The sun hung low in the sky as Hammond, Leonard, and Nathan trudged up the snowy path back to the cabin. The once-pristine firewood baskets on their backs now carried the marks of a long day—scuffs, scratches, and a few splinters. Leonard stumbled into the cabin first, dropping his basket with an exaggerated groan.

  “Why do people need so much firewood, anyway?” he muttered, flopping into the nearest chair.

  Nathan followed, slightly less dramatic but equally drained. He placed his basket by the door, rolled his shoulders, and sighed. “I can’t believe we carried all that down and made it back up in one piece.”

  Hammond, on the other hand, looked as energetic as ever. He closed the door behind them, dusted the snow off his coat, and clapped his hands together. “Good work, boys! Now, on to the next task.”

  Leonard’s head snapped up, his face etched with disbelief. “Next task? We just walked miles with literal trees on our backs. Can’t we rest for a bit?”

  “Nope,” Hammond replied cheerfully. “It’s time to begin your training.”

  Nathan frowned, wiping sweat from his brow. “Training? But we’ve barely had time to—”

  Hammond interrupted, his tone calm but firm. “The path of the Spellbreaker doesn’t wait for you to be comfortable. If you want to wield real power, you’ll need discipline. Now, both of you, sit down.”

  Reluctantly, Leonard and Nathan settled onto the wooden floor, crossing their legs. Hammond stood before them, his hands clasped behind his back, his expression shifting to something more serious.

  “We’re starting with the foundation of Spellbreaking,” Hammond began. “The first pillar: cultivating magical energy.”

  Leonard groaned loudly, tilting his head back. “We know this already! You find the mana flow in your body, focus on it, and all that. Can’t we just skip to the good part? I want to do more than throw magical bursts around, you know!”

  Hammond arched an eyebrow at him. “The basics are what keep you alive, Leonard. Also, throwing your pure, magical bursts around isn't exactly what I had in mind, barely any Arcanist nor Spellbreaker would ever do that. Raw Mana is unstable! No, without a strong foundation, the more advanced techniques will crumble. Now, stop complaining and concentrate.”

  Nathan shot Leonard a look that said, Just do what he says, and then closed his eyes. Leonard sighed dramatically but followed suit, muttering under his breath.

  “Good,” Hammond said, pacing in front of them. “Focus on your breathing. Feel the mana flow circulating in your body. It starts in your core, moves through your limbs, and ends in your heart. Let it settle there—steady and strong.”

  The room grew quiet except for the crackling of the fire in the hearth. Nathan’s brow furrowed as he concentrated, his breaths slow and even. Leonard, meanwhile, twitched occasionally, clearly struggling to sit still. After a few minutes, Leonard finally settled down and began quietly focusing.

  Hammond then spoke softly: “Good. You look like you’ve got the basics down. Now, as you keep channeling, follow me outside.”

  The sun had already given way to a crescent moon while the three of them were inside the cabin. The air outside was much colder, causing Leonard and Nathan to lose focus almost immediately. Hammond gestured to a spot a few steps away from the door.

  “Weather cannot and shall not disrupt your channeling. Sit down.”

  “I-In the snow?” Nathan stammered.

  “Yes. In the snow. Now stop talking and sit down again.”

  Leonard let out an annoyed grunt, visibly struggling more than Nathan, but he sat down. Nathan followed quietly, shivering slightly as his crossed legs touched the freezing ground.

  “Sit like this for a while. I will come back,” Hammond said, turning and heading back inside the cabin.

  Nathan and Leonard didn’t exchange a single word, doing their best to maintain focus. The flow of time seemed to blur. All that felt real was the rhythmic circulation of magical energy and the steady cadence of their breaths.

  Just when it felt like they might lose themselves in the exercise, Hammond reappeared.

  “Now, release it. One at a time, send one of those bursts of your mana toward me. Nathan, you go first.”

  Nathan opened his eyes, his expression focused. He raised his hand, channeling the energy he’d gathered. A moment later, a pulse of shimmering magic shot forward, crackling with fiery intensity. It was sizable, enough to rattle the air around them, but it stopped just short of Hammond, dissipating into a harmless flicker.

  Hammond nodded, his expression neutral, looking as if he noticed something with Nathan's attempt.

  “Good effort,” Hammond said aloud. “Leonard, you’re up.”

  Leonard smirked, eager to show off. He stood and raised both hands, channeling his mana. Unlike Nathan, he didn’t hesitate. A massive burst of energy erupted from his fists, veering slightly to the right as it barreled toward Hammond. The old master deflected it with ease, but the blast didn’t stop—it grazed the corner of the cabin, splintering a bit of wood and sending a cascade of snow from the roof.

  “Leonard!” Hammond shouted, glaring at the damage. “I didn’t realize you liked the snow so much—you must want to sleep without a roof tonight!”

  Leonard winced, scratching the back of his head. “Uh, sorry, Master Hammond. It just... got away from me.”

  Hammond sighed, his annoyance melting into a playful grin. “You’ve got power, I’ll give you that. But power without control is like a wild goosehorse—it’ll run you into the ground if you’re not careful. As I said, raw Mana is incredibly hard to aim. But if you can aim it, you can do so much more."

