It was noon and the sun was at its peak. Stephen help chopped the vegetables as well as the others.
His mom was slicing the spices and the others were starting fire in the dirty kitchen. Cooking vegetable soup was what they were doing and they were happily doing their task.
His mother cooked the food and they will wait for it in the meantime. While they were waiting, Frank approached Stephen and gave him advice.
"Stephen, now that you have all the elements. You need to cultivate it to make it stronger. Your fire element is only on the level of a flint spark and your lightning element is on an electric spark. The same for the others. You need to make your element stronger for it to become a proper element. Our injected elements will vanish if you will not cultivate them. Now go upstairs and cultivate it. We will assist your mother in the meantime," He said then winked.
Stephen then understands his situation. He has to cultivate urgently in the meantime.
"Sure sure! Why didn't you said so earlier! I gotta go!" Stephen said then hastily ran upstairs.
He went running and stomped the stairs hastily. Making it sound on the process. He opened the door, slamming it on the meantime.
He jumped towards the bed and crossed his legs immediately. He breathed in and out first and started meditating.
He visualized the first element he wanted to cultivate. Starting to imagine the Lightning element, he squeezed every ounce of his mana and managed to make an electric spark.
His heart raced fast as he made a successful attempt.
Pishik!
"Oh! I managed to make a spark! I gotta make it last and stronger," Stephen said to himself.
He squeezed another round of mana and yellow sparks were emitting on his forefinger. His face perspired in the process as he managed to cultivate it.
He struggled a bit but he gets the hang of it. Making his spark becoming steady and consistent.
He continued to make spark and it was getting stronger and stronger by the time. He managed to make the element his own this time.
He realized that it was natural to create a spark now than before. Which takes a lot of mana to create one.
Now that he has the element, he smirked at the process. He was jealous of Patrick that he has such an element and that was why he chose the Lightning element first.
Right now was a time to celebrate for him but he didn't stop there.
What he cultivates next was the Ice element. Visualizing first the element, its image and form. He first saw that there were water droplets that were building up in the air.
He squeezed again his mana and it made the water droplets become snow. He squeezed again some more and his hands were getting icy. Making a snowball on his palm.
As time goes by, his mana requirement became lower and lower. Making it easier and easier to handle the element.
He managed to make this element his own and it was now not burdensome to release the Ice element.
Stephen thought that when you will cast a spell with not your element, it will become very burdensome to exert an ounce of it when not element compatible.
Thus making the Mages to specialise in their sole element. The mages' element barrier was very limiting the mages in being stronger.
Stephen was happy now that he has gained a new element.
Next was the Poison element, he gasped air as he finds it difficult to make it. Visualizing its form, smell, its effects, and its image.
He managed to make a single drop of poison that floats in the air. Even more so, he didn't stop there. He squeezed for more mana and the liquid poison became a fume that was rising in the air.
He was having a hard time as he was maintaining the process. He was perspiring hard and was having a mana shortage. He rested as his mana runs out.
'Damn! This poison element is very troublesome to manage. Maybe this is the hardest element for me to master while being the most untamed one for me. I would like to make it mine more that I encountered it. I shall replenish my mana first and resume,' Stephen said to himself.
He rested in his bed by laying down and wiped his sweat in the meantime. After resting for a minute, he felt that his mana well has replenished.
He sat again in the bed and then resumed his cultivation.
The next element was Fire, it was the element that excites him the most. He couldn't wait for more elements to possess.
With what he has, it was still not outstanding and he needs more. He can't wait to make a fire out of nothing.
He started to imagine its form and imagery. The image of fire that was burning in his hands will make his enemies cower.
He squeezed out his mana and simultaneously created floating embers in the air. He squeezed out more and flickering sparks were made, still not enough to treat it as a proper fire.
With more effort than he was making, he progressed slowly and steadily. More mana was used on the process and he was hopeful of his progress.
As time goes by, he was having steady control of the element. He improved and he made a fire that was as small as a match's light in his fingertips.
He squeezed for more and he made the fire brightly lit the room. A ball of fire as big as his fist was made and his efforts were rewarded.
Floating embers were emitted from the fire as he watched the beautiful light in his palms. All his struggle has subsided after a while and it doesn't seem too hard to emit the fire from that moment.
"Nice! I can make fire with this from now on!" Stephen exclaimed.
He went next to the next element which was the Wind element. He bolstered all his mana and imagine its form. Having felt the air but not yet seen it, he knows what to do to summon it. He used his mana to summon air in his hands. Making his efforts, he felt air to rotate the room. Feeling it slowly, he saw that it was gathering in his palm. With more efforts, he squeezed his mana and the air was compacting. Making a ball of air.
"Damn, this is so large in mana consumption. It was so hard to maintain," Stephen said to himself.
He squeezed out more and was finally getting the hang of it. At his last drop of mana, he managed to stabilise it. Making a calming wind that was touching his skin, soothing his perspired body. Cooling himself on the process.
His mana has run out and he let go of the Wind element. Making the compacted air to burst.
He gasped air the second time around and laid down to the bed, perspiring due to mana depletion. Inhaling deep and exhaling immediately.
"Woohoo! These ten elements are a hassle to master and cultivate. I need more time to master it all," Stephen said then gulped a handful of saliva.
He rested a bit for a minute then counted all he mastered so far.
"Lightning element, Ice element, Poison element, Fire element, and, Wind element. That are all the elements so far. I gotta hurry on harnessing all of it or the essence will fade away," Stephen said to himself.
He rested for now and he heard banging sounds outside his window. His brothers were all practising their basic skills for the meantime while waiting for the food to cook.
They formed two teams and will make a five versus five clash with each other. They have high-end skills but they can only harness their basics due to the mana well problem.
It was important due to higher skills needs more mana consumption. They clashed with each other and Frank was overseeing it all.
Shouting at them while they made a mistake. Having been said, they were scolded left and right at the same time. Saber, Mistiban, Splinter, Arthras, and, Deathbane were against Branmoor, Snap, Baggus, Maldor, and, Shin.
Stephen watched closely how they worked as a team and how they battled with the comrades. All was in chaos as Frank shouted to start.
They all attacked each other and used skills that Stephen didn't saw from before. As Stephen speculated, maybe they were just using ten percent of their power in the duel.
Knowing that they already know all the skills they have in the past, just the mana well handicap. The battle rages on and Stephen can't help but be amazed by the spectacles he saw.