Chapter 40: The elements

'The conflict between The Yadour empire and the Rimor Kingdom grows more heated by the day. With a few insurgent forces trying to declare their independence in the Breil region, the empire seems to have taken the opportunity to march their soldiers to the borders, as a full-blown war threatens to start at any day. The Academy does not appear to have any intentions of meditating between both countries. Peace is merely held by a tiny string, and I fear the day that string breaks.' — ???

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'I don't know what the second element are you talking about,' I admitted, I was clueless when it came to magic save for a few of my theories and deductions.

I never truly understood what mana or magic as a whole was, so I was quite interested in what the strange old dragon was talking about. Hearing my question, his gaze moved as it locked with mine before he squinted his eyes.

"You don't know what's your second element?" I could easily sense his confusion as he asked.

I sheepishly nodded, feeling strangely ashamed. 'Was I supposed to know my elements at birth or something?' I wondered.

"Judging by your size, you should have already gone through your rite of passage. No?" He asked again.

'My rite of passage?' I mumbled, my confusion must have been easily noticeable since his eyes squinted even more.

"Youngling, how old are you?" He slowly asked in apprehension.

'A few weeks I guess?' I replied, to which his jaw hung open in surprise before his body turned into liquid, once again disappearing from his place and reappearing by my side.

He constantly moved around me as he seemed to study my boy with shock. I stood still unsure of what was wrong until he finally stopped and turned to look at me with a strange expression.

'W-What?' I asked.

"You really are only a few weeks old," He muttered, seemingly talking to himself rather than to me. "How fascinating, " He mumbled.

'I'm sorry, but I'm not quite sure I follow?' I asked, the strange dragon seemed to have descended into a world of his own, as he kept muttering to himself while pacing left and right.

At my question, he turned to face me once again. "Hmmm, since you are still young it does make sense for you to not understand. But then again how are you this big?" He asked.

'I think this happened when I hunted a strange crimson four-eyed monster in a giant lake,' I answered, unsure about the reason myself.

My growth sprout did occur right after that, so I suppose it must have had something to do with it? Hearing my reply, the strange purple dragon suddenly paused before he nodded continuously a few times.

"Indeed, that would explain things," He said.

'About that magic element you mentioned?' I hesitantly asked. I was not going to let an opportunity for me to gain more knowledge pass.

"Magic huh," He muttered, a terrifying grin made its way onto his face causing a shiver to run down my spine.

I didn't have time to react before his entire body turned into his liquid form again, this time it extended to the sky, I hurriedly summoned a shield of water yet that proved to be futile as he enveloped me whole.

It felt as If I was underwater for a second before the liquid disappeared. The strange dragon reappeared by my side, we were both teleported to a different space.

I glanced around in surprise, we were standing on a purple water surface, the purple sky seemed to touch the water as all I could see was purple. 'Where are we?' I managed to ask.

"This is what remains of my soul space,' He said, his voice carrying an undisguised hint of sadness.

'Soul space...' I muttered, rolling the phrase in my mouth as I tried to understand what was going on.

"You see young one, soul space is the source of every dragon's strength. The color you see here is the one representing my element," He explained, as his eyes wandered around the empty realm.

'Purple? What is your element?' I asked in curiosity.

As I said that, I turned to look at him only to be met with a horrifying grin. His face moved inches next to mine before speaking.

"Poison,"

I audibly gulped as I took a step back in shock. "Don't be so surprised little one, I have no intentions of harming you, if I had you wouldn't be standing here," He said in a reassuring tone, yet that only served to further scare me.

"Poison wasn't my only element, once upon a time, I also held control over water as well yet time change..." He mumbled the last part with a blank look before he shook his head.

I didn't interrupt and simply waited for him to finish speaking. He continued staring ahead as he spoke. "Magic little one, is split into two branches. The elemental magic, which consists of the main elements, fire, water, wind, and earth."

I nodded, father was a fire element, mother was a wind one and I was a water element. I think green Is wind while Golden boy is earth, but then again what about White and Blacky?

"The second branch is also the rarest one. Dragons with these elements stand horn and wing above the rest, and that is the pillars of existence." He said in a serious tone. I gulped, eager to hear more.

"The elements in the pillars of existence are also four, Holy magic, Dark magic, Cosmo magic, and finally time magic."

My eyes widened at the revelation, Holy magic, and Dark magic, that just sounded like White and Blacky! 'Well, shit there goes my dignity as the eldest,'

Suddenly, the strange dragon continued rekindling my lost hope. "You little one, seem to have a particularly strong affinity with one of the four pillars of existence,"

'I do?!' I asked excitedly.

"Hmm, you should be able to find out which one exactly after your Rite of passage," He answered with a nod.

Hearing that, my mouth curved upwards into a wide grin as I grew excited by the thought of me wielding one of the elements of the pillars of existence.

'Even the name sounds impressive,' I mumbled with stars in my eyes.