The next day, everyone was awakened for breakfast. Rations of hard bread, oatmeal, a hard boiled egg, and ginger tea for everyone. The nobles were dissatisfied with the rustic and unrefined breakfast. The plates and cups were made of metal. The coats and thin tables of the night before were replaced with rustic wooden tables, and the comfortable chairs with rustic chairs. There was no class or finesse in the dining room. For poor devils like Xavier and Aleum, it was a filling meal; eggs were the heavy part of their lunch, and now they ate them for breakfast. The oatmeal had milk, cinnamon and was sweet, a luxury.

After breakfast, all the magicians were gathered in the theater along with their books. Master Delfin was in the classroom, ready to start his class. He would be the only teacher for the next six months.

‘Good morning, young magicians,’ said Delfin. I imagine you have complaints about your accommodations. I repeat, we don’t care.′

Delfin’s gaze went to the fire magicians. ‘Fire magicians, I see you are exhausted, have dry, scratched lips, and you have raccoon eyes. I bet you can’t sleep because of the heat. I’m glad; that means we’re doing a fine job. Try to drink enough water. Until your body adapts, you will be like a normal person; avoid dehydration. Does anyone know why we do this?’

Clinton raised his hand. After receiving permission from the teacher, he replied.

‘It’s training. It is easier to master an element if you are in contact with it and master its principles, characteristics, and forms. The heat helps to control the fire.’

‘Correct, mister?’

‘Clinton van Ferra.’

‘Very well. As Mr. Van Ferra explained, that is the purpose. You’ll only have to suffer this for a month. Your body will learn to control changes in the environment automatically; you will stop feeling the world as normal people, and you will gain some natural control over your magic energy. At that point, the doors to your residential areas will be opened, and you will be able to move freely through the first floor of the tower. Most of you would not resist the temptation to escape the cold. the humidity, the heat, etc. if we left the doors open from the beginning,’ Delfin explained.

‘When you are free to move around, you can visit the library. All the knowledge of the Tower is at your disposal on its shelves. Some magicians who have a high energy reserve are interested in reading the manuals of other elements. It’s a good exercise, and it will also help you in battle. Knowing the enemy is half the fight’.

After this introduction and clarification, he decided to start his first class in full.

’As you know, Liev’s tower is named after the legendary magician Liev. This institution was founded over five hundred years ago by Liev himself. Triple elemental magician with an affinity for wind, fire, and shadows. Magicians with two or more elements are rare, and the most common are dual magicians, as is my case. Generally, shadow is combined with another element. ‘Does anyone know why?’ asked Delfin to the class.

Again, Clinton raised his hand, but so did Maurius. The professor chose Maurius to answer.

‘The shadow magic is neutral in relation to the other elements. While elements like fire and water are opposite, shadow can be combined with all elements without contradictions or rejection of the elemental energies,’ Maurius replied.

“Right, Mr. Maurius. Normally, certain elements can be synergistic or opposite to one another. Water and fire never combine, and their collision usually causes very violent reactions. Fire, on the other hand, is dual to air. It can be synergistic by feeding it and increasing its power, or if an expert wind magician removes the air around the fire, it goes out. Fire and land are generally opposite; land usually neutralizes water and wind, although they are not entirely opposite. Unless the strength of the water magician far exceeds that of the earth magician, the first won’t be able to hurt the latter; the earth can stand a lot of attack from all other elements, so the earth magicians are considered as defense magicians by excellence. Delfin paused, looking at Maurius.

’Normally, a magician possessing opposite elements, like water and fire, is impossible... Or at least that is what we used to believe until Mr. Maurius apeared,” continued Delfin, pointing to the young man, who had turned red with shame.

“Mr. Maurius broke all the schemes, becoming the only mage capable of using five elements at the same time, the only case recorded in the history of the world. How is this possible? We believe the answer lies precisely in the fact that he can use all the elements. His energy is balanced by the effects of synergy and opposition, although obviously Mr. Maurius has a predominance of the wind. Which we believe he inherited from his father.′ continued Delfin.

‘The magicians have the ability to use the energy of the elements of nature in our favor. This affinity for elemental energy and the ability to manipulate it allow us to make the elements manifest in their purest forms.’ Delfin lifted up his right hand, which began to burn almost instantly.

‘Like everything in nature, the manipulation of magic has a price. As we force nature’s energy to manifest, the energy of our own body is consumed. The process of consuming and recharging that energy is an exercise that makes our capacity grow; it is like the knight who exercises to gain speed or muscle strength. But, of course, it has a limit. The final capacity we have will depend partly on our affinity for the element in question and partly upon the intrinsic quality of our energy,’ Delfín stressed, shutting off his right hand.

‘All magicians with affinity for an element will be able to use the magic of that element. However, the power of magic will depend on the intensity of its affinity. A magician with an elemental fire affinity of one percent or less can, at best, heat a surface or light a small fireplace. They will never be able to use that magic effectively in battle.’ Delfin opened his hand, and a flame appeared in his palm.

‘A magician with an affinity greater than one percent will be able to use basic magic, like this fireball. It’s simple magic.’ Delfin threw the fireball in the palm of his hand against a metal table in front of him. The ball hit the table, making a little noise, and stood burning on top of it.

‘However, the fact that it is simple magic does not mean it is useless.’ Delfin raised his two hands and concentrated on the flame. The flame grew bigger and warmer, and the table began to turn red from the heat.

‘The intensity and duration of the flame will depend on the energy and affinity of the magician and his ability to manipulate magic,’ said Delfin, moving his hands and making the flames go out. The metal table was bright red, and its surface had deformed.

‘A magician with a two-percent affinity for fire magic could kill a magician with a ten-percent affinity for water magic if he concentrates all his energy on a single fire ball and is very lucky... although it is usually suicide, because after that initial discharge, the weakest magician would be powerless and would be helpless against the ice spears of the water magician if the initial attack fails or there are more enemies.’ Delfin took a break to drink water.

’Of course, there is the environmental factor. A water magician is almost invincible in the sea or in a place with lots of water; likewise, it would cost him a lot of energy to make an ice spear in a desert. A good magician must take advantage of and take precautions over the terrain on which he fights. Delfin remained staring at the class for a moment. The students looked at him with attention and interest.