Chapter 3: The Mountain's Peak
The crisp mountain air whipped around Jorgan as he stood at the summit, his now ten-year-old frame having grown muscular and strong from years of magical training. The isolated peak had become his sanctuary over the past months, its distance from the village providing the perfect environment to test the limits of his expanding powers.
[Current Status:
Level: Advanced Elemental Mage
Primary Elements Mastered: 4
Combination Potential: Unlocking]
With practised concentration, Jorgan extended his right hand, calling forth his magical energy. A sphere of flame materialized first, its core burning white-hot while the outer edges danced with orange and red hues. The heat created ripples in the air around it, but Jorgan maintained perfect control, keeping the temperature precisely where he wanted it.
Without dropping his focus on the fire sphere, he raised his left hand. The moisture in the mountain air responded to his call, condensing into a perfect sphere of water that rotated slowly, catching and refracting the sunlight. The two opposing elements hung in perfect balance, neither affecting the other.
[Element Control Assessment:
Fire Stability: 98%
Water Cohesion: 97%
Simultaneous Control: Excellent]
"Now for the tricky part," Jorgan muttered to himself. He began moving his fingers in precise patterns, drawing from the ground beneath his feet. Small rocks and soil particles lifted into the air, forming a third sphere that orbited between the fire and water. The wind followed next, visible only by the swirling leaves and dust it contained, forming the fourth elemental sphere in his growing collection.
The system's voice chimed in his mind: [Warning: Energy consumption at 45%.]
Jorgan acknowledged the warning but pressed on. The real challenge wasn't just maintaining four elements simultaneously – it was combining them effectively. He began to draw the spheres closer together, watching carefully for any instability. Fire and air could combine to create explosive force, water and earth could form mud projectiles, and various other combinations each having their unique properties and dangers.
"Careful control," he reminded himself, recalling one of his early accidents when a failed combination had singed off his eyebrows.
The spheres began to weave between each other in an intricate dance. Where fire met air, small controlled bursts of intensified flame emerged. Where water touched the ground, the elements merged briefly before separating again, each combination lasting just long enough to demonstrate its potential before Jorgan pulled them apart.
[New Technique Discovered: Elemental Weaving
Description: Controlled interaction between multiple elements while maintaining individual integrity
Potential Applications: Enhanced combat effectiveness, improved resource efficiency]
Sweat beaded on Jorgan's forehead as he maintained the complex manipulation. His previous life's memories of betrayal had given him a drive for perfection that few could match. Each practice session brought him closer to his goal of becoming strong enough to never be vulnerable again.
The system suddenly flashed a new alert: [Unique Skill Development Detected
Analysis: The current element control pattern suggests the possibility of a permanent element combination
Recommendation: Attempt stable fusion of two elements as the foundation for advanced techniques]
Jorgan carefully let three of the spheres dissipate, keeping only the fire and air elements active. With precise movements, he began to merge them, not in the temporary combinations he had practised before, but in a true fusion. The resulting sphere glowed with an intense inner light, neither purely fire nor air, but something new.
[Achievement Unlocked: First Permanent Element Fusion
New Skill Tree Branch Available: Advanced Element Synthesis
Current Energy Level: 30% - Recommend concluding training session]
Letting the final sphere fade away, Jorgan sat down on a nearby rock to catch his breath. The mountain peaks stretched out before him, their snow-capped summits reaching into the clouds. His progress was impressive, but he knew he had barely scratched the surface of what was possible.
The system had been right about practising in isolation. While the village celebrated his talents, they couldn't understand the true extent of what he was attempting. Some things were better developed away from curious eyes, at least until he fully understood them himself.
As the sun began its descent toward the horizon, Jorgan stood up, ready to return home. Tomorrow would bring new challenges and combinations to master. For now, though, he had taken another step toward his goal of complete elemental mastery.
[Daily Training Summary:
- Multiple Element Control: Mastered
- Element Fusion: Initiated
- Energy Management: Needs Improvement
- Overall Progress: Exceeding Expected Parameters]
While returning home, he asked the system, "Sona, is there any way for me to mana levels?"
He named the system as Sona as he was tried calling her system always.
[You can. There are certain elements in this world that can increase your mana levels. But at your level you can't after them.]
He kept on talking to what they were and walked towards his home.