Minutes blended into hours as Conner trained tirelessly atop the same hill overlooking the vast expanse of Phantovia. Thanks to his strengthened channels, influencing astris was made not just easier, but possible. However, as he continued practicing, it became apparent that his channels still needed some work.


    He realized encompassing a wider area in astris was significantly easier than targeting a specific body part as that would demand a certain level of skill and precision. After he''d read further ahead in his book, he learned that the layer''s thickness was directly correlated to the strength of his channels.


    Conner spaced his legs and breathed, tapping into his channels as they worked to siphon astris from the air and wrap it around his skin. It took a few seconds but the particles eventually reacted, streaming around his form and binding together in a coat of soft flickering white.


    Straining his focus further, he called upon more astris to mend the fading gaps. Satisfied with the amount of astris coating his body, he dropped into a low stance. The log he''d used to landmine deadlift was straight ahead. As he focused on keeping his hold on his astris, he exploded forward.


    The air whipped his face as his featherlight form glided across the grass. As he tried to stop himself in a panic, digging his heels into the ground, he lost his footing and tumbled into the log. A burst of crackling wood shattered the peaceful air as he smashed into it, fragments flying in every direction. Fortunately, his astris protected him from the impact...mostly.


    "Enhanced speed, check..." He groaned in pain.


    He dismissed the astris back into the atmosphere and lay there for a minute or two to gather his strength. Pulling himself out of the decimated log with trembling hands, he gave himself a pat down and a quick inspection. Aside from a few cuts and a couple of bruises, he was fine.


    "Enhanced durability, check." He nodded.


    Though it would take additional time to control, he was nonetheless satisfied to have proven the author''s claims. As he decided it was best to make his way back to the cottage, a distant screech pierced the air. He froze, his trembling body remembering that sound all too well. Glancing in its direction, he spotted a massive figure on the horizon soaring across the sky before it dove into the chasm and out of sight.


    "It''s still here?" His voice quivered as he waited a few minutes for his racing heart to calm. Once he had full control of his body, he painfully limped his way back to the cottage.


    He returned much later than intended and was expecting a scolding but it never came. As he peeked inside the elder''s room, she had just gathered her strength to get out of bed. He breathed a sigh of relief as she didn''t seem to notice him gone.


    "Don''t think for a second that you''re safe, child." She said, her back turned to him as she gently stretched her aged joints.


    He flinched, coming out of hiding as he scratched his head.


    "I promise I wasn''t skipping out on my duties," he replied sheepishly. "How''d you know I was back?"


    She looked back over her shoulder with a smile. "I don''t need to see or hear your return when your astris signature is so prominent."


    Dismissing her words, he came up to her side. "By the way, I''ve found a better way to help you."


    "Oh?" Her brow raised slightly in curiosity.


    He held the book up to his face. "The author dubbed it ''Astris Augmentation.'' They describe it as basically wearing astris like a suit of armor and, by doing so, can bolster the wearer''s physical capabilities. If you train this, your daily life would be made easier and much more comfortable as you could regain your—"


    "Conner." She cut in, freezing his words in his throat. "Haven''t I told you I''ve already read that book from front to back? Don''t you think I would''ve come across the subject of physical enhancement?"


    His gaze trailed down as he lowered the book. "Then...why don''t you take advantage of this ability?"


    "You can''t solve natural life-lasting problems with temporary solutions," She reached over to grab her cane with more effort than what he was used to seeing from her. "And by the time I was made aware, my channels were already well past their prime anyhow."


    She stood, snapping Conner out of his somber thoughts and helped stabilize her. As he escorted her through the cabin, he mentally prepared himself for what was to come. It would mark his second day of grueling training with the elder. It was his most challenging lesson yet.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Rounding the corner to the kitchen, Elder Iryna said, "Now, ready the ingredients. I''ll show you how to make a steak stew."


    The next few days came and went and Conner found himself atop the hill alone more often. Every day, he''d dedicate his time, originally used for meditating, to training Astris Augmentation. Although he''d gotten better at drawing in ambient astris and reducing the gaps, the layer was still relatively thin.


    Dropping into a low stance, he clad himself in astris, feeling it wrap around his body in a sheet of translucent white. Focusing on the log he''d decimated, he blasted himself forward, creating a depression where he once stood.


