Chapter 85: That means you kind of suck, Kestovar
“I’m going to show you this spell. Let’s see how good your intuitive understanding of Thaumaturgy Spellcasting is,” Rolen said as he extended one hand, palm open, the other resting lightly behind his back.
Fabrisse stared, trying to track every detail. The angle of the arm, the steadiness of breath, the fractional delay before ignition. It’s a bit similar to Severa’s Basic Combustion Funnel. However, there was no whisper of a mnemonic, no incantation at all.
A soft snap of light curled upward from his palm, flaring briefly into a flame no bigger than a candle’s. It hung there, perfectly still, like a trick of the air.
“This is my own twist on Combustion Funnel. If you do it a certain way, you can keep the mnemonic in your head,” he said as he ignited another candle atop the existing one.
“Are you allowed to cast non-Synod-approved spells?” Fabrisse asked. “Also, are you allowed to cast Fire spells inside a room full of combustible material?”
“The rules only apply to sub-Archmagi level, Kestovar.” Rolen shrugged.
Well, that’s unfair.
The second flame flickered above the first, perfectly balanced. Fabrisse realized neither was emitting heat—at least, not in the usual way. The air wasn’t warming and his skin didn’t prickle. It was Fire in shape alone, not in nature.
“As much as I want to learn, I have yet to gain an affinity with Fire,” Fabrisse’s voice came out even smaller than he’d intended.
“That means you kind of suck, Kestovar,” Rolen said.
“Uh, thanks.”
“But you must work through your worst; only then you’ll have a chance to make it to your best.”
The conventional Synod-approved method of gaining affinity worked over an extended period of time. Conducted in controlled thaumaturgic environments, candidates are gradually exposed to raw elemental pressure (like being near controlled flame-cores). This process was part of every Apprentice’s education. If, after months of sweating, murmuring mnemonics, and accidentally setting their eyebrows on fire, a student still failed to resonate with even a single element, they were politely asked to consider ‘alternate academic paths.’ Meaning they were expelled.
Fabrisse somehow managed to achieve an affinity with Earth and Air, so he got to stay.
He opened his Diagnostics again to look at his affinities.
| [AETHERIC DIAGNOSTIC] — Aetheric Core: Active — Resonant Element 1: Water (Inert) — Resonant Element 2: Earth (Natural) — Sub Element: Stone (Innate)/Mud (Average) — Resonant Element 3: Air (Average) — Sub Element: Veil (Average) — Resonant Element 4: Fire (Below-Average) — Concordance Element: Internal Hoarding Alignment (UNIQUE – Unstandardized) [NOTE: Anomalous emotional cross-link detected between Earth and Concordance channels.]
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