A Hearty Serving of Elemental Soup

In the days following Reinhart's inexplicable creation of a Mana fortress, Saava noticed a change in him. The contemplative, uncertain demeanor that hung heavily around him began to recede as it was replaced by an air of determination and resilience she respected. His progress was fast, but the sense of desperation he exuded was even faster. He began to see his Mana as a tool, one which he could manipulate to his will, rather than a power that governed him.

His training was equal parts practice and theory. Saava would push him to expand his Mana circuit, exhausting him to the point where he would collapse, only to rise stronger the next day. This physical manipulation of his Mana was paired with endless discourses about the history, types, limitations, and principles governing Mana. Reinhart began to understand the complexity of his powers and how they interconnected intricately with his past life.

Unfortunately, there was still something Reinhart couldn't figure out.

"I will take an authentic Vashkram fruit salad!" Vexille, who had traded places with Saava, requested as Reinhart floated in front of her. Saava said that she wanted to continue more training with the Queen, and told Reinhart that would learn more about the elements from Vexille.

"You are going to have to be more specific than that. I have never been to your world, so I don't even know what kinds of fruit you put in it."

"Ah! I guess I have to describe them as well?" Vexille asked, and the instant dinner wiggled. "Well, there's the Fiolet which tastes sweet and tangy like a mix of strawberry and tangy oranges. Then there's the Nopale which is mildly sharp but mellow and sweet in a way similar to kiwi. We also put in the rounded Zelbee fruits, which taste like a very sweet blueberry and raspberry mix, along with the crunchy and subtly spicy Rojhaler seeds."

Now with a more precise idea of the ingredients, Reinhart focused and pulled up memories and feelings of the four fruits. He paid particular attention to the strawberries, oranges, kiwis, blueberries, raspberries, and something spicy, like chili, to recreate the flavors Vexille described. A moment later, he extruded a portion of his contents which manifested into a plate of the described fruit salad.

The plate function was a new skill he had acquired just from reaching a total of 5 unique consumers. Vexille was actually the 8th thanks to Saava getting volunteers anytime my time ran out so we could continue training.

Vexille looked at the salad, then at Reinhardt's floating, then back to the salad. A bright smile lit up her face as she tasted the salad. "Perfect! It's a tad bit sweeter than I remember, but it sure puts me in a nostalgic state that's for sure."

As soon as she finished, Reinhart transformed back into his human form wearing his white robe. He let out a sigh and looked down at his hands. While he was progressing well with his understanding of Mana control because of his construction experience, none of that seemed to help him with this problem.

"Saava told me that you lack understanding about your form, and how you can transform, yes?" Vexille asked after her plate disappeared.

"Yeah. I don't really know much about it other than I need to find a new person every time if I want 4 hours in this form. I have no idea if I will ever be able to control the transformation, or even extend the time," Reinhart explained, and she nodded.

"That is troubling, but from what I have learned about you from the others, you seem to be developing new abilities the more you use your transformation. Maybe the key is in repetition? We have more than enough Dralkon here to keep you constantly in this for a while," Vexille explained, and Reinhart nodded.

"That is true. Bocchi, the person that sent me here, didn't really give me that much information. I guess that I will just have to be persistent while working at getting a better grip on my Mana," Reinhart said, feeling slightly better now.

"Good. Saava sent me because I am a master of wind, but I am also adept with most of the other elements. So far you have only been using Mana like a pure energy, but today, and for the next few days, I will be teaching you how to add elemental properties to it."

As she explained, four orbs appeared between them. Each had its own color, and Reinhart thought he understood what they stood for, but then more appeared around then. Thin lines of mana began to connect to each, and soon Reinhart had no clue what he was looking at.

"There are four basic elements, but they affect and relate to all parts of life. In this understanding, you will learn to match elements to feeling and craft the Mana to respond. So far, you have only been using it as what you think it is, so it can be nothing else. There is strength in Pure Magic, but you are one of the few that knows how to use it. Elemental Magic adds an additional layer of complexity and power to your abilities, not just in terms of battle, but also in everyday life handling and manipulation tasks involving Mana."

Reinhart looked at her in equal parts confusion and fascination. He had always treated Mana as a tool, assuming it existed to be directed and utilized. But the intricacies and the depth of possibilities that the idea of Elemental Manipulation presented were astounding. He saw the orbs of fire, water, earth, and air merge, connect, divide, and transform into a myriad of intermediate and derivative elements.

"Feel your Mana, don't force it," Vexille continued, her eyes sharp as she watched Reinhart. "Let it follow your emotions, your senses. If you treat it like just a raw material, it will remain a raw material. But if you tap into its vast underlying potential, it will reveal its true power."

Listening to his mentor's words, Reinhart closed his eyes and opened his senses to his Mana. He felt it pulsing within him, a live, and vibrant stream of energy waiting for his guiding hand. He thought about the elements, the feelings, and the conditions they represented, and willed his Mana to respond.

With a thought, he sensed his Mana shifting, adapting, becoming more than just pure energy. It was now a swirling maelstrom of brightly colored orbs, each representing a different element. He imagined the comforting warmth of a hearty stew and his Mana manifested as bright, warm globes of Fire. Feeling the gentle breeze of an afternoon wind, the Mana adapted itself into swirling orbs of Air.

The training was intense yet rewarding, the Mana appearing to almost have a mind of its own as it rapidly changed in response to Reinhart's varied thoughts and emotions. Unconsciously, he found himself reaching out to an orb of green Earth Mana, the cool, reassuringly solid feeling akin to the construction materials he once handled.

By the time their session ended, Reinhart found a greater understanding and connection to his Mana, achieving proficiency with Elemental Manipulation. Despite the exhaustive training, he carried a sense of accomplishment into rest, reassured by Vexille's approving nod as he finished.

This was going to be a grueling exercise, but Reinhart being Reinhart, was ready to build his way up, one brick at a time.