Chapter 519: Four Elements

For the first time in several weeks, Sage had arranged an entire morning during which nobody was permitted to disturb him with construction estimates, merchant complaints, or arguments concerning the price of warehouse timber.

Achieving this remarkable freedom had required considerably more effort than he anticipated.

Boren had initially objected to the arrangement, insisting that the Guildmaster couldn’t simply abandon his responsibilities whenever he pleased.

Sage had responded by presenting him with a carefully prepared schedule assigning routine decisions to the appropriate department heads, leaving only genuinely important matters requiring his attention.

When Boren discovered that Sage had also arranged for him to oversee several outstanding administrative matters, his objections became considerably louder.

Nevertheless, Sage eventually escaped.

He now stood inside a spacious magical training chamber within the Royal Capital Headquarters, examining four practice targets positioned against the far wall.

As a 4-Star Mage, Sage possessed considerable magical ability, particularly when compared with ordinary practitioners. His command of Fire, Nature, Earth, and Wind Magic gave him an unusually broad collection of spells, allowing him to adapt to situations that would trouble Mages specializing in a single element.

However, possessing four elements and mastering them were entirely different accomplishments.

And Sage had recently begun recognizing just how much room remained for improvement.

"Let’s see how much I’ve neglected my own training," he murmured, raising his right hand.

A crimson magic circle formed before his palm, its intricate runes illuminating the chamber as Fire Mana gathered around it. A moment later, a concentrated stream of flames struck the nearest target, engulfing its reinforced surface before dissipating.

The spell was powerful.

But Sage wasn’t satisfied.

---

He repeated the incantation, this time deliberately reducing the amount of Mana supplied to the formation.

The second stream of fire was smaller, although its destructive effect remained surprisingly close to the first.

Sage narrowed his eyes.

Interesting.

He had grown accustomed to increasing the Mana supplied to his spells whenever he required greater power. That approach worked, but it also encouraged wasteful habits, particularly during prolonged battles.

He attempted a third casting, carefully adjusting the arrangement of several runes within the formation.

The flames emerged more swiftly, striking the target with improved precision.

"Better," Sage observed, lowering his hand. "Although I suspect there’s a considerably more elegant way to accomplish this."

"You’re correct," a familiar voice answered from the chamber entrance. "But I wouldn’t recommend altering the outer runes without examining how they influence the formation’s stability."

Sage turned to find Iris standing nearby, carrying several books and a narrow case containing writing instruments.

The Water and Earth Mage had become one of the Guild’s most valuable independent Adventurer collaborators, particularly after assisting with Greyfen’s exploration and the training of specialized reconnaissance personnel. Her understanding of magical formations was considerably more refined than Sage had initially expected.

"Iris, excellent timing," Sage greeted her. "I’ve been attempting to improve my Fire Magic without turning every spell into an expensive demonstration of excessive Mana consumption."

Iris approached the practice targets and examined the remaining traces of magic.

"Then perhaps you should begin by considering what the spell actually needs to accomplish," she suggested.

---

Iris placed her books upon a nearby table and drew a simplified spell formation across a sheet of parchment.

"Most Mages learn formations as complete arrangements," she explained. "They memorize the runes, practice the incantation, and gradually improve their ability to supply Mana. That’s sufficient for ordinary casting, but it doesn’t necessarily produce efficient spells."

Sage studied her drawing. "Because they’re reproducing something without understanding why every part is necessary?"

"Precisely," Iris replied, appearing pleased that he understood immediately. "The runes governing stability, direction, and the release of Mana must work together. Strengthening one portion without considering the others can make the entire formation less efficient."

Sage considered his previous attempt. "I reduced the Mana supplied to the outer formation while maintaining the central structure. The spell became smaller, but its impact barely changed."

Iris nodded. "Which suggests the original casting contained more Mana than was necessary for that particular effect."

She adjusted several markings on the parchment before continuing. "Try maintaining the formation with less Mana while concentrating the released flames into a narrower area. Don’t increase the spell’s overall strength. Improve how effectively that strength reaches the target."

Sage returned to his position.

A crimson circle appeared before his palm, but this time its runes formed more gradually as he carefully controlled the Mana flowing through them.

When the spell activated, a narrow lance of fire struck the target.

The impact left a deeper mark than either previous attempt.

Sage smiled. "Now that’s useful."

Iris examined the damage with interest. "And you consumed less Mana."

---

They spent the following hour examining Sage’s Fire Magic before moving to his other elements.

Earth Magic proved considerably more complicated.

Sage could raise defensive walls, manipulate stone, and reshape sections of the ground with relative ease. However, Iris noticed that he frequently supplied more Mana than necessary when maintaining large structures.

"You’re treating every wall as though it must withstand a siege," she observed after watching him summon a thick barrier across the chamber.

Sage inspected the stone construction. "A perfectly reasonable precaution. You never know when someone might become offended by a wall."

Iris smiled faintly. "Unless you’re expecting a siege engine to appear inside this training chamber, you could achieve the same defensive purpose with a thinner structure and better reinforcement."

She demonstrated by raising a compact stone barrier whose surface was reinforced through carefully arranged Earth Mana.

Sage examined the formation closely.

Although Iris possessed fewer elements, her control over Earth Magic revealed techniques he hadn’t considered.