    The world blurred as his form carried a gale of wind that whipped the grassy plain. He soared through the shallow trench he''d gradually carved into the earth. As the log rapidly filled his vision, he tried to stop but his foot caught on the uneven ground, turning his skid into an awkward skip. Raising his arms, he braced himself as he rammed into the bulky log with a thud.


    Though he wasn''t satisfied with his control, at the very least he didn''t crash through the log like he''d done for the first couple of days. As for imbuing himself with astris, he was grateful to have had a guidebook on the ability as trying to figure it out on his own would''ve taken much longer, months even.


    After imbuing himself, he found it difficult to hold it in place for long stretches of time, not because his channels were still weak, but because, like a muscle, he needed to learn how to flex them to achieve the desired results. And so, the more he infused his body, the more he honed in on how his channels pulsed and surged.


    After another hour, he packed up and left for the cottage. Elder Iryna was just getting out of bed by then, just in time for him to accompany her on her daily walk, the only real exercise her body could handle.


    "How''s your training coming along, dear?" She asked, admiring the melodic tunes of the birds darting through the canopy of trees.


    He thought to himself for a moment, his mind drifting back to the warriors of his village. "Okay, I suppose. Though, compared to others I''ve seen, I''m learning at a slower pace."


    He carefully guided her around a small heap of debris obstructing the trail.


    "Regardless, we all learn at our own pace, child. You shouldn''t let that discourage you," the breeze ruffled her washed-out wheat hair as she remembered something he''d told her days before. "Though I know I can''t utilize astris augmentation, I am curious to see it for myself, if you would be so inclined."


    He waved away a stray gnat. "Of course, Elder Iryna. But I''m not sure if I can give it a proper demonstration."


    They continued to walk the trail until they came across a small clearing. Woolly deer that were feasting on grass and berries snapped their gazes in their direction before darting off into the woods. Conner gently sat the elder down on a fallen log before making his way to the edge of the clearing.


    The elder watched in anticipation as the youth took up a stance. Streams of translucent white gravitated towards him, fanning out over his form and clinging to his skin. Her milky eyes sparkled faintly in fascination as she watched near-transparent flames flicker softly around his body.


    Straining her eyes, she activated Keensight to see the finer details of how astris was reacting. Waves of white whirled and merged with him, the colony of particles shoving into one another eagerly to claim their spot within his aura.


    He lowered his stance and in one push, he propelled himself forward. His form blurred into a streak of white as he blitzed across the field, the tall grass and shrubs dotting the area whipping to his passing.


    As he slowed at the other end of the field, his form cleared and he comedically pranced to a stop. The elder couldn''t help but chuckle at his struggle to brake.


    "Sorry if it didn''t live up to your expectations." He dusted himself off.


    "No, no. If anything, it exceeded my expectations."


    After she had her laugh, Conner proceeded to demonstrate his enhanced strength on a boulder. Tucking his fingers underneath, he lifted one end of it past his chest as bugs scrambled to escape the light. The elder applauded him as he dropped the stone with a hard thud and proceeded to shatter a chunk of the stone with a quick jab without a scratch on him to show for it.


    "Very impressive. Rather than have you test it, I''m going to assume increased durability is a bonus." She said, adjusting her position.


    "Yes," he approached her as he dismissed the astris coating his body. "Though I''ll need to train and study more to improve it."


    "Then you''d best keep up your hard work. And soon you will be a proper mage."


    He sat beside her on the log. "A proper mage, huh?" The calm wind brushed through the trees as he contemplated a question. "Elder Iryna, why did you want to teach me?"


    "What a strange question. I thought that would be obvious," she put on an innocent smile. "Astris is still very much a mystery and I am much too old to experiment with it. So I thought that nudging you in the right direction would help me unravel that mystery.”


    He glared but there wasn''t any real bite to it. "So I''m just your researcher."


    She hummed a laugh as she looked forward towards the rustling treeline. "There aren''t very many of us which means we are naturally different from the rest of the world." Her smile turned somber as she absentmindedly prodded at a rock with her cane. "Society tends to steer clear of those who deviate from the norm...It can be a lonely existence. But having someone around who understands that struggle makes things a little easier, especially when my time is nearing."


    She looked at him apologetically. "I suppose in the end it boils down to selfishness. I''m sorry, Conner."


    He shook his head reassuringly, comforting her with a warm hand on her back. "Don''t be."