Six Months Time Skip

"Guess what we've got Luther?" The sound of the doorbell accompanied by yelling cut the storekeeper whose name is Luther when he was trying to explain some things to Ben.

"Green and Co, what's all the yelling for? What do you got for me?" Luther asked giving Ben an apologetic smile. "You know guys, just hold on while I finish attending to the Chosen that came earlier." Luther reasoned.

"Huh? What's a Chosen doing in Exchange Point? Yo bro, you lost or something?" one of the members in the group snickered.

"No actually, I came to see what this place has to offer, that's all." Ben shrug.

"And what may you be looking for if I may ask?" a girl in the group asked.

"Honestly, I'm not quite sure actually." Ben said. He really had nothing to buy, with a glance around this shop he could tell that all the things he got from the treasure vault in the Badlands are a hundred, maybe even a thousand times more valuable than anything one could find here.

"Okay, take a look around and if you find something that interests you, you can contact me but make sure they aren't too expensive I don't have that much Contribution Points after all." the girl said to Ben like some caring sister and a pleasant smile.

"Thank you." Ben said with a wizard bow towards the group... or more specifically the girl.

"You can call me Yuri."

Since there was nothing here for Ben he wanted to leave but he wouldn't do that when the group were watching him. Right at the moment they got indulged in their discussion he escaped.

***

More days, more weeks, more months. And like that in a blink of an eye six months has come and gone.

On his sixth month studying in The Phantom, Ben and a handful of some other students who felt that they were ready but partially confident in forming their Elemental Spheres submitted their names and elements they wish to form to the Institute.

Yet, they were given two extra weeks to fully prepare all that they'll need. Ben was a little disappointed because he could only form four Elemental Spheres. This has been an unspoken rule according to this world's standards and what he has Ben taught.

Ben chose Air, Earth, Light and Lightning element. Ben didn't even try registering two elements of opposite component. It is said that under no circumstance should one have two opposite elements in their awareness such as Fire and Ice, Light and Darkness sometimes even Earth and air.

This is because once formed into one's awareness it causes a chemical reaction leading to your awareness, brain, head and eventually your body to explode, creating a bomb that destroys everything stretching from hundreds metres to kilometres from its vicinity.

However, for the Air and Earth element if lucky it can be formed into your awareness, but because of some disparity it leaves you with a 50-50 chance of failure. Why it is so is because despite their differences they also have similarities, like auxiliary spell (Movement spells), and Defensive spells.

Where one specializes in defense while the other more on agility or offence depending as the case may be, Earth becomes a hindrance to Air, yet not entirely when it comes to sandy or dusty particles. Many Air-type spells only becomes destructive when Earth particles are within.

That was why when the registra saw Ben's choice his lips twitched, it was only when he went through Ben's records did he see that he truly had a chance since he had perfect scores.

When Ben looked over the sheet in which he used to write down the elements he'd be creating he realized he was in serious shit! Remembering what the old man, Mr Grant had told him, he began feeling a headache. Where can he find what he need? Then he remembered a certain place he visited a few months back, the Exchange Point.

Ben quickly left for the Exchange Point and dived into Luther's shop, luckily he found him.

"Ah, hello. it's you again, the Chosen, Ben. So what brings you here today?" Luther greeted.

"Hello senior, I was wondering if you happen to know where I can find a certain thing that I really need." Ben asked breathless. He had ran all the way from the Phantom Hall to the Exchange Point. He really didn't have a need for it but still did.

"And what might that be? If it can't be found here I can ask around with the right price surely." Luther offered and like every business person helping someone was business.

"Hmm, okay. I need to know where I can get a Tear of Thunder."

Silence...

The silence lasted for a few minutes before Luther burst out in laughter. Ben was greatly confused, had I said it wrongly or did I forgotten the name? Ben thought inwardly, it was when he heard why Luther was laughing did he know why.

"What the fuck man? Who the hell told you thunder cry? Oh my god, I can't believe someone told you such a thing. T... Tear of Thunder... pwahahaha!" as it seems Luther wouldn't stop laughing for a while.

'What is this? Did the old man lie to me? I really doubt that. That's right! If the Tear of Thunder really is real thing, why haven't I heard of it in any of my Elemental classes? What are you up to old man' Ben kept raking his brain for answers but found none.

"Come on man. Whoever must have told you that really swindled quite a sum from you for something as fake as Thunder's tears. I think that should be all, right? If not, I'm sorry but there isn't any crying thunder around here... Hahaha." Ben shook his head and left the shop and laughing storekeeper.

Ben went into four more shops and witnessed the same thing as he did with Luther. No one knew what the Tear off Thunder is! Being confused was an understatement to what his brain was experiencing so he decided to head back to his tower. Thinking maybe he could send a message to Mr Grant, hopefully he could get a reply before his two weeks preparation is done

Upon reaching the compound he looked to the sky. One was all he needed so he can't get too greedy if he can find more.

'Maybe mentor Belti can help. He's a master in Lightning-type spells and should know something about it... I hope. Anyway, let's go ask him first.' Ben thought to himself before flashing into the tower then going for the door that leads to his mentors office.

When Sonia and the rest saw Ben making his way to that door they couldn't help but want to know what's wrong, but they held themselves from doing so. Ben, after receiving confirmation that he's allowed to go up he immediately flashed away.

"Why do you think he's going to meet with the mentor?" Ricky asked, he looked a bit scared and sorry for Ben.

"I don't know. Let's wait for him to come back then we can ask him." Sonia said after some thought.

Upstairs...

Ben came to a stop before the only door at the end of the red carpet floored corridor filled with intricate lines etched on every inch of the wall, ceiling and floor. He stood their respectfully until he heard that aged raspy voice which confusingly belongs to a seemingly young man in his forties.

"Why have you come to look for me?" the raspy voice coming from within said.

"I'm about to form my Elemental Spheres in two weeks and I want to know if you can help me with something that I need?" replied Ben.

Just as he finished the door was opened, instead of an office like last time it was a large laboratory putting the little thing Ben took little pride in to shame. Ben's lab looked like a kindergarten playground while before him stood a military ground. Every vice, tube, lamp, pipe etc were properly arranged, it was hard to even find a speck of dust around. Different coloured liquids would magically change colours when passing from one tube to another through pipes. Even in Ben's alchemy classes he had never seen such complex alchemy.

"On what do you need my help with?" mentor Belti asked at one corner of the large and high alchemy table.

Standing by the door Ben spoke again, "I'm planning on creating my Elemental Spheres, but there's something..."

Ben got cut by mentor Belti's annoyed voice, "Get straight to the point, boy! How many Spheres are you planning on forming and how many of 'something' do you need my help for. if you can't speak properly, get out!"

"I chose four; Air, Earth, Light and Lightning. I am looking for what is called the Tear of Thunder." after some silence Ben finally spoke up.

Mentor Belti abruptly stood from where he was and breezily walked up to Ben in quick steps. "What did you say?"

"I chose..."

"No, not that one." mentor Belti cut him short again.

Thinking for a few seconds trying to remember his words he finally said, "I'm looking for the Tear of Thunder."

"How do you know about the Tear of Thunder?"