Chapter 5 Part 1 of 2 (Patreon)

Chapter: Of Mana and Element

The crafting stadiums, when not being used for testing or tournaments was the site of various classes from the Academy and the Alvan military on fighting.

Erik snuck into the stadium, watching the combat mages as they sparred and fought with one another. There were those that had just become combat mages and those that had gone on to other tasks but wanted to hone their skills.

There was sparring going on at one side, while others were focusing on set training, divided up through the remaining area.

“Form up!” A Sergeant Major hollered.

The fighting and training stopped as everyone gathered in rows infront of the sergeant major.

“Take a seat or organize yourselves how you want,” He waved, these men and women had left recruit training a long time ago, their training and expertise gave them a relaxed and competent air as they spread out, some taking out chairs, all of them taking out notebooks as Lee Perrin moved to where the sergeant major had been.

“What are elements?” He asked, holding his hands behind his back as he started walking. He nodded to someone that raised their hand.

“They are impurities found in mana types.”

“That is something that they do, but what are they?” He pointed to another.

“They are the properties of spells.”

“A type of energy like mana?”

“They are the building blocks of the realms?”

“Elements are a transforming thing?” People laughed at this answer as the man shrugged, lowering his head.

“There are no wrong answers and that is the closest anyone has come to it. See elements are seen as things around us, an abundant frivolous and mostly annoying thing that gets into our mana, makes it all messy and can screw up or enhance our spells. Like who doesn’t want a fire when you’re ontop of a mountain, but then its ten times harder to cast a fire spell!” Lee smiled.

“Elements are an everchanging form.” Erik’s brows pinched together as did about every other person hearing the lecture.

Lee simply grinned at their expression.

“Fire, Earth, Metal, Water and Wood. All elements, all different sides of the same coin. Take wood. If you burn it, it will become fire, which becomes ash which is Earth. If you leave Earth long enough then it will layer up, compressing itself to such a point that it becomes metal. Water, is pushed out of the metal which then grows into tree, or the wood element.”

“These elements create one another and they also restrict one another. Wood breaks up the Earth and drains it of nutrients commanding the power that was once its. Water extinguishes fire while fire bends metal to its will. Metal creates lightning that destroys forests. Each controls another and are controlled by another in turn.”

A soldier raised her hand.

Lee turned his head to them, pausing his pacing.

“So are all the elements the same thing?”

Lee snapped his fingers and pointed at her.

“Bingo, like how water can be steam and ice, the elements are essentially the same thing, an ever-changing form.” He pointed at someone else raising their hand.

“If that’s the case, then why do we need to temper our bodies in all the elements?”

“Great question! While are bodies are made up of all the elements, tempering ourselves with the elements makes sure that we can control them, otherwise we would be burned by using the fire element, electrocuted calling upon lightning, cause our bodies to break down under the effects of Earth, drown ourselves and burst our cells with water, not pleasant! So while these are different forms that can change into one another, our bodies must adapt to them. There are four stages to work with when talking about the elements. Assimilation, Integration, Manifestation and Porjection. Can anyone guess what I mean with that?”

He pointed to a new hand.

“Assimiliation is Tempering?”

“Yes, we must assimilate the element into our body. All of you have tempered your bodies with at least one element. Fire. Most people in the ten realms take months or years to draw in the fire element to reach Body like Iron. This is why many of them do not temper their bodies to the Integration phase, this is where your body has been tempered to such a degree with the elements that you resonate with those around you. Now!” He stopped walking and looked at them.

“Who is stronger an Alvan that has assimilated with the fire element, or someone else from the realms?”

The derisive chuckles and shifting feat told of their opinion.

“The person from the realms.” Their chuckles stilled as Erik shifted in his seat. Half-bored of the lecture. I wonder what’s for lunch.

“See in Alva you will only need a few hours, maybe a week to temper your body with the fire element. How much have you learned about the element? Body cultivators that temper their bodies over years, even if they are only passively studying the fire element will have much more insight into the fire element than someone who did it in an afternoon.” He resumed his pacing.

“While Alvan tempering reaches the Integration phase, gaining a title and also increasing the resonance you have with the elements, actually incorporating it into your body. You have less opportunity to grow your knowledge with your element. Which is why you should take time to study and learn the abilities of the elements under your control.”

“All of you, because you have achieved complete integration can use manifestation,” Lee held out his arm, magma veins ran down his arm, heat shimmering around it.

“Then there is projection,” Flames appeared around his hand, turning from a deep red to a blue and then white. They faded away.

“Two things with manifestation- manifestation is controlled by the strength of your elemental core-your bloodline and the greater your control the more lethal you will be.”