  Nathan couldn’t help but chuckle at Leonard’s expense, earning him a glare that quickly turned into a laugh from Leonard as well after which he turned to Hammond. "You say this as if no one would ever think of using raw mana. Is it that unusual?"

  Hammond nodded. "It is. Few people ever get the idea to do so, and instead opt to use artifacts to channel mana through. But one thing at a time." Hammond continued, his tone turning serious again. “You need to practice channeling your mana every day. That means during your chores, your training, and even when you’re chopping firewood tomorrow. The more you do it, the stronger and more stable your magic will become.”

  “Wait,” Leonard said, his voice tinged with disbelief. “You want us to channel mana while chopping wood? Isn’t that a little... taxing?”

  Hammond smirked. “Of course, it’s incredibly stressful on your body. But what do you think is more taxing—splitting logs or fighting enemies who want to kill you?”

  The surroundings fell silent as the weight of his words sank in. Nathan looked down, his expression thoughtful. Leonard opening his mouth, clearly wanting to argue but finding no good retort.

  “Exactly,” Hammond said. “Stop complaining and start channeling. You’ll thank me when you’re able to cast spells without breaking a sweat.”

  He grabbed and lit a torch from inside, then walked over to the damaged corner of the cabin, inspecting it with a sigh. “For now, clean up this mess. Consider it a lesson in responsibility. Nathan, light the way for Leonard to repair it.”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  “During the night? Can’t this wait until tomorrow?” Leonard protested.

  Hammond’s glare said more than any words ever could.

  “Fine. I’ll go inside and grab a hammer.”

  As the boys repaired the damage, Hammond watched with a small smile.

  They have a long way to go, but they’re making progress. Slowly but surely, they’re beginning to understand what it means to be Spellbreakers.

  The morning sun peeked over the snowy forest canopy, casting long shadows across the clearing. Leonard was already up, leaning against a tree, lazily tossing a rock between his hands. Nathan sat cross-legged nearby, his face buried in a thick manual on spell dynamics.

  "You’re gonna burn a hole in that book," Leonard quipped.

  Nathan glanced up, frowning. "Hammond says knowing the theory is just as important as practice. We’ve only been training with Hammond for a few weeks now, we still have so much to learn!"

  Leonard rolled his eyes. "Yeah, but it’s not like some enemy is gonna stop mid-fight so you can quote from chapter six."

  "Depends on the enemy," came Hammond’s voice from behind them. The boys turned to see their mentor strolling into the clearing, a dog-eared paperback tucked under one arm.

  "What’s that?" Leonard asked, pointing to the book.

  "Nothing you’d care about," Hammond said, slipping it into his coat pocket. "Just a riveting tale of love, betrayal, and mistaken identities."

  Nathan stifled a laugh while Leonard groaned. "Are you reading Romantic comedies while we train? You’re impossible, old man."

  Hammond smirked as he shouldered a backpack. "And you’re going to continue training now. Let's move."

  The trio made their way to the training ground, a wide-open clearing bordered by dense trees, with a circle of moss-covered rocks marking its perimeter. “Step aside, boys,” Hammond instructed, his tone casual but commanding.

  As they moved back, Hammond raised his hand. A powerful gust of wind erupted, swirling snow out of the circle in a spiraling rush. The displaced frost gathered neatly in a mound, leaving the ground beneath clear and untouched. Not a single flake landed on the trio.

  With the area cleared, Hammond approached an old stone pedestal that had been hidden beneath the snow. He set down two broken staves—a blue one and a red one. Both pieces faintly shimmered, their fractured surfaces pulsing with a soft, magical glow.

  "These...aren’t just broken junk, are they?"

  "Good eye," Hammond said, clapping Leonard on the shoulder. "These are artifacts. Or at least, what’s left of them. Each of you will get one today. Consider it your introduction to real power."

  Nathan’s expression turned apprehensive. "Aren’t we, uh, supposed to train more first before we start using anything like that?"

  “No, I think you two have trained more than enough to get to this point. But there’s something important we need to handle first,” Hammond said, his tone unusually serious.

  He reached into his pack and pulled out two pairs of gauntlets. They gleamed even in the faint light, golden scales covering their surface with thin, faintly glowing blue lines etched across them. A ring with four small indentations sat where the gloves would rest against the wrists.

  “These,” Hammond said, holding them up, “will decide your future. Today, you’ll make the choice whether or not you want to become Spellbreakers.”

  Leonard frowned, crossing his arms. “We’ve trained all this time for that, and now you say it’s up to us? Are you messing with us, old man?”

  Hammond shook his head. “I’m deadly serious. These are Spellbreaker Gloves. They’re the reason our school of martial and magical arts exists. With them, you’ll be able to do something Kazzorak has feared for generations. But once you put them on, there’s no going back.”

  “What do you mean, no going back?” Nathan asked, his voice a mix of curiosity and unease.

