vision blurred as he frantically manipulated his Mana to form a protective barrier around him.

His armor clanged as Saava's sharp talons made contact, the powerful strikes resonating against the metal shield. Despite the confidence he had in his creation, he pushed Mana into his legs to leap backward, carefully eyeing Saava as she circled him. He could feel the magic emanating from her with each swift movement, prompting him to consider revising his strategy.

"Flight won't win this battle, Reinhart!" Saava taunted, her eyes gleaming dangerously. Despite being his mentor, Saava did not afford Reinhart any leniency, forcing him to adapt as if she was a genuine enemy on the battlefield.

Reinhart paused, realizing that defense wasn't his only option. With new resolve, Reinhart conceived a counterattack. He utilized the metal from his armor to form makeshift projectiles, launching a barrage toward the agile Sylph. Saava effortlessly dodged several of them, but a swift curve from one of the stray projectiles caught her off guard, harshly striking her side.

Her pained grunt motivated Reinhart as he fueled his Mana into his arms, morphing the metal into a massive shield. He intended to slam it into Saava, but she swiftly rose into the air, smirking down at her disoriented student. Her eyes flashed as she summoned a powerful gale, manipulating her wind magic to push Reinhart into a disarrayed defensive stance again.

The battle was turning to be a tug of power, but Reinhart stood his ground. Drawing from his accumulated construction knowledge, he broadly surveyed the environment, using everything around him as potential aids. He perceived the rocks around him as raw materials, akin to iron and steel at a construction site. With a swift motion, he raised his arm, focusing his Mana to control the rocks.

The rocks levitated, swirling around Reinhart as he controlled their motion with acute precision. With a swift downward gesture, he launched them toward Saava with immense force. Saava managed to dodge a couple, but the relentless onslaught pushed her into a corner. With a final, intense barrage, Reinhart caused Saava to lose balance and plummet toward the ground.

Remembering Saava's initial advice about utilizing everything around him, Reinhart quickly manipulated his Mana, forming a soft landing spot just in time for the winded Sylph to fall upon. His breathing heavy, he looked towards his fallen mentor. Though exhausted, a feeling of accomplishment washed over him as he realized he had effectively defended against a seasoned Dralkon.

As he helped Saava back to her feet, he couldn't help but feel a profound appreciation for his mentor. The battle had been grueling but also enlightening. He was just a simple construction worker a few weeks ago. But now, Reinhart was eager for any new challenges that would come his way. Their extreme training was far from over, but the tide of the looming battle seemed to turn in their favor, one training session at a time.