Magical Arts

"With reaching the Elemental Conclave realm, you kids can finally practice and use magical arts. The Elemental Conclave realm will help you consolidate your foundation in magical arts." Old man Reid explained.

"What exactly are magical arts?" Algo inquired.

"Magical arts are techniques created and performed entirely through the mage's current power level, creativity and imagination. You kids have limitless possibilities for what you can accomplish and achieve but remember it's a give and take rule. Depending on how potent your magical arts are, the necessary elemental energy and focus are required. So don't go biting off more than you chew."

"To help you kids get familiar with magical arts, there will be a few instructors that will be assigned to teach you. They will be your personal instructors until you've grown comfortable with magical arts." Old man Reid expressed their upcoming plans.

"We get personal instructors? Cool!" Ash said in excitement.

"How do we know which instructors get assigned to us?" Bryan asked.

"Based on your acquired elements of course." Old man Reid smiled. The brothers turned to look at Ash whose face was frozen in shock.

"O-O-Old man, does that mean Instructor Mariah will be in-charge of me?" Ash asked in horror.

Old man Reid laughed lightly and answered, "Yes, my dear boy!"

"Why me..." Ash wallowed in despair.

""HAHAHAHAHAHA!"" The others laughed at his misfortune.

*Cough*

"Listen up!" Alexander coughed lightly to garner their attention. The five brothers were giving their undivided attention to the Director.

After seeing this, Alexander continued, "Two months from now will mark the start of the new year. When that happens, I have some very important news to tell you kids. So until then, practice hard and aim to be the best of the best."

"Understood, Sir!" Asif and the others nodded with determination. They could feel the weight of his words impacting them and knew they couldn't mess around in the upcoming months.

Soon, they left the advancement hall and were on their way to the beach house to continue cultivating.

"Hey, guys!" A cheery voice sounded out from behind them on the cobblestone path. They turned around and saw it was Cristina.

"'Sup Cristina!" Bryan greeted.

"Just saw you guys and came to say that I've successfully reached the 6th stage." Cristina said with her head up high.

"Congratulations!" Ray praised her along with the others.

"Pretty good." Bryan said.

"I know right? What about you guys?" Cristina inquired about them.

"Haha..." Ash laughed wryly.

"We just reached the Elemental Conclave realm." Asif calmly said.

"..." Cristina was instantly struck speechless and stared at them stupidly.

"Cristina?" Bryan called out.

"Cristina to earth?" Ash said while shaking his hand in front of her.

"I guess she's gonna be like that for a while." Ray assumed.

"Yeah, let's go." Algo said and they left her.

At the beach house, they were cultivating to solidify their elemental core. From what Old man Reid had explained to them, to breakthrough the nine stages of Elemental Conclave, they have to make their elemental core denser with elemental energy.

In order to do make the elemental core more dense, they need to absorb huge amounts of elemental energy. Each breakthrough gives the mage a considerable gain in strength. There are some cases where mages can encounter a hindrance or a bottleneck in this realm. They appear at every three stages of the Elemental Conclave realm, although happens rarely.

Meanwhile, Ray was a bit distracted from cultivating and was deep in thought. 'I have the Lightning and Space element which is amazing, but there are no instructors in the academy that have my elements. I guess this is what happens when you get the rare elements...'

Although there were no instructors that could teach him the way of lightning and space, he didn't care in the least bit and was ready to do it himself.

'This would be an amazing challenge for me!' Ray was excited inside.

The five brothers cultivated and practiced fighting outside for a few hours before heading off to bed to get ready for tomorrow's a busy day.

'Ah...fire and ice...something...devi-' Ash was dead asleep having a weird dream.

"Where are you running off to, my sweet potatoes..." Algo drooled in his sleep.

'...I am the night!...I am B-' Bryan hugged his pillow.

'Krrrrrr.....' Ray was sprawled over his bed.

"Guardian of Light..." Asif muttered in his sleep with a smile.

-The Next Morning-

In the classroom, the five brothers were sitting at the back as usual, waiting for Instructor Issa to come. They noticed that most of their classmates were looking at them and whispering something amongst themselves.

"I guess Cristina spread the word..." Bryan deduced.

"I don't blame her." Asif said.

"Ah well, one day or the other, we gotta get used to this." Ash shrugged.

"You mean only you?" Bryan mocked him.

"Yeah yeah whatever." Ash flipped him off.

At this moment, the door opened and four individuals entered the classroom. They were Instructor Issa, Instructor Jim, Instructor Mariah and lastly, Instructor Shaw.

"You all may be wondering why there are three other instructors apart from me. Well, this is all because of five students in this classroom. More specifically, the five sitting at the back." Instructor Issa lightly smiled.

"Congratulations on reaching the Elemental Conclave realm." Instructor Issa looked at them and praised.

"Thank you, Ms. Issa." Ash stood up and thanked her. The rest thanked her as well.

"Someone's eager..." Ray whispered to Bryan.

Shocked whispers erupted from the students as they were gossiping about the five brothers and their current realm.

"I know..."

"Wow, I thought it was all hocus pocus."

"Same here!"

"I did not expect it to be true..."

"As per the Director's orders, we have been assigned to one of you five to impart you our knowledge." Instructor Issa explained.

Instructor Mariah stepped forward and smiled, "My dear Ash, why don't you temporarily leave your brothers and follow me. I have much to discuss with you..."