  Hammond let out a long breath, his eyes glinting with a weight the boys hadn’t seen before. “The gloves fuse with your very essence. Once equipped, they can never be removed. You’ll lose the sense of touch in your hands, but you’ll gain abilities that surpass anything you’ve experienced. That gust of wind I conjured earlier? I couldn’t have done it without these.”

  Nathan hesitated, his gaze flickering to the gloves. “I... I don’t know about this.”

  “I’ve already made my peace with doing whatever it takes,” Leonard declared, stepping forward. “Let’s get into it.” He grabbed a pair of gloves, fidgeting around with them before having a closer look.

  They felt heavy in his hands at first, and far too large. But as he slid them on, the gauntlets began to shrink and adjust, molding to fit perfectly. Then came the pain—like dozens of tiny needles stabbing his palms and fingers all at once. Leonard winced, but it was over in seconds. A faint glow surged through the blue lines on the gloves, and suddenly, they felt natural—like an extension of his body. He started looking at them even more, noticing a ring around the place where his wrist used to be visible, and tried moving it. It span around in a circle, with four small indentations spread across it.

  Leonard flexed his fingers, inspecting the golden sheen. “Not bad. They actually look kind of cool,” he muttered, trying to sound casual.

  Nathan watched, his apprehension clear. But after a moment, he reached for the other pair, his hands trembling slightly. The gloves were massive compared to his slender fingers, but just like with Leonard, they shrank and adjusted the moment he put them on. The same sharp, stinging pain hit Nathan, and he let out a soft gasp before it passed. The blue lines glowed, and the gloves settled into place.

  Hammond smiled, his voice filled with pride. “You’ve just taken a massive step, boys. And for that, you deserve to know what being a Spellbreaker truly means. Today, you’ll find out why we bear that name.”

  Leonard grinned, clenching his gauntleted fists. “So, we’re finally going to do something cool, huh?”

  Hammond smirked. “You’ve trained enough not to blow yourselves up. Mostly. And besides...” He gestured toward the table with the broken staves. “Experience is the best teacher. Now, let’s get started.”

  Leonard stepped forward, his eyes scanning the assortment. The left sceptre caught his attention; a jagged piece of icy blue crystal that used to be part of a staff. It hummed faintly when he picked it up, sending a chill up his arm even through his gauntlets.

  "What’s this one called?" he asked, turning to Hammond.

  "That," Hammond said, his tone more serious now, "is Motionless. It’s the leftovers of a wand that used to freeze entire rivers. Now? It’ll give you the power to call up icicles with a good punch to a surface. Perfect for someone who likes to throw their weight around."

  Leonard grinned. "I like it."

  Nathan hesitated before stepping forward. He reached for the second remains, clearly jagged and with several pointy ends. Deep red veins ran through it, as if it pulsed with the essence of fire itself. The moment his fingers brushed it, warmth surged through him.

  "And this?" he asked quietly.

  "Eclipse," Hammond said, nodding approvingly. "Once belonged to a battle mage who could incinerate entire fields with a flick of his wrist. For you, it’ll let you create fireballs by punching. Are you ready, Nathan?”

  Nathan nodded, clutching the shard tightly.

  "Now," Hammond said, clapping his hands together, "let’s see what you’ve got.

  Leonard, break it.

  Leonard blinked. "Break it? But this thing’s—"

  "—Incredibly rare and massive, almost seemingly indestructible?" Hammond interrupted, smirking. "Yes, if you don’t know how. That’s what your Spellbreaker gloves are for. You’re not just smashing the artifact—you’re absorbing its magic, making it yours. Whereas others would use artifacts to channel mana into, altering its state and then unleashing it in unique ways based on the artifact, us Spellbreakers are walking libraries copying the work of the original author, so to speak."

  Nathan turned the remains of Eclipse over in his hands, doubt flickering in his eyes. "What if I mess it up?"

  "You won’t," Hammond said confidently. "That is what your training prepared you for. Just focus on the shard, channel your intent, and crack it like an egg. But you’ve got to want it—no half-measures."

  Leonard grinned, already holding Motionless in his gloved hand. "All right, like an egg. Easy!"

  He tightened his grip, focusing his thoughts on the shard. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, a faint hum began to emanate from the artifact, growing louder as a chill spread through his glove. With a triumphant shout, Leonard squeezed, and the shard shattered in a burst of frost, its fragments dissolving into glowing energy that seeped into his glove.

  Nathan watched in awe. "That...was awesome."

  "Your turn," Hammond said, gesturing to Eclipse.

  Nathan hesitated, then held the staff close. His brow furrowed in concentration, and the artifact began to glow faintly. Unlike Leonard’s explosive display, Nathan’s absorption was slower, more controlled. The shard cracked, then dissolved in a swirl of fiery energy that sank into his glove.

  "Not bad," Hammond said, nodding. "Nathan, your control was great. Leonard, you’ve got power, but you’re still relying too much on brute force. Absorption can backfire if done too hastily, make sure to temper your excitement when performing it."

  "Yeah, yeah," Leonard muttered, though he couldn’t hide his grin.

  Leonard looked down at his glove, flexing his fingers as the warmth lingered. For the first time, he felt something other than his fake bravado—a gentle feeling of genuine confidence.