Irene rushed forward again, her body becoming a bluish blur. Julian activated his extended senses and suggested to the water mana in his own body to disperse once more. He became frosted mist and passed through his mother’s attack without resistance. He materialized three meters further away, his sword already in motion.

"Not bad for a start," Irene said in a calm voice. "But your understanding remains mediocre."

She raised her hand. The humidity in the air around her gathered instantly. Filaments of water appeared, thin and transparent, then hardened into swirling ice blades. These blades did not fly in a straight line. They followed the natural currents of mana in the forest, seeking to encircle Julian.

Julian sensed the danger. He did not block with his sword. He opened his pores as Irene had taught him. The forest’s water mana entered him freely. For the first time, he did not force the spell. He simply suggested it to the world.

< Art Frostvine : Cocoon of Frost >

A cocoon of ice formed around him, faster and more stable than during his first attempt. He projected it to intercept Irene’s filaments. The two magics collided with a sharp crack. Ice shards flew in all directions and froze the ground for several meters.

"You’re starting to invite the mana instead of forcing it," Irene observed with a slight smile. Preparing herself, she barely moved.

The humid air around her came alive. A wave of water formed from the mist, then transformed into a series of whips that struck at Julian with precision. Each whip carried a glacial intent capable of freezing muscles and magical circuits on contact.

Julian pivoted and activated his Misty Form a second time. His body became translucent. Two whips passed through him without touching him. He reappeared behind Irene and struck with the pommel of his sword, aiming for the shoulder.

Irene barely turned her head. Her body seemed to melt into the ambient humidity for a fraction of a second. Julian’s blow passed through a liquid silhouette that immediately reformed two steps away.

Julian breathed deeply. His heart was beating hard, but he felt a new clarity in his perceptions. He extended his consciousness as during meditation. He perceived the currents of humidity in the air, in the ground and even in Irene’s body. Instead of launching a direct attack, he suggested to the surrounding mana to respond to his will.

The ground beneath Irene’s feet suddenly became slippery. A thin layer of frost formed quickly, fueled by the water present in the earth. Irene slipped slightly, causing her to lose her balance for the first time.

But she immediately countered. The water in the air condensed into a perfect sphere in front of her, then exploded into hundreds of ice needles directed at Julian. Each needle vibrated with heavy magical pressure.

Julian did not retreat. He raised his hand and opened his circuits completely. Then the air froze, which slowed the speed of the needles.

Some of the needles deviated from their trajectory as if an invisible hand had pushed them aside. The others, he blocked with his blade covered in thick frost. The impact made his arm tremble, but he held firm.

Advancing one step, Julian followed with a low sweep of his sword. An intense wave of cold burst from the ground and rose toward Irene. At the same time, he projected several ice shards with his free hand.

Irene made an elegant gesture. The water around her formed a liquid shield that absorbed the wave of cold. She spun on herself and sent a counterattack. An icy water serpent surged from the ground and tried to wrap around Julian’s legs.

Julian jumped and activated his Misty Form in mid-air. He passed through the serpent as if it did not exist, then materialized at height. He brought his sword down with force.

< Frost Breath >

An intense cone of cold descended on Irene. The air froze in its path. The leaves of the nearby trees became covered in frost in an instant.

Irene raised both hands. She did not block the attack. She welcomed it. The ice mana came into contact with her body and seemed to disappear into her, as if absorbed by her own essence.

"You have progressed a lot, Julian," she said in a voice filled with pride.

Then she extended her arms. All the humidity in the clearing responded to her call. A huge wave of water formed behind her, several meters high, then transformed into a multitude of ice lances that rushed toward Julian in a fluid and living movement. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Feeling the overwhelming power of the attack, Julian used his Misty Form a third time. He passed through several lances, cut others with his sword while he was partially intangible, then reappeared right in front of Irene.

He struck with the sword. Irene parried with her forearm covered in a thin layer of reinforced ice. The impact produced a clear and powerful sound. Both retreated two steps.

"You no longer force the mana," Irene noted while wiping a drop of water from her cheek. "This is exactly what I wanted to see."

Julian was panting, but a determined smile appeared on his face.

Irene looked at him with an expression mixing pride and melancholy.

"I think that with a little practice you will be able to control your spirit essence."

She attacked again, faster this time. Her body became almost liquid. She glided through the space like a current of water, appearing to the left of Julian then to the right in an instant. Each time she struck, her blows carried the force of a river in flood.

Julian parried as best he could. He now used his Misty Form more instinctively, becoming intangible just long enough to avoid the most dangerous blows, then materializing to counter. His counterattacks became more fluid. He projected ice blades while moving, creating a defensive network around him.

At one point, Irene launched a water whip that wrapped around Julian’s arm. Instead of panicking, he let the water mana come into contact with his circuits. He suggested to this whip to become his ally rather than his enemy. The whip trembled, lost its coherence, and Julian was able to free himself with a sharp movement.

"Impressive," Irene murmured.

The fight continued for long minutes. The trees around them were now covered in frost. The ground was frozen in places and soaked in others. Julian was breathing hard, his muscles burned, but he felt more alive than ever.

Irene raised her hand to stop the fight. She was smiling openly.

"That’s enough for today. You lasted longer than I expected. Your way of manipulating mana is really starting to resemble that of a spirit."

Julian lowered his sword, his body covered in sweat despite the cold.

"I feel the difference, the mana responds much faster to my call."

Irene approached and placed a hand on his shoulder. Her palm was warm despite her ice nature.

"That’s exactly it. When you understand the principle of manipulation, the mana becomes a part of you."

They remained silent for a moment, looking at the forest slowly regaining its calm. The sun’s rays pierced through the leaves, making the frost on the branches sparkle.

The sun was rising in the sky. The morning session was coming to an end. As they got up, Julian and Irene headed toward their shelter.