He reproduced the barrier, initially struggling to maintain its reinforcement while reducing its thickness.

After several attempts, the structure became considerably more stable.

"Your Earth Magic is powerful," Iris remarked, "but you sometimes rely upon that power instead of allowing the formation to perform its intended function."

Sage nodded thoughtfully. "Then I suppose I’ve been using a larger hammer whenever a smaller one would suffice."

"An unusual comparison," Iris replied, "but accurate."

Wind Magic presented a different challenge.

Unlike Earth, which rewarded stability, Wind required constant adjustments to direction and movement.

Sage began by forming several rotating currents around the practice targets. His initial attempts produced powerful gusts, but maintaining multiple currents simultaneously demanded considerable concentration.

Iris watched him for several minutes before suggesting that he establish a consistent pattern between the formations.

"You’re controlling each current separately," she explained. "That requires you to divide your attention unnecessarily. If their movements follow a shared arrangement, maintaining them should become easier."

Sage considered her suggestion before reshaping the currents.

Instead of directing each one independently, he established a larger formation governing their movement.

The winds began circulating together, following a controlled path around the targets.

"Much better," Sage remarked. "Although I suspect this would become considerably more entertaining if I added Fire Magic."

Iris looked toward him immediately.

"Guildmaster, before you attempt anything entertaining, perhaps we should discuss what happens when concentrated flames encounter rapidly moving air inside an enclosed chamber."

Sage glanced toward the ceiling. "You’re suggesting the building might object?"

"I’m suggesting that Boren would be justified in complaining if you destroyed part of the Headquarters," Iris answered.

Sage sighed theatrically.

"An excellent argument. I find myself increasingly surrounded by reasonable people."

Nature Magic occupied the remainder of their afternoon.

Sage’s affinity allowed him to encourage plant growth, manipulate vegetation, and strengthen living roots and vines through Mana. Unlike his other elements, however, Nature Magic responded best when he worked with existing living material rather than attempting to force immediate results.

He placed several young plants inside a prepared bed of soil and began directing Nature Mana through their roots.

Within moments, green shoots lengthened and fresh leaves unfolded.

Iris watched with undisguised fascination.

"Your control over living vegetation is remarkable," she observed. "Earth Magic can support the soil, but it cannot accomplish that."

Sage examined the plants thoughtfully. "Nature Magic is surprisingly demanding when I attempt to control several plants individually. Their growth doesn’t always follow the same pattern."

"Because they’re living things," Iris replied. "Perhaps you should guide their development rather than attempting to dictate every movement."

Sage considered her words before changing his approach.

Instead of controlling each vine separately, he supplied Mana through the connected bed of soil, encouraging the plants to extend toward the same supporting structure.

The vines gradually intertwined, forming a surprisingly strong woven barrier.

Sage touched its surface.

That gave him an idea.

---

He raised a low Earth barrier behind the vegetation, then encouraged the vines to spread across its surface.

Roots entered the stone’s narrow openings, strengthening their hold as the two elements worked together.

Iris approached the completed structure with interest.

"Earth provides the foundation, while Nature reinforces the surface," she observed. "That could be useful for defensive fortifications."

"Or temporary shelters," Sage added. "Perhaps even protective barriers during expeditions."

He then attempted a different combination, using Wind Magic to direct a small flame across several practice targets.

The first attempt failed when the wind scattered the flames too widely.

The second burned through more Mana than he intended.

On his third attempt, Sage altered the Wind formation so that the current surrounded the fire rather than striking it directly.

The resulting spell carried a concentrated stream of flames across the chamber with considerably greater reach.

Iris watched the final target blacken before nodding approvingly. "That arrangement is promising, although you’ll need further practice before attempting it in battle."

Sage lowered his hand, feeling the accumulated strain of several hours of sustained casting. "Agreed. Combining elements is easy enough when I’m simply releasing their power together. Making them cooperate efficiently is another matter."

---

By the time their training concluded, the chamber bore numerous marks from their experiments.

Sage had improved several familiar spells, developed more efficient formations, and discovered weaknesses in his control that ordinary combat had rarely forced him to examine.

More importantly, he had gained a greater appreciation for Iris’s knowledge.

"Thank you for your assistance," Sage told her as they gathered their notes. "I invited you because I wanted another Mage’s opinion, but you’ve given me considerably more to consider than I expected."

Iris closed her final book with a satisfied expression. "I’ve enjoyed the discussion, Guildmaster. It’s rare to work with someone capable of using four elements, and your combinations have given me several ideas for my own research."

Sage smiled. "Then perhaps we should make these sessions a regular arrangement, whenever your Adventurer commitments permit."

"I’d welcome that," Iris replied. "Although I suggest we establish proper precautions before you begin experimenting with larger combinations."

Sage glanced at the damaged targets. "A sensible precaution. Boren would never forgive me if I destroyed his favorite Headquarters."

Iris laughed softly as they departed the chamber.

For Sage, the day’s training had revealed something important. His four elements already granted him considerable versatility, but their true potential remained largely unexplored.

He had spent months expanding the Adventurer Guild, acquiring resources, and establishing an organization capable of supporting countless Warriors.

Now it was time to devote that same determination to his own magical abilities.

And with every improved formation, every carefully controlled spell, and every successful combination, Sage was beginning to understand how much stronger he could become without simply relying upon greater quantities of Mana.