"Well, if you want, we can head to the training grounds right now. Then you'll see for yourself," replied Ava in response to Grace's statement.
"Let's go!"
Together, the six women moved toward the training grounds, maintaining a silent procession.
Within a few minutes, they stood in front of the training ground's door, which Grace promptly pushed open.
Once inside, they were taken aback to see Lilia seated comfortably, sipping tea and engrossed in reading.
"Isn't she supposed to be training Alex ?" Questioned Grace.
"That's what I understood" replied Ava as they made their way towards Lilia.
When they were near her, Lilia picked up their footsteps and lifted her head to look at who was coming.
When she saw who it was, she stood up and gently bowed toward Grace while saying respectfully:
"I greet the family branch head"
"Oh, hush. I keep telling you to call me grandma," replied Grace with a smile as she approached Lilia to give her a hug.
Lilia returned the hug before they separated from each other.
Lilia then drew near to Candace, embracing her warmly while offering a friendly greeting.
After they exchanged pleasantries with each other, Lilia greeted Eleanor.
However, unlike the other two, she just nodded her head toward Eleanor, knowing that this one wasn't the hugging type.
"May I know what brought you here?" Asked Lilia after she finished greeting everyone.
"Those three mentioned you were training Alex, so we came to check on his progress. But I don't see him, don't tell me that this brat ditched the training" said Grace.
"That wouldn't be a first" chuckled Candace.
"No, actually he is right there" replied Lilia while pointing behind her chair.
As the girls looked behind the chair, they saw a figure that had a humanoid shape made of thick smoke. The smoke was so dense that they couldn't tell if it was a smoky being or a person wrapped in smoke. Surrounding this figure, there were rectangular-shaped gray stones.
"Is this... Alex ?" Asked Anna, shocked.
She wasn't the only reacting like that, even the others were taken aback by the sight just before them.
"Yes, it's Alex".
"Why is he in there, what kind of training is it ?" Asked Amelia what was on everyone's mind.
"Those stones, don't tell me that it's-"
Before Ava could finish, Lilia nodded her head in agreement and said, "it's as you think, it's the nebula stones".
"If you are using the nebula stones it means that he is currently training his affinity, aren't you moving too fast in his training, he might miss the competition if he doesn't get out in time" stressed Ava.
Although they didn't understand what those two were talking about, the moment the other girls heard Ava, they frowned.
"No, on the contrary, I think that it's you who are underestimating him" replied Lilia with a smile.
"Then can you tell me since when he is in this state?" Asked Ava
"It's just been a few hours, so-"
"STOP!" Exclaimed Grace, making Lilia and Ava shut up as they were surprised by her outburst.
"Mind explaining to the rest of us what you two are talking about? What are those "nebula stones" you are talking about, and what is going on with Alex, why did you say that he might miss the competition..." Grace fired question after question.
Lilia and Ava looked at each other before nodding their heads.
Lilia pointed at the rectangular-shaped gray stones, then explained:
"Those stones are called the nebula stones, where I come from, they are essentially used to boost one elemental affinity".
When they heard the explanation, the girls were a little surprised, they had never heard about such a thing as boosting one affinity being possible.
"How do they work?" Asked Eleanor with a hint of interested on her generally stoic face.
"Well, it's quite simple, at first, the nebula stones are transparent, but they have a specialty, they can absorb the elements-"
"I don't see what is special about it, there are other stones or minerals capable of doing the same thing" said Amelia, cutting off Lilia.
Lilia's lips twitched, and she replied with an annoyed tone, "you would surely know if you stop interrupting me".
"Sorry" apologized Amelia.
"Ahem, as I was saying, these stones can absorb elements. But it's not just that feature that makes them special. The unique aspect of these stones is that after absorbing an element, their colors change to match the absorbed element, and then they release the same element into the air."
"Huh? The stone will release the absorbed element? " Asked an astonished Amelia.
"Yes, the stone releases the same element it absorbed. However, there's more to it. If a person possessing the ability related to that element comes into contact with the released element, they will lose all of their senses upon contact."