While Nelphy was shocked, Bil shrugged. He stated, "Start circulating your veita again. Your flame affinity helps weaken the toxin of the fire roses."
Jash followed directions and began feeling some relief. "Ahh… That's a bit better."
"But… Why did you have him do that?" Nelphy turned to Bil, questioning, "Does that mean you knew what affinity he would have? And how come we're just now–"
"It was only a hunch," answered Bil. "This is my first time testing him, but I was already planning to test you both after dinner. He just got lucky his affinity can help him with this particular inconvenience."
Nelphy nodded but immediately asked, "And what about you? You touched the thorns to make sure they didn't break in Jash's skin, didn't you?"
"These old hands have been through far worse." Bil explained, "But now that we're here, let's finish the testing while he focuses on burning out the toxin. At his level… He might have it gone before dinner's done.
"Go ahead, Nelphy." Pausing, Bil grabbed one more handful of dirt and placed it in her cupped hands. "Just like I taught you, activate and control the flow of your veita. Then, funnel the veita to your palm and then the dirt."
Nelphy took a deep breath as she assumed her own meditative position. She crossed her legs and let her cupped hands rest on her lap. And before she could open her eyes to see what had changed, she felt an unexpected sensation in her hands.
"Whoa!" Jash yelled with enthusiasm. "She has water veita, doesn't she?!"
Looking to the mud in Nelphy's hands, Bil nodded. "Correct. That's one of her affinites."
"One of?" In awe, Nelphy examined the mud carefully. It took her a moment but she eventually asked, "Is there… more dirt than before?"
"That's correct. You have water and earth affinity." Bil explained, "Fire veita dries out the dirt. Wind veita will crumble it and gradually blow it off your hand. Water veita turns it into mud. And earth veita will typically increase the amount of dirt.
"Of course, those aren't all of the affinities. But those are the ones that you two can learn to wield–"
"What are the other types?" questioned Jash. "There's lightning too. And light and dark too. What other types–"
"Calm down and control your breathing, or you'll still be burning up and won't be able to properly enjoy your fried cockatrice," remarked Bil, getting Jash to shut up in no time flat. "The amount of affinities is considered endless, but a better way to put it would be… that anyone has the potential to have any affinity imaginable.
"It all depends on how the dirt reacts to your veita. And you can test veita with just about anything. Jash, pluck a leaf off something and channel your veita into it."
Eager to learn, Jash hastily snatched a leaf and watched as it burst into flames. But it also rose off his palm and drifted away, burning off before ever reaching the ground.
"Your wind increases the potency of your flames. It also moved the light leaf without any trouble, just as the breeze would to the leaves on a tree," explained Bil, fascinating both Jash and Nelphy. "If Nelphy were to, say…"
Bil paused, taking out a small bowl from his pack, along with the massive water pouch. He poured a little water into the bowl and handed it to Nelphy. "Put one finger in the water and focus your veita into it."
Nelphy did just that, leaving Jash and Nelphy amazed. The water level rose. It was just barely, but it was rising. And the transparent water grew murkier and murkier the longer Nelphy's finger was in the water.
"Your earth taints the water, but your water adds to that of the bowl. Now, I'll mention the drawback of having dual veitas." Bil's statement startled them both, getting even Jash to sit quietly and patiently. "Later in training, dual veitas can be trained to compliment each other. In the beginning, however, you'll learn to separate the two, otherwise, you'll never be able to wield them properly.
"Jash, your fire and wind make a perfect example. It's a natural combo to put them together, and with minimal training you can create a decent amount of force. But you'll never be able to control that force or properly adapt it to situations unless you learn to separate them and manipulate them individually."
Nodding, Jash asked, "So, I have to control wind and fire separately, like maybe one in each hand?"
Bil answered, "That's a common way to learn in the beginning. But what will help is finding a master to teach you properly."
"Bil, can't you–"
Shaking his head, Bil interrupted Nelphy, "Sorry, but I can't be your master. Today, on your first day as official adults and fully-fledged citizens of Frihet, there are a few things I planned for you. First was dinner and then testing your affinities. I felt that way we'd start the night off right.
"But seeing how those two were switched, I'll make dinner while you ask me some of the questions I promised to answer. Otherwise, we won't be eating till long past sundown."
Jash and Nelphy happily agreed. They helped Bil get everything set up while thinking of what questions to ask him. It was Jash's job to start the fire and he eagerly did so, using his veita and a leaf to catch the kindling on fire. Nelphy helped Bil get his cooking stations ready. She set up a small folding table, one barely large enough for the cutting board, as well as one pot for the duck dish and a bowl for the broken down cockatrice. Bil readied a large pot with water and placed it over the fire with Jash's help.
"While this is getting hot, why don't we start with the first question," said Bil.
Jash nodded, quickly asking, "How do I learn methods and techniques? OH! And when will I get to make worlds?!!"