Stranger in a stranger land

...So he's in mourning...

"Actually, that's an excellent point. First wouldn't it be a good idea to make sure I can actually learn to use magic? It's possible I don't have the catalyst for it."

"I know that thats why we are checking if you can.If not you can just use alchemy which is universal."He smells the meat cooking.It is nearly ready.

"You know, wouldn't that be something that we could do today instead of spending the whole of tomorrow looking into?"

"Fine if you want to try today we can do a little.We can at least check if you can use magic."He walks back into the cabin and takes the stew pot of the fire.

Stephan gets up and starts stretching a bit. "Alright, so what do we do first?"

"Well we can try some simple tricks to get you slowly incorporated into magic.Some simple stuff like magic ice or creating a wall."He flips through his book and jots things down.The book was titled Training Journal-StephanHe hands Stephan the book."This is a journal where you will jot down your daily progress and what you are having trouble with.Think of it as a wizard's diary."

Stephan stares blankly at the journal. Looking up he flatly states "Let's work on magic first before we start calling people 'wizards.'" Despite his reluctance with terminology, Stephan swiftly pockets the journal and assumes a stance quite foreign with his feet apart and his fists held at his waist with his elbows behind him and announces "Alright, I'm ready. What will we do first?"

"I see you as the type that like to be creative where you let your energy flow into multiple forms.First,you are gonna learn Maker Magic.You can create literally anything with ice or earth.Assume the same stance I am.(I'll put a pic to make it easier for you.)
"I won't activate the magic but you will.Just say Ice Make: Or Earth Make and follow what you want to create.Try it out,remember you have complete creative control.Give it your best shot!"

"Hold on... Don't I have to do something besides just say something in order to do magic? Or is the catalyst just the words?"

"Just the words and stance,also focus your energy into your hands.That is it.Very simple magic to use but very difficult to master."

"Alright, I'll try it." And so Stephan takes the stance and thinks about what he wishes to make.

I wonder if it's anything like focusing for my charms... But why would the energy go to my hands unless this magic was coming from my palms? And wouldn't making something out of nothing be costly?

But despite his misgivings, Stephan had figured on a simple shape to make. "Ice Make: Sphere." And with a rush of cold air, there appeared in his hands a ball made of ice about the size of a melon.

"Good!Keep going something more complicated.Oh and I might add that for Ice Maker magic you need moisture in the air to make ice."He looked at the sphere and noticed it was perfectly round.He did it just like him...

"Hmmm.... Well that would explain things. In that case, what would happen if I did it with something else?"

And with a look of curiosity in his eye, Stephan bent down and made the reverse of his earlier gesture against the ground. "Alright, let's try it with something more abundant. Earth Make: Column." And slowly and steadily there rose a thin rod out of the ground in front of him.

"Good you are really thinking.I knew you would be a smart kid."He's exactly like him.The form he just naturally did magic.It's amazing."Try being even more creative with your magic.Try to construct something out a specific material in a specific shape.For example Earth Make:Stell Cage or something along those lines.This magic is pretty much an artists dream."

Encouraged by the praise, Stephan still felt the effects of this magic on his body. Creating ice had left him with a dry mouth and just the rod he had raised from the ground had worn out his arms. "I think that might be as much as I can do before our hearty meal. Apparently magic has it's price as well. Though before that, I think I'd like to try an experiment with what little power I have left for now. Think it's a good idea?"

"Don't over work yourself on the first day.Or you won't have the energy to even eat.I'll show you what polished Maker Magic looks like in a minute just as soon as I check on the deer."He walks over to the deer and cuts a small piece and sees that it is cooked through.He puts out the fire and cuts pieces off."Well it's ready."

After a nice meal, a day of rest, and a good night's sleep, Stephan found himself refreshed and relaxed.

... Or he would have if he had slept through to the next morning instead of being shaken awake.

"Don't wine because it's early.Now get up and have breakfast,you have a lot of work to do."He walked out the door.He seemed very serious and determined.He wasn't gonna go easy,not one bit.

Stephan sits up and rubs the slumber from his dreary eyes. "And certainly there is a reason that intense training must be done in the dark, yes?"

"Don't rely too much on sight.Rely on your other senses as well.Your sense of touch is key.More important than the others.But,you need to train with all 5.And you might wanna get used to waking up early from now on."He goes over to the nightstand and lights the lantern.He walks over to the living room and uses light magic to make lamps glow.The cabin is now well lit.He sits down and eats some of the leftover meat from the day before as he waits for him to get his lazy ass off the bed and eat.

"After a slightly more scant meal than the previous day, Stephan slowly trudges outside and takes his stance. "Alright. What is the first thing for today?"

He gives out a quiet chuckle."Ok you will continue to work on maker magic,yesterday you made very simple things.Try thinking about something very creative in a form of and attack."Gajeel assumes a stance,"Attack me with everything you got and I will attempt to counter it.Be creative and be smart."

He wants me to do what? We both know that I can't make anything that big. I only have one try before things will start to go wrong. I definitely can't use earth right now. That would be too slow and I'd need much more power than I actually have in order to make something big enough. Anything fast would have to be done with ice. Anything big will require a lot of water, though. I guess I could try to freeze him in place, but he would break out and end it right there unless...

After a few moments of breath and concentration taking in the scent of the morning dew, Stephan takes his stance to use ice but then starts running across the grassy clearing towards Gajeel, fists raised for a punch.

"Why aren't you using magic?Trying to tell me you want to use your physical strength?"
He says as he watches as Stephan tries to land a punch on him.He simply took a step to the right and extended his leg and tripped him.
"You know you can take the water in the air to make the ice.There is always water in the air and you have a near endless supply.When you devoid an area of water in the air the void is immediately filled.You can use water from anything living and anything that contains water.Also don't pick a fight with me,it won't be pretty."
He extends his hand to help Stephan off from the ground.
You have alot to learn.It's going to take a while,but I will get you there.

Stephan just kneels there for a moment in the cool damp of the early morning and then... he laughs. Diving to the side, Stephan hurries to take his stance in midair. "Ice Make: Floor!" he shouts, using the moisture in the air and the morning dew to cover the clearing in a thick sheet of ice before sliding to the edge on his own momentum. All around, the surface appears flat, broken by forms too large to cover completely under the frozen blanket like rocks, the spit, and one werewolf right in the middle.

"There may be water in the air, but in no way is it limitless. Overusing magic like this could easily make a thick fog into a clear day for a whole town. The same would go for me since pulling so much water out of thin air or moving huge piles of earth would be too much. So I guess the first lesson here is 'Know my limits', right?"