Progress

Omni stood up and quickly made their way to Krave's side of the table, winding back a hand and slamming it into just the right spot with practiced efficiency, causing whatever was lodged in the old demon's throat to fly out and across the room. Krave gasped for air a few times before stuttering a "Thank you," while Omni sat back down without mentioning anything.

"So earth, water, lightning, and gravity. Earth includes metal, though the efficiency is terrible unless in minimal quantities. I could use lightning to heat the metal, I suppose, water for quenching and gravity for forging? A perfect set of elements for forging metal..." Omni spoke in a tone that would make one think their eyes were sparkling, but they were almost always closed, so who knows.

Krave took a few more breaths to steady his heart before speaking, "metal? Well, I'm not sure if it would be more efficient to use three elements and a high element rather than just using earth, but I suppose you could. You'd have to come up with some new spells and some other stuff, but well, I'm sure you'll be fine," he shrugs and grabs a tankard, taking a long swig to clear his throat.

Omni nods, "Indeed, save it for another time, continue to teach me," it says flatly.

The two finished their lunch and again descended to the basement where the targets were. Krave focused on teaching Omni magic that matched its affinities. The golem's quick learning, combined with the absurd amount of energy its core could produce, allowed them to cast and correct errors without taking a break. The only time they slowed down was when Krave requested a moment to erect a personal ward so he wouldn't be caught in misfires with the more significant spells.

Omni requested to be taught multi-elemental spells but was met with a scolding instead; Krave insists that a strong understanding of the basics is necessary before moving forward in the world of magic, to which the golem agrees. Eventually, a timer goes off, and they go back to the first floor to have dinner. They discuss the progress made, the errors, the intuitive choices, and Omni's energy pool. Omni brings up one question that's been on its mind: why hasn't any of the people on the tower's upper floors ever come down?

According to Krave, everyone in the tower is an eccentric and a workaholic, himself included. They all sleep where they work to resume as soon as they wake. When Omni asks about their food supply, Krave shrugs; he doesn't pay attention to how they source their food. They are all adults, after all. However, there have been cases when a researcher passes out due to malnutrition from forgetting to eat.

Sensing a business opportunity, the golem offers to make a deal between the tower and the Quiet Respite. Its golems could deliver food precisely on time at every appropriate interval, explaining that a healthy body makes a healthy mind. Krave agrees, and they decide to bring the idea up to the upper floors when tomorrow's breakfast rolls around. It's easier to convince someone on an empty stomach with delicious food.

They empty the crates of their food, and the old demon could eat a surprising amount. He explains it away as mages having higher metabolism due to producing the energy needed for magic, which makes the idea of proper food even more appealing.

They resume practice in the basement with Omni experimenting with completing words without a guide, seeing what causes an actual effect to occur and what words are duds. While slow going at first, the golem realizes that chanting faster does not diminish the power, and with the nature of how it speaks, speaking is like inputting commands. It begins to shorten the chants repeatedly until even Krave has a hard time understanding what was said, but the energy still responds in kind, activating the spell with an uncanny speed.

Krave is naturally excited about the prospect and interrupts to begin a lesson on ritual magic. He explains that the only difference between ritual magic and normal magic is the length of the chant. Normally reserved for multiple people chanting together outside of danger due to the energy and time needed, he proposes that Omni should be able to use it by itself due to its energy-laden core. Krave then goes into a rant while madly scribbling down notes, new ideas dropping into his mind like rain.