Seven Kingdoms, Seven Deities, Seven Elements

After lunch, Mirac retired to his room to finish the math homework he had left undone the day before.

However, as his quill moved across the paper, his mind couldn't stay completely focused on the numbers.

Not that he actually wanted to, of course.

At some point, tired of the torture called MATH, Mirac decided to allow himself a small distraction.

He recalled in his mind the world map he had studied with scrupulous attention, just to relax a bit and review what he had learned during the lesson.

First of all, Mirac had noticed that, apart from the continent of Harmony, there were no other countries or continents on the planet Earth.

The continent of the Seven Kingdoms, which occupied the entire eastern hemisphere, had the shape of a large broken wheel, with a gigantic island at the center known as the "Sacred Region."

This was not a separate kingdom, but a territory under the joint authority of the Seven Deities, the Seven Kingdoms, and the Seven Churches.

The kingdoms were arranged radially around this center, each occupying a segment of the incomplete circle. The outer coasts of the continent were bordered by seas and oceans, while between the kingdoms and the continent of Harmony stretched a band of water that separated them.

Starting from the north, moving clockwise, the kingdoms were: Luxendar, Noctara, Kragmar, Verdlith, Ardorya, Fonteya, and Ventaris.

The kingdoms of Kragmar, Verdlith, Ardorya, and Fonteya were located in the southern hemisphere, while Luxendar, Noctara, and Ventaris were in the northern hemisphere.

Mirac also remembered the vast expanse of water that separated Ventaris and Luxendar, forming an incomplete circle, and the linear "Strait of Salvation" to the south, between Ardorya and Verdlith. This strait, created by Bluest, the God of the Sea, Storms, and Sailors, served to release the powerful current that circulated around Harmony, as explained by Vincent during the lesson.

Additionally, Mirac discovered that each kingdom—besides representing one of the Seven Elements of magic and being under the sacred protection of one of the Seven Deities—possessed unique characteristics, with landscapes and climates that varied drastically.

This was everything he had learned during the Geography lesson, before it came to an end.

And given the amount of new information, Mirac felt quite satisfied.

* * *

Finally finishing his math homework, Mirac had some time to start the new assignments for Continental Language, which consisted of writing all the definite and indefinite articles five times.

For philosophy, on the other hand, Mirac had to expand his preliminary reflection on another short text by George Rassing.

All of these assignments had come from the three lessons after Geography.

Fortunately, though, they were all due on Thursday, which meant Mirac still had the next day to complete them.

* * *

At 16, just like the previous day, his training with Leonard was exhausting.

Mirac didn't learn anything new, just reviewing the basics of sword fighting he had learned the day before, followed by the same series of physical exercises.

Tired and worn out, he retreated to his room to rest a bit, trying to empty his mind, still crowded with the numbers whispered by "Instant Counting."

Amidst all of this, he had almost forgotten about the two lessons waiting for him the next day: one on the continent's religion, and the other on MAGIC!

* * *

{ THE NEXT DAY... }

During the second hour of class, Vincent introduced the Divine Pantheon of the Continent, a topic that immediately captured Mirac's lively attention.

~ SEVEN DEITIES ~

SIRIO, the God of Light and Knowledge, is the radiant guardian of Luxendar, depicted as a luminous being whose presence illuminates everything. Most of his followers are scholars, teachers, and inventors, while his temples, often majestic libraries, house the world's oldest writings.

NYRA, Goddess of Darkness and Secrets, watches over Noctara, appearing as a veiled figure who conceals her features from mortal eyes. She is an enigmatic deity, worshipped by spies, assassins, and occultists who seek refuge in the shadows.

GNEISS, Goddess of the Earth and Mountains, is depicted as a titanic figure with stone skin. She rules over Kragmar, and her power pulses in the bowels of the earth. This goddess is chiefly worshipped by miners, builders, and anyone seeking stability and strength.

MOTHER NATURE, Goddess of Nature and Fertility, is depicted as a female figure covered in leaves. She protects the Kingdom of Verdlith, and elves and farmers pray to her for lush forests and abundant harvests.

KAYRO, the God of Fire, Forge, and War, is depicted as a mighty blacksmith and a fearsome warrior. He governs the Kingdom of Ardorya and is especially revered by blacksmiths, artisans, and warriors seeking strength and inspiration.

BLUEST, God of the Sea and Storms, is depicted as a powerful man capable of hearing the ancient whispers of the ocean. In addition to protecting marine life, he also rules over Fonteya and is worshipped by sailors and fishermen to ensure safe journeys.

ARYA, Goddess of Wind and Freedom, is an ethereal figure wrapped in light veils blown by invisible breezes. She protects Ventaris, and travelers and explorers worship her for blessings on their journeys.

