Light and Discovery

Austin led the group to a nearby bench.

Once they arrived, they sat.

He leaned back against the wooden bench, arms crossed as he observed the four—Yanika, Penelope, Cai, and Lucian. His eyes flickered between them, as if piecing together a puzzle only he could see. After a moment, he exhaled and straightened.

"Alright," he began, drawing everyone's attention. "Let's be real here. If we want to make it through the tournament, we need to work with what we have. No delusions, no overconfidence—just a solid plan."

Yanika tilted her head. "And what do we have, exactly?"

Austin glanced at her. "You, for starters. A Geolementalist who's skilled in leatherworking. That means durability. You might not be a frontliner, but you can craft armor, and with the right enhancements, that could be a game-changer."

Yanika scratched her cheek, looking both unconvinced and disappointed. "Armor won't do much against the strongest Mages in the Academy."

"Not if it's ordinary armor," Austin agreed. "But if we incorporate enchantments or elemental resistance, it could tip the scales. It depends on how creative you can get."

Yanika's eyes narrowed in thought, but she nodded.

Austin studied her for a moment before asking, "Do you want to be a frontliner in battle?"

Yanika hesitated but eventually nodded, albeit reluctantly.

Austin sighed, his tone firm yet reassuring. "Don't be too hard on yourself. If that's your goal, then your first action plan is to ask Alaric to teach you adaptive weaponry. Once you get a grasp on that, I'll teach you a skill tailored to your physique and fighting style."

Yanika's expression brightened slightly. "Really? You'd do that?"

Austin smiled. "Of course. But be prepared—it won't be easy."

Yanika took a deep breath and straightened her posture. "Thank you. I won't waste this chance."

Austin turned to Penelope next. "Another Geolementalist. You're skilled on tailoring, right?"

Penelope folded her arms. "Yes. I'm particular about fabric work—enchanting, weaving resistant materials. But having two Geolementalists weakens our versatility in battle."

"True," Austin admitted. "Earth magic is sturdy but lacks flexibility. The issue isn't your skills—it's that the element leans more toward defense than offense. That's also why Alaric wields a sword alongside his earth elemental abilities—to balance out its weaknesses."

Penelope hesitated before speaking, her arms tightening around herself. "I don't think I could handle close-quarters combat," she confessed. "I panic too easily when my opponent gets too close."

"That's fine. If we combine you and Yanika's crafting abilities, we might be able to create gear that compensates for our weaknesses."

"That sounds good," Penelope confirmed.

"Though, if Yanika can learn to be a damage dealer as she wants, there's no reason you can't as well—if that's something you're interested in."

Penelope seemed to consider this, nodding slowly.

"Then first, focus on conjuring steel of different form whenever you get the chance," Austin continued. "Practice channeling through crown to refine your casting. That way, you'll be able to reach your full potential."

Penelope exhaled sharply, determination settling in her eyes. "Alright. I'll work on it."

His gaze shifted to Cai. "You're a Bilementalist—Earth and Air."

Cai, who had been silent for most of the discussion, finally spoke in her soft, measured voice. "Yes."

"That's an unusual combination," Austin mused. "Air is free-flowing, while Earth is rigid. It must be hard to balance."

Cai hesitated, then admitted, "It is. They contradict each other. But it helps with precision. I work with jewelry—embedding elemental properties into accessories.

Austin blinked. " And you said you like playing musical instruments."

Cai's fingers curled slightly. "I just meant… it helps with control. Tuning mana is like fine-tuning a melody. You have to be precise."

Austin nodded, impressed. "That actually makes sense. You might be our key to refining mana flow in battle."

Cai looked down, a little flustered but pleased.

"For now, start with enchanting gems with sound-amplifying abilities," Austin said thoughtfully, an amused look crossing his face as he observed her. "Do you think you can manage that?"

"Umm… I've never heard of enchantments that amplify sound," Cai admitted, her voice tinged with uncertainty.

"Then ask the professors how the Grand Theater amplifies voices. You've already witnessed how the Headmistress' voice was projected during assemblies, right?"

Cai's eyes lit up with realization before she nodded.

"Good. That'll be your first task," Austin said with a firm nod. "Once you've mastered the enchantment for sound amplification, we'll build on that."

"Okay," Cai agreed, determination settling in her tone.

Finally, Austin turned to Lucian. "And you, Luci," he said. "You're a Pyrolementalist. Your fire is unusual, though."

Lucian created a small butterfly of flame, letting it hover above his palm. "Yeah. My fire isn't hot. I don't know how useful I'll be in a fight."

