When I follow her through, I get an indignant gesture in welcome. "Do the thing."

I chuckle. "Don't be so mad. You'll have all the answers soon. Isn't the pure anticipation of discovery enjoyable?"

She looks at me. I am unable to discern her feelings, the expression too nuanced. Then the expression breaks. "Maybe. But it's time for our lesson. Why don't you try a fire spell first."

"Very well." I warp in a steel target twenty meters away and prepare myself.

Deep breath in. The mana inside my body is churning, like a raging river with no outlet, forever flowing in a loop. Strange. It did not feel like that before, only when I focused on it was I able to glean its true state. Or collapse it into existence. I let the breath out slowly. The river of mana seems to calm itself, starting to flow gently, yet turbulence remains deep under the surface, unstilled. Good enough... I think.

Fire. Fuel and heat. Reductant and oxidant. A chemical reaction, and yet, that is not what I am to attempt. Matter from nothing, from mana. Movement, excitement, a raging inferno inside the core of a star. A smoldering flicker from the final embers of a dying campfire. Life and death. I level my hand against the target and imagine a fireball. An image drawn with inspiration from this world and my own.

My mana reacts. Trickles of my supply flow through my body and coalesce, igniting a radiant, orange flame in front of my hand. The fire compresses into a perfect sphere of destruction. The spell shoots out and disperses after a few meters of flight. That was utterly amazing...

Elisa is observing me intently. "Again, please." I repeat the process. The spell forms and disperses again, still too short. "One more time." I comply. The third attempt sees the spell dispersing after a few extra centimeters.

Elisa hums. After a moment, she starts tapping her chin with her index finger. Her eyes are darting between the target and me, tracing the incomplete path of the spells. Having reached a possible conclusion, she hums again. "Makes sense." Then she looks at me. "Your visualization is near flawless. Once you gain more spellcasting experience, I have no doubt you will be one of the best in the world. Your intent and willpower are in line with a child, just mature enough to be able to cast." She waits for a negative reaction, but I am content with the descriptor. "Sorry, force of habit. I have been told I'm too direct."

"Nothing to apologize for. I want an honest and objective assessment."

"Good. Try going through the elements. Let's see if you have a hidden talent or something."

Excluding all the common theory and interactions, there is no set way to actually cast a spell. Each individual is just that—individual. Magic is unique, a different and personal experience for everyone.

Water. I conjure a perfect sphere of liquid, sending it toward the target with something less than a thought. It evaporates away before it's even half the way there. Air. A gust of wind peters out with a whimper. Earth. A perfect sphere of silica manifests in front of me. Before I can even think about engaging the spell, it returns to the void. Hmm...

Elisa cheers me on from the sidelines, "Earth sucks anyway!" She scoffs. "Most boring element in my opinion." I can only chuckle back.

Ice. I conjure back the sphere of liquid and elongate it into a perfect cylinder, exerting some intent. It freezes into a crystal-clear icicle with a pointed end. On its path to the target, it melts away. Lightning. I extend my index finger. An arc of electricity connects it with the target, not even singeing the surface. At least I hit it this time. The thought is accompanied by encouraging clapping.

Last one, at least from the appropriate magic types for my non-existent skill level.

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Metal. What even is metal. An arbitrary classification, one I have changed and adjusted numerous times since the last standards of my predecessors. Discovery always brings upheaval of established norms. How nostalgic. When my old universe still held secrets. Does the concept still carry secrets? It does here. Myself, my true being, my core, a construct of metal. Assembled atom by atom into a symphony of perfection. One I thought would never have an equal. How laughable. I extend my hand and stare inward. The river of mana freezes, and then, the flow commences again, now a tranquil movement, always a part of me.

Nearly my whole mana supply drains out of my body. The complete silence of the alien planet is broken up by a loud crack. There is a perfect pinprick of a hole in the target. I warp the metal needle I conjured back into my hand and proceed to examine it.

Elisa is momentarily surprised but then commends me, "Very good. It seems you have affinity for metal magic." The satisfaction is evident on her face. "How did that feel?"

"Like an extension of myself."

"That's pretty much what it is. For one reason or another, affinities are a window into the person themselves. Sometimes they don't make a lot of sense, and sometimes they are obvious." She shrugs and smiles. "And sometimes, they don't matter in the end. Don't overthink it too much. This doesn't mean you are stuck with only metal. Hard work and perseverance trump all. Take me as an example. I never showed any affinity."

I let the needle melt away and back into mana.

"While I have you here, would you indulge me in some experimentation of my own?" I ask.

"What do you have in mind?"

"It is best if you are unaware of the experiment, but I can assure you that it will be perfectly safe. Still, if you are not—"

"It's fine. You worry too much." I can only shrug back. I always will. "Go ahead." I try to warp her a meter to her left. It fails. "That felt weird. A warp?" I nod. "Try again." This time, she appears at the expected location. "Less weird if you know it's coming. Was there a delay?"

"Yes. Unfortunately, it takes some time for your... mana field to permit the outside force. Or whatever is happening."

"Hmm. How long was it? I couldn't really tell."

"Sixty-three {nanoseconds}."

"...Is that a lot?"

"An eternity..."

"Now frame it for an"—she points at her face—"elfy disposition."

I sigh. "A thousandth of a thousandth of a thousandth of a second, times sixty-three. Unacceptable."

She levels me with an unamused stare. "I can't tell if you are joking."

"So much can happen, even in a short amount of time. I had hoped once I revealed myself, I could reinforce the personal defense network with warp capabilities... Hmm. Elisa?"

"Yes?"

"Would it be okay with you if I gave you your own warp drive? Being inside your mana field might potentially allow for operation without any delays."

Her eyes light up. "Do it."

I raise my hands. "Slow down there. Let me go over a few things first. As a personal warp drive is around the size of a small hill, I would need to equip you with folded space." Her eyes light up even more. I'm sure she is doing something magical just to mess with me. I roll my own eyes, but a smile creeps up on my lips. "I would also need to integrate your nervous system so you can interface with"—I cover my eyes—"all the functionality." Once the glow subsides, I continue, "It is minimally invasive, and operation will become intuitive within minutes. The procedure will allow you to neurally link with my network, accessing information and controlling machines you have access to. Though it is best to take it slow. The mental load can be overwhelming in the beginning. What I am saying is, stick to the tablet for reading."

She spreads her arms. "Equip me!"

"Done."

"What?"

"It's done."

She appears momentarily stunned, but quickly recovers, noticing something at the edge of her vision.

"This will take some time for me get used to." I turn off the interface for a few seconds and then turn it back on. "Or not."

"I am sorry, but I'll still have operational control. At least for now."

She waves her hand. "That's fine. Wouldn't want to hurt myself." She laughs but stops when she sees my serious expression. "Right. Infinite distance." I approve the requested warp, and Elisa moves a meter to her right. "How was that?"

"No delay. Marvelous. With that, I think we should call it for today. I am sure you are eager to dive into the tablet, and I have some matters that need my attention."

"Of course." We step through the portal and return to her office.

Elisa is staring at me expectantly.

I smile at her. "Tomorrow morning?" She eagerly nods. "Are you sure you'll manage for so long?"

"I can contact you with the interface if there's an emergency, right?" I quirk a brow. How perceptive.

"Correct."

Her smile back at me is as vibrant as the sun. "Hope you don't regret your gift, Lucius."

Outwardly, I sigh. Inwardly... Ahem!

"See you tomorrow, Elisa." A distracted wave is my only response, her attention firmly shifted toward the tablet.

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