The rest of the classroom shuddered in fear after hearing her, especially the recipient. Ash looked at his brothers and gave a look of help.

"You got this." Ray patted his right shoulder.

"I believe you!" Bryan patted his left shoulder.

"Don't worry, we'll pray for you." Algo reassured him with Asif nodding.

"...haha...thanks guys." Ash smiled wryly and approached Instructor Mariah.

"Oho this is going to be so wonderful!" Instructor Mariah was elated.

'I'm sure it is...' Ash dreaded inside and they both left the classroom.

Next, Instructor Jim came forward and said in a serene tone, "I came for Algo. Say goodbye to your brothers and follow me."

"Pardon me but am I not going back to our beach house after we're done for today?" Algo carefully asked.

"Oh, no one has told you huh. You five will temporarily be under our tutelage and as such, you have to live in our humble abode for the next two months." Instructor Jim explained.

"I did not expect that..." Bryan was slightly taken aback.

"What the hell..." Ray was bewildered.

"Aww man, I won't get to see you guys?! For two whole months?!" Algo bitterly said.

"Don't worry, we'll see each other in two months." Asif reassured him.

"You're right!" Algo smiled and hugged each one of them before finally leaving with Instructor Jim.

"Damn, I just realized something." Ray clocked something.

"What?" Asif asked.

"Ash doesn't know about this..."

"Ah shit." Bryan shook his head.

At this moment, Instructor Shaw said in a deep voice, "Bryan Pine, Let's go!"

"Welp, it's my turn. See you guys in two months!" Bryan hugged both Ray and Asif and left with Instructor Shaw.

"Ray and Asif, you two follow me." Instructor Issa beckoned them. They looked at each other and shrugged and walked with Instructor Issa out of the classroom.

"Where are you taking us, Ms. Issa?" Asif confusedly asked.

"Why to your instructors of course." She said in response.

"Ray, you can go back to the beach house. There's someone waiting for you there." Instructor Issa said.

"Okay?..." Ray was puzzled but nonetheless went on his way back to the beach house.

Instructor Issa led Asif to another inconspicuous building, through another hallway and stood before the door of another room.

"Well, this is where I stop. Good luck, young man!" Instructor Issa wished him and left Asif alone outside the door. He took a deep breath and opened the door.

His eyes widened slightly at the man before him and said, "Not whom I thought..."

-At the beach house-

Ray was curious about whom he was going to meet because as far as he remembers, there is no one in the academy that can teach him with his elements. He opened the door, walked in and was surprised to that someone was sitting on the couch.

"Old man?"

"Hello, Ray." Old man Reid smiled.

"What are you doing here?" Ray thought the old man only had the fire element.

"Of course to teach you. I understand we do not share the same elements but at least I can impart you the basic knowledge on how to manipulate your elemental energy using your elemental core."

"That does make sense." Ray nodded.

Old man smiled and beckoned him to join him outside. Once they were outside, Old man Reid continued, "To perform magical arts, you must analyze and visualize the principle and the effect of your magical arts to successfully control it. Remember, the greater the effect, the greater the energy consumption. So tread carefully and start with small steps."

"I understand." Ray said while deep in thought.

"Let me show you an example. Right now, I am visualizing a small flame and its effect would be nothing but to heat things up. Using that principle, you control the elemental energy using your elemental core and there we go." Old man Reid conjured up a small flame on his hand.

"Seems easy enough." Ray said.

"Haha, you'll know soon enough. As you grow stronger, your mental capabilities also increase so the visualization process becomes nothing but a mere battle instinct. Keep in mind, a single second can determine outcome of the battle." Old man Reid explained.

"I gotcha, Old man." Ray seriously expressed.

-Somewhere in a dark cave-

Instructor Shaw with a pale face and droopy eyes sat on a rock and Bryan stood opposite to him with a confused face.

"I thought I would be the only human with the darkness element." Instructor Shaw stared at Bryan.

"Now there's two of us." Bryan lightly said.

"Indeed."

After a few seconds of silence, Instructor Shaw asked, "What is darkness to you?"

"What is darkness to me?" Bryan muttered and contemplated for a few seconds before answering.

"To me subjectively, it is the absence of light and personally, it gives me a sense of gloominess and mystery."

"Interesting..." Instructor Shaw.

"Darkness is an important part of the universe. Without light, there would be no darkness and without darkness, there would be no light. It is an eternal co-existing part of the universe."

"Many people associate something dark with evil but I believe they're idiotic. Listen, darkness represents all depravations, emptiness, loneliness but also represents transformation. Darkness is ruthless but also teaches clarity in the midst of confusion."

"Don't treat darkness as something you use but instead embrace it. You'll understand the true nature of darkness." Instructor Shaw explained. Bryan was deep in thought, slowly digesting what he said.

"I gave you my understanding on what darkness is. It is up to you to what extent you will interpret it as. Now, I will show you a demonstration of the darkness element." Instructor Shaw pointed at Bryan.

"Wha-" Suddenly Bryan couldn't move his body. It was as if he was glued to his place without knowing why.

"What I just did was Shadow Bind." Instructor Shaw said while cancelling the effect.

"Cool..." Bryan said in amazement.

"Using the powers of darkness, you can shoot out tendrils of darkness to bind a person on the spot. Of course, the affected person can overcome it if he or she is stronger than you or executes a magical art that can negate the effect of Shadow Bind." Instructor Shaw explained.

'Oh man, I'm loving this!' Bryan thought in excitement.