The King's Beloved

~ [Music Recommendation: "Mount Pyre" by Yasunori Mitsuda (Chrono Cross OST) - available in Spotify or Youtube] ~ Please listen to it in loop while you read this part to experience the utmost beauty of this scene ~

WHOOOOSSHHH!

A strong and violent gust of wind blew hard across the room. Along with it, was the intensifying dark aura of the giant lava monster. Good thing that the team had a barrier made of holy energy or else, they would have been touched by it and get infected by spiritual corruption. The dark aura didn't manage to pass through nor made a crack against the holy barrier. The team exhaled in relief seeing their plan worked however … the whole room was now filled with the scattered dark aura, like lumps of black mists.

"Phew! I thought for a moment there that I would die!" Luna breathed heavily, as she held on her thumping chest. "We're lucky this barrier works or we would have been toast!"

Ducis, who was near her, also sighed in relief. They were suspended in the air just above the lava pool that they turned into cooled molten rocks. In his mind, he also thought of the same thing, "She's right. If this barrier didn't work, even I wouldn't know what to counter this spiritual corruption".

On the other hand, Rania and Elliot floated above the air, near the head of the giant. Elliot flew towards Rania to check on her.

"Rania, are you alright?" Elliot asked, as he examined her from head to foot.

"I'm okay. How about you?" Rania did the same.

"I'm alright," he answered. Then, he glanced towards Luna and Ducis' direction, "It seems they're fine, too".

"Yes. Good thing this barrier worked," Rania breathed in relief as well. "But how are we going to defeat it? We managed to stop its movements but … I don't see it growing weaker".

"That's true," Elliot nodded. "And we used holy energy on all the magic we cast as well. He doesn't look hurt much by other elements. We can't use Caligo's darkness, Ventus' wind, or even fire, it will only make him stronger. I doubt sand and earth would do damage, too. And I can't risk the beasts into fighting it".

"All that's left is water, ice, and lightning … which we already used," Rania seconded. "Do you think making it more concentrated will damage the monster?"

"Normally, it would have caused damage already since water and ice are the elemental weakness of fire …".

"Yes, that's one of the lessons you taught me before. When we were practicing in the Forbidden Forest". Rania agreed. She recalled the words Elliot told her that day.

It was on one of those afternoons that they trained prior to proceeding to the next gate. Rania could still remember how it was a sunny day, and she was still not that romantically close to Elliot at that time.

"Rania," Elliot began. "There's another thing you should know about magic". His voice was as calm and collected as always.

"Hm? What is it?"

"It's called elemental weakness and compatibility".

Rania stared keenly at Elliot, listening intently at every word.

"Each element has its own weakness and compatibility. It's a bit complex but it can help you greatly in battles just in case you encounter someone or maybe a creature that is strong on a given element".

Then, Elliot started drawing signs on the ground they stood at, using his magic.

"Let's start with fire," he continued, and drew a sign that looked like fire. "Fire is compatible with Wind, and so is Wind to Fire. They make each other strong. So if you combine them together, you can create a firestorm that could deal much more damage than just fire or wind alone. Following so far?"

"Yes," Rania nodded like the good student she was.

"Aside from that, Wind is also compatible with Water, which means you can make a cyclone if you combine both of them. Or with Sand and Ice as well - you can create a sandstorm or a hailstorm if you combine them".

"Wow. Wind is pretty compatible with most elements. That's great," Rania clapped her hands.

Elliot nodded in agreement. "Next, is Water, Ice, and Thunder. These three are compatible with each other. Thunder can travel both in Water and Ice, thus making them more powerful if you combine them together. The same thing with Earth to Sand. ". 

Elliot continued creating cute drawings on the ground, making Rania chuckle.

"Hm? What's so funny?" he asked in his most handsomely curious face.

"Ah! Sorry, I just find your drawings cute. Please don't mind me, continue".