Intrigued, Yanika reached out and touched the flame. "It's warm, but it doesn't burn. It feels a little different than what a typical flame looks and feels like."

Austin rubbed his chin. "I've seen it before, but it's really interesting. What if the butterfly takes on a fiery form because you're imagining it as flame? I noticed you're not using any verbal incantations, so you must be channeling through the crown."

"You're actually right about that. Since I love reading books, it's easy for me to visualize things in my head," Lucian admitted.

"Oh, right! Why did I forget that? You were yapping about it all night once." Austin finally remembered. Then, with certainty, he declared, "I don't think your affinity is fire, Luci."

The other four immediately reacted with confusion.

"Pardon?" Lucian asked.

"What does that mean?" Yanika questioned.

"Huh?" Penelope muttered.

Cai tilted her head.

"The butterfly's fiery form is just your own biased interpretation of your affinity," Austin explained. "In fact, it's not fire at all."

Lucian frowned. "I think I'm confused, Austin. Can you elaborate?"

"It's easier to understand once you experience it yourself. Close your eyes."

Lucian hesitated but followed Austin's instructions.

"Now, instead of a flame butterfly, imagine a real one as you channel your mana through the crown."

As Lucian closed his eyes, he took a deep breath and concentrated. The familiar warmth of fire flickered in his mind as he channeled his mana.

A single butterfly, wreathed in gentle flames, took form in the air, just as they expected.

But then, something changed. The fire flickered, wavered, and gradually lost its intensity.

The butterfly's wings began shifting, no longer mere flames but taking on texture, depth, and color. Its body solidified, delicate veins forming on its translucent wings. Then, as if responding to an unseen call, more butterflies emerged—one, two, ten—until a whole swarm of glowing, ethereal creatures fluttered around them. Their wings shimmered under the setting sun, reflecting hues of gold, orange, and violet, as if the light itself had come alive.

Lucian opened his eyes, and for the first time, he didn't look uncertain or reserved—he looked happy. His wide eyes followed the butterflies as they danced around him, his expression one of pure wonder. He reached out, and one landed on his fingertip, its wings pulsing softly.

"They're... beautiful," he murmured in disbelief, his eyes reddening.

Yanika gasped. "This is—this is incredible! Fire can do this?"

Penelope watched in awe, her usual composure cracking. "I don't think I've ever seen something like this. It's almost like light itself is responding to you."

Cai, ever quiet, clasped her hands together, staring at the glowing butterflies in amazement.

Austin, arms crossed, smirked. "Told you. You've been forcing yourself into a box this whole time, Luci. Your affinity isn't fire—it's light itself. I might not be able to explain all the details, but at least now you know."

"Light affinity?" Yanika tried to confirm. "It exists?"

The ever silent Cai finally opened her mouth. "According to one of the textbooks in our castle's library, light element was an ancient mystical arts."

"Ancient? Wait, castle?" Penelope asked.

"Oh, I didn't tell you?" Cai asked before continuing. "I'm actually of royal blood in my country." Cai declared with a soft voice.

Austin narrowed his eyes at Cai before shifting his gaze to Lucian, who was on the verge of tears.

Lucian blinked, still processing, as tears streamed down his face.

His whole life, he had believed fire was his affinity—destructive, consuming. But this... this was different. It was light, warmth, and creation. It wasn't what he had expected, but for the first time, he felt free.

"So... I'm useful?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Austin let out a breath, his smirk softening. "Useful? Who said you're useless?"

Lucian wiped at his eyes, laughing shakily. "My broth—"

Luci stopped mid-sentence as he sniffled.

"—Yeah, yeah… I know that." He said, his smile betrayed his overwhelming emotions.

Yanika, still processing, turned to Cai. "Wait, hold on. Back up a second—did you just say castle? As in, you're a princess?"

Cai nodded, unfazed. "Technically, yes."

Penelope nearly choked. "Technically?! You say that like it's nothing!"

Austin chuckled at their reactions before glancing back at Lucian. He could still see the shimmer of light surrounding him, the last remnants of the butterflies fading into the evening air.

"You weren't forcing fire to work because it was your affinity," Austin said, watching him closely. "You were forcing it because it was what you thought you were supposed to have. But your power isn't about destruction, Luci. It's about illumination."

Lucian took a deep breath, finally letting it all sink in. "Illumination, huh?" He flexed his fingers, as if testing the weight of the word. Then he grinned—a real, genuine grin. "I think I like that."

"Light element could give us an edge in strategy." Austin shifted back to his serious tone, drawing everyone's attention.

A moment of silence passed before Yanika grinned. "Alright, strategist. What's the plan?"

Austin smirked.