* * *

Later, during the fifth hour, the lesson shifted to the Seven Sacred Elements of Magic, and Mirac's heart lit up with an enthusiasm he could not contain.

~ SEVEN MAGICAL ELEMENTS ~

LIGHT: Represents purity, truth, and healing. Light mages can create light, heal wounds, shape weapons of light, or protect with barriers of light.

DARKNESS: Symbolizes mystery, fear, and corruption. Dark mages can manipulate shadows, create illusions, or influence negative emotions.

EARTH: Represents stability, protection, and strength. Earth mages can manipulate soil, rock, or minerals.

NATURE: Represents life, growth, and the connection between all living creatures. Nature mages can manipulate plants, communicate with animals, or accelerate natural healing.

FIRE: Embodies passion, destruction, and also creative strength. Fire mages can manipulate flames, explosions, or heat.

WATER: Symbolizes fluidity, life, and transformation. Water mages can control liquids, breathe underwater, or heal.

AIR: Symbolizes freedom, communication, and speed. Air mages can control winds, fly, or manipulate sound.

* * *

During the last minutes of the lesson, Mirac raised his arm and, with a mix of curiosity and a shiver of anxiety running through his body, asked:

"Professor Shirkenn, is it possible for someone to have magic that doesn't belong to any of these seven elemental categories?"

With this question, Mirac was clearly referring to himself!

His Sintony with Math, in fact, did not seem to fit into any way within the traditional classification of the seven elements, and this deeply worried him.

Perhaps, as he had feared from the very beginning, his Sintony with Math was truly a CURSE?!

"Yes, young Prince," Vincent replied, maintaining a serious tone. "When someone practices magic, it means they are in 'Sintony' with one of the seven elements. In this case, we call it 'Elemental Sintony'. If, however, someone is able to connect with multiple elements simultaneously, it is called 'Synergic Sintony'. But besides these two types of Sintony, as you have guessed, there also exist 'Anomalous Sintonies'."

Mirac's eyes widened in astonishment.

"Anomalous Sintonies?" the student repeated, one eyebrow slightly raised, a shadow of confusion in his gaze.

"Exactly. Any Sintony that is not directed towards one of the seven elements I mentioned earlier is classified as such. In these cases, people manifest 'Specialized Magics' or even 'Unique Magics', which are magics that are difficult or even impossible to replicate by those in Sintony to one or more of the seven elements."

Mirac crossed his arms, leaning back until he was fully resting against the chair's backrest.

"I see…" he murmured thoughtfully, as his thoughts began to take shape.

If everything Vincent had explained was true—and it certainly was—then, Mirac hypothesized, his Sintony with Math had to necessarily fall into the category of those "Anomalous"!

So, not only had he been unlucky enough to miss out on an Elemental Sintony in favor of an Anomalous one, but it was even tied to Math!

'What were the odds of something like that happening to me?!' he wondered, sighing in frustration.

Eager for an immediate answer, Mirac straightened up and curiously asked:

"Professor Shirkenn… How rare are these last two types of Sintony?"

Vincent scratched his chin, assuming a thoughtful expression, as if he wanted to carefully consider his response before speaking.

"Synergistic and Anomalous Sintonies? Well, I'm not sure about the exact probabilistic percentages. What I do know for sure, however, is that Synergistic Sintonies with two elements are extremely rare, let alone with three or more! The maximum number of Sintonies a person has ever achieved simultaneously is four. A certain Eldrick Virelith, if I'm not mistaken. As for Anomalous Sintonies, the only example I can give you, though no one really knows what exactly she was in Sintony with, is none other than the Sinner."

Mirac's eyes widened in shock, his heart seeming to skip a beat.

Those words struck him like lightning.

"R-Really?!" he asked, intrigued. "But Professor, what do you mean by 'the only example' you can give? Don't you know any others? Or are you trying to say that, after the Sinner, for over a thousand years, no one has ever had an Anomalous Sintony again?!"

This hypothesis seemed as absurd as it was unlikely.

But even if it had been true, just the mere thought of sharing such a unique trait with a figure as feared as the Sinner filled Mirac with a sense of unease and vague anxiety.

Meanwhile, Vincent was arranging the books in his bag, but his movements, usually clumsy, now seemed deliberately slower and more organized.

Calmly, he closed the bag and approached Mirac, walking across the silent classroom with measured steps.

"No, young Prince," he finally replied, his voice unusually calm and composed, as he stopped beside Mirac.

With a smile that could have been friendly, but conveyed something undefinable, Vincent leaned in toward the boy's ear.

Then, in a tone that made the air grow cold, he added:

"We simply kill them..."