Elliot raised his eyebrows. He failed to comprehend what was so funny with his perfect illustrations. In his mind, he thought, "Maybe I should have demonstrated instead? Hmm … but that takes more effort. It's easier to just draw them".

Indeed, Elliot's drawings of the element's sign were rather "cute" - all with the same swirl at their center. Seeing Rania still chuckling, he cleared his throat to get her attention. Rania stopped and went back to listening intently.

"Any questions so far?"

"Nope! All good".

Elliot was a bit skeptical if she really was listening but then he continued. He thought if ever she didn't, he'd probably repeat himself, but that's fine for him.

"As for the weaknesses, it goes like this …".

He then drew fire and wind signs, and put a circle around them, as if grouping them together. It was followed by water and ice in one circle - the second group, leaving thunder that was beside it outside the circle. And lastly was earth and sand, in the third group. After that, he put an arrow on them. From the first circle, he pointed the arrow towards the third circle, then the third, to the second circle, and the second to the first.

"This is how elemental weakness works. Fire and Wind are weak against Earth and Sand, since it basically makes them useless. But that doesn't mean that you can use Earth and Sand to defeat fire. They're simply null against it".

"I see …"

"Then, Earth and Sand are weak against Water and Ice since water can make sand and earth mushy, weak and unable to move. Thunder though, is weak against earth and sand since it can't travel through them. So I left them out of the second circle".

"Got it. And I'm guessing Water and Ice are weak against Fire and Wind?"

"That's right. They basically oppose each other. They're each other's weaknesses".

"Okay, I think I've got that memorized".

"Ahhh … we're not yet done".

"Huh? There's more?"

"Yes. Light and Dark. They oppose each other. It's pretty much common sense but that's another".

"Of course, light and dark".

"Lastly is Nature … the most interesting of them all".

"Hm? Why?"

"Nature is … well, it's not an element of its own but more like ... all those elements combined. So, it's not weak against anything nor is it strong against anything. Like Wind, it makes all other elements much stronger instead".

For the last one, Elliot decided to demonstrate instead of drawing it again. He conjured a fire on one hand and a flower on the other and put them together.

"Ideally, this flower should burn but since I'm using the power of nature to create this flower instead, it will only make it stronger".

Indeed, when he combined the two, the fire grew stronger and the flower didn't turn into ashes. It looked like a burning flower instead … a fire flower.

"Wow … Nature is amazing". Rania's eyes twinkled in admiration.

After reminiscing everything that happened back then, Rania suddenly thought of an idea.

"Elliot!" Rania called him enthusiastically, "I just thought of something!"

"What is it?" Elliot tilted his head.

"What if … since the body of the giant lava monster is covered in dark aura, maybe it's weak against light! We can use holy energy to produce light, then use nature to make it stronger! What do you think?"

Elliot smirked after hearing her idea.

"I see that you still remember our lesson. I thought you weren't listening carefully that time," he teased her.

"What? Of course I am! It's a serious matter!"

"Ha ha ha ha! Yeah, yeah. You kept on laughing at my drawings, what would I think?"

"But I was listening. See? I remembered!" Rania defended herself.

"Yes, you did," Elliot smiled. "And actually, I was just thinking of the same thing. We really think alike, don't we?"

Rania chuckled. "I guess we do".

Then, Rania and Elliot did as they discussed. Light and Nature magic was the most complex of all magic to create. Combining them as well was a whole 'nother issue, and to top it off, they're supposed to use holy energy instead of spiritual energy. To be able to cast such magic, one would need to have more than an advanced level of magic control. In fact, advanced level was a huge understatement. If it would be ranked by classes, being class A, B, C, D, and S, it would be under SSS class.

Yes, that was how hard it was "supposed" to be.

But then again … we're talking about Elliot here, the prodigies of prodigies, and genius of geniuses that ever existed.

==================

Hi Beloved Readers!

I just want to inform all of you that … the Official NOVEL TEASER of this book is OUT!!!

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