Chapter 18

The next day as soon as the sun came out Flora woke him up for training.

Talonis sat cross-legged in the clearing, eyes shut, hands resting on his knees. A peaceful breeze flowed through the Whispering Glades. Birds chirped. The leaves rustled.

Flora stood nearby, watching him with her usual calm expression.

"Feel the energy of nature," she instructed. "Let it flow into you."

Talonis nodded, breathing deeply. He focused. He concentrated. He felt the warmth of the sun, the coolness of the wind, the soft earth beneath him-

And then-

BZZZZZZZ-

"AAAAAHHHH! A BUG JUST FLEW INTO MY MOUTH!" Talonis shot up, gagging. He flailed his arms wildly, running in circles. "WHY IS NATURE TRYING TO KILL ME?!"

Flora pinched the bridge of her nose. "…This is going to take a while."

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After a lot of coughing and spitting, Talonis sat back down, sulking.

"Okay, fine, nature hates me. Let's do healing magic instead!"

Flora sighed but decided to move on. She gracefully knelt beside him and held out her hand. A soft, green glow appeared around her fingertips.

"Healing magic is about balance," she explained. "It requires harmony between your mana and the life energy around you"

Talonis nodded. "Got it. Harmony, balance, life energy. Easy!"

He held out his hands and focused. His mana flickered-

And then BOOM!

A small explosion sent him flying backward, flipping three times before landing face-first in a bush.

Flora blinked. "...That was not healing magic..."

Talonis groaned, lifting his head. His hair was smoking. "Did I at least look cool?"

"No."

"Harsh..."

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After failing at healing, Talonis tried gathering energy from nature again.

"Alright, let's do this. I just need to connect with the trees, the plants, the gentle embrace of-"

CRACK!

The branch he leaned on snapped. He fell straight into a thorn bush.

"AGAIN?! WHY DOES THIS FOREST HATE ME?!"

Flora, still expressionless, watched him struggle. "The forest does not hate you. You are simply bad at this."

"Thanks for the encouragement, Master"

"I am not your master."

"Teacher, then?"

"No."

"Sensei?"

"No."

"Boss Lady?"

Flora stared at him. "…Why are you like this?"

Talonis grinned. "Gotta keep things interesting~"

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After way too many failures, Talonis finally made some progress.

His healing magic could now close small cuts. His energy control no longer caused explosions. And most importantly- he hadn't fallen into a bush in over an hour.

Flora deemed it time for combat training.

"You rely too much on gadgets," she told him. "That is not true strength. You must fight using your own power."

Talonis cracked his knuckles. "Alright, bring it on!"

Flora took a single step forward as thorns started growing around her in circle—

And Talonis immediately turned to run. "Nope! Nope! Nope!"

She flicked her wrist, and vines shot out from the ground, wrapping around his legs.

"NOT FAIR!" he yelled as he was dragged back.

"You cannot flee from battle," she said calmly.

"IT'S CALLED TACTICAL RETREAT-!!"

She ignored his complaints and started their sparring match. It did not go well for him.

Flora effortlessly dodged his attacks, countered every move, and within minutes, he was lying on the ground, gasping for breath.

"I think… I saw my ancestors…"

"You will live."

"How do you hit so hard?! You're so elegant and graceful, but you're actually a monster in disguise!"

Flora ignored his whining and handed him a wooden staff. "Again."

Talonis groaned. "Have mercy…"

She did not.

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After another brutal training session, Talonis lay flat on the ground, exhausted. He wiped his forehead and glanced at Flora, who looked completely unfazed.

"Man, you don't even look tired. How old are you, anyway?"

Flora thought for a moment. "Forty-seven."

Talonis sat up so fast he almost snapped his spine. "FORTY-SEVEN?!"

"Yes."

"But- but- you look like you're in your early 30s!"

Flora simply blinked. "Thank you?"

"HOW?! Is this part of your magic? Are you secretly immortal? Did you drink some kind of ancient beauty elixir?!"

Flora sighed. "No. I simply take care of myself."

Talonis clutched his chest. "Unbelievable… I was mentally prepared for thirty-something, but forty-seven?! I need to rethink my life..."

Flora ignored his dramatics and walked away. "Stop being ridiculous and get back to training"

Talonis sighed, dragging himself up.

He still had a long way to go.

But he wasn't giving up yet.

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_To Be Continue_