Mage or Fraud?

"We're here". Emily's soft voice carried over the wind.

I studied the house before me, it was was painted yellow and had a brown roof. The windows were lined with deep brown, thick wood.

"Come, let's go in". Emily said and grabbed my hands, she pulled me along and I followed her obediently.

We didn't stop inside the house, instead we kept walking till we got to the backyard.

This is where I practice my magic. Emily said to me cheerily as she skipped. My eyes strayed to her melons that jiggled like they were made of rubber.

She noticed my eyes weren't focused on her and traced them, she realized I was staring at her boobs and looked back at me with a shocked expression on her face.

I tried to say something to salvage the situation but just as quickly, the shocked expression was transformed into a smile and I swore she pushed out her chest a little.

Emily sat on the floor, she brought out her knives and handed me one.

"Today you're going to learn how to transfer energy from that mana ring around your heart down through your arm and into this knife where you can concentrate it".

"Okay". I nodded and sat down opposite her.

I held the knife the way she did. "What do I do next?"

Emily's face became serious. "I want you to hold the knife like that, then imagine the mana flowing in a thin line through your veins until it reaches your hand, then you force it into the knife like this". Her knife suddenly burst into flames.

I nodded. "Okay, here goes nothing". I concentrated like she said, I tried to picture the mana flowing in a thin line down my arm and into the knife, but nothing happened.

I grunted in frustration, a bead of swear had formed on my forehead from that singular exercise.

Who knew magic was going to be so stressful to learn.

"It's okay, give it time". Emily said soothingly. "Very few people learn it the first day, just keep practicing".

Just keep practicing. I thought bitterly. Why did I have to be among the people who didn't get it in one day, why couldn't I ace it once and for all today.

I squeezed my eyes shut and concentrated tightly on the ring of mana around my heart, then i let it flow down my arm in a strong powerful current until it reached my hand, then I forced into the blade.

Nothing.

Nothing happened, not even the slightest bit of air.

Frustrated, I sighed and put my hands on the ground.

Whoooosh!

The wind danced around us, as if mocking me, taunting me with the reminder it was present, just out of reach.

Beads of sweat riveted off my forehead and i clenched my teeth in annoyance.

Emily noticed this and stood up. "Perhaps we should take a little rest".

"No!" I barked. "I'll figure it out, I just need time".

Once when I was a teenager in my previous life, i was not an exceptional student but my scores were slightly above average and I enjoyed all the subjects I had, except chemistry.

Chemistry was the bane of my existence, I understood the theory to some extent but somehow when it was time for me to put that knowledge to practical use, it was a failure every time.

One particularly challenging class was when we had to titrate acids and bases, I followed the instructions to the letter, poured the right quanitity of reagents and mixed it properly.

It didn't work.

I redid it two more times each time being more careful than the last, it still didn't work.

A cold thought slithered into my head and I shivered. What if magic turned out to be like that?

Emily placed her hand on my shoulder. "Levi". She said in her tiny voice.

I looked up at her, wondering when she walked to my side and how I didn't notice.

"Don't be so hard on yourself, you're learning a technique that requires you to harness energy that is very stubborn, it won't submit to you that easily". She said.

I nodded. "Nevertheless I must keep trying".

Emily nodded with a small smile. "While you go at it, I'll go make us something to eat and replenish our strength".

She disappeared into the house.

I held the knife again and felt the ring of mana around my heart, it pulsed with energy, volatile yet unyielding. Emily said it was stubborn, I was going to show it I was just as stubborn if not more.

I focused on the feeling of it traveling down my arm and with a deep breath, I forced it into the knife.

Nothing.

I shook my head, I wasn't going to let up that easily. By now my entire body was covered in sweat, I was trembling as my nervous system scrambled to keep up with the strain I put on myself.

I closed my eyes and felt for the mana ring around my heart again and this time I let it build up, let the soft trum of energy in it grow loud until it was as loud as my heartbeat, it pulsed with every breath I took.

Then I pushed it down my arm, I feel a cold sensation travel down my veins and as I forced it into the knife, a tiny gust of air came out.

Pffftt.

I smiled and jumped to my feet, it wasn't an air coat like I wanted but it was something.

"Emily, I've done it!" I wanted to yell but I realized it would be more impressive if I could produce a stronger gust of air.

I sat back down and focused on the mana ring again, it travelled down my arm and this time when I pushed it into the knife, I used all my might to force it in.

Boooomm!

The blast of air that came out pushed the knife completely away from my hand and lifted me off my butt, slamming me into the wooden fence behind.

As I passed out I could hear a female voice shout with panic.

"Levi!"