"Hold it! Hold it there!" Liliana shouts at me while I struggle to keep the malleable energy in my right palm.
It feels like trying to run with a bowl of water in my hands...
Liquid type energy, specifically water at the moment is the most difficult energy type to control. Liliana mentioned that I will likely gain adequate control of it after the other 3 main elements. She was right.
It's now the 7th day and after only a couple days of training, the other 3 elements, fire, water, and earth are somewhat under my control. According to Liliana, the depth of this energy manipulation system is deeper than I could ever imagine. She is dumbing it down a lot for me so I can understand but eventually I was given more information.
The 4 major elements, fire, earth, air and water are the basis for this system. Almost no one will say they specialize in "fire" magic. As being able to control fire energy (more commonly referred to as heat energy) is like dipping your toes into the ocean and not too difficult. Usually, people will have a affinity to an element and a sub-energy type of that element. For example two people who have an affinity for fire will most likely not have the same affinity for a sub-energy that stems from fire. Like creating flames is a whole different ordeal then creating lava.
Another thing to take into account is the physical properties of each element. Liquids, gasses, and solids. This combination of physical states and sub-energy affinity creates an ever-growing system of different magics.
To be honest, it's all way too confusing so I dumbed it down for myself in my head.
You will naturally have an affinity for 3 things, a major element, a sub-energy and a physical state. This combination will give you access to an almost always unique to you type of magic. Though, people having the same combination is not impossible to occur. That's the main gist of what I understand right now.
Having said all of this, I am still struggling with one thing...what element do I have an affinity for? I've trained each major one and I haven't felt more naturally inclined to one or controlled one easier than the rest. I've told Liliana about it and she says sometimes due to spirit bonding element affinities are affected. I find it strange but I have no choice but to just keep training.
"You suck..." Liliana says blankly after I fail at holding the water energy with stability in my hand.
"Listen here, I tried my best! That dang energy is impossible to control." I wipe beads of sweat off my forehead, we've been going at it for hours already.
It's tiring, the mental toll controlling energy takes surprising.
Liliana sighs, "I know it's hard and I insult you every day but it's for your own good! Plus its all jokes don't worry. You're doing good, the progress you've made both with elemental control and physical training is impressive. With my powers, you've been able to do a lot really quickly, good job Roman. We make a good team."
We make a good team...
Her saying that made me blush a bit. She isn't harsh in general but like Camila, as a teacher, she is as strict as they come. Her compliment affected me more than I would like to admit.
"Awww is someone blushing?" Liliana suddenly teases me.
"Uhhh," An instinctual stutter comes out of my mouth, "Hey! How do you know I'm blushing...are you reading my thoughts again?!"
"No, you're just really easy to read even when I can't see you at all."
I sigh.
"Now back to training!" Liliana commands me.
~~~ ~~~
A right punch.
Two quick jabs, an overhand right.
A spinning heel kick.
Camila showers me with strikes and I manage to dodge all of them until a counter kick lands flush on my chin after I attempt to hit her.
I stumble back and a bloody grin appears on my face. As my face muscles stretch it unleashes a stench of blood that enters my nose immediately. It smells terrible and even though I've been smelling it more and more these past few days it still makes me want puke. However, there's a reason I'm smiling, this is the farthest I've managed to get with Camila in sparring!
A smile appears on Camila's face as well, "You're getting better and better each day Roman!"
I puff my chest out with pride. It's the 10th day...I'm improving day by day.
"Now, let's see some energy manipulation." Camila commands me. After she does she closes her eyes for a few seconds and takes multiple quick breaths. This sight is one I've grown used to. She is generating an energy shield, a basic energy manipulation skill that coats her body in a protective layer of energy.
"I'm ready, hit me with it!" Camila says as she braces herself.
I nod and prepare an attack with heat energy. As time has gone on I've felt a small inclination to heat energy. Though, when I describe the feeling to Liliana, it doesn't sound strong enough to be a clear affinity. While the feeling I get with heat energy is a small feeling to use it, the feeling of a natural affinity is apparently much stronger than that. At a point where you feel uncomfortable using the other major elements. I'm hoping that such a feeling will manifest within me soon, I want this to be as simple as possible. Because I don't have an affinity quite yet, I haven't found a sub-energy affinity but I think I do have an physical state affinity, gas.
Liliana harnesses heat energy without a word and I take hold of it.
It feels like a bunch of little hands dragging the energy all over my body to a specific point, my hand. I'm still getting used to it, It's a strange feeling
I point my arm at Camila and open my palm. I feel like a naked Iron Man.
I focus on bringing every bit of energy to my palm and ejecting it out of my body through my hand.
I've discovered that having an affinity for any of the states of matter is an affect of having an affinity for the molecular structure of that state. If I correctly remember 8th grade science, gas's particles are far apart. This gives them the ability to compress with energy manipulation. Combine this with heat energy and the result is...a minor heat wave the makes you uncomfortable. Even with my unique knowledge, knowing is different than practical application. The results of my experimentation are not as destructive as I would like but they were successful nonetheless.
The heat begins contorting the air around it, leaving visible heat waves as they travel to Camila.
It all looks normal until suddenly I feel an explosion of energy from my hand. One I was not expecting at all. The heat waves grow and grow until everything around us is distorted beyond belief.
I see Camila's face contort in discomfort. Even I begin to feel sick as the heat grows.
"Roman! Chill out with the heat!!" Camila shouts.
"I'm not doing this!!!" I scream back to her. The heat is becoming dangerous now, I can feel myself losing consciousness
As the heat reaches its peak, I feel Liliana take control of my body, "Impressive Camila! You were able to layer your energy shield very quickly in response to the heat. Your talent in energy manipulation is very commendable. It is one of the greatest I've seen in a human, and Roman! Your body has grown enough to handle more of my power. You've made amazing progress. Good job!"
Her speech ends and I feel my body come back to my control. The heat quickly recedes from the air. My clothes are drenched in sweat...
Me and Camila gasp for air with our hands on our knees. Although the heat only lasted for a few moments, the peak of it was scary. Just those few moments drained a lot of my energy.
"Why would you do that?!" I exclaim to her while fall to my back from exhaustion.
"It was a test of sorts, I hope your glad to hear that you passed it!"
I take a moment to catch my breath then reply, "Why would you..." I don't get to finish my sentence as I slowly lose consciousness.
'passing out has become a normal occurrence now...' I think to myself before I completely lose consciousness.