Elias sprinted down the spiraling corridors of the inner academy, his boots echoing against the stone floors. His heart raced, not from exhaustion but from the sinking realization that he was late. Again.
"Magical Theory, second floor, east wing," he muttered to himself, scanning the signs.
He'd been so focused on committing the Academy's labyrinthine layout to memory that he hadn't realized just how disorienting it all was.
Sliding to a stop outside the classroom door, he took a deep breath and pushed it open, the hinges creaking in protest.
A dozen heads turned toward him, including the instructor's — a tall, stern man with a neatly trimmed beard and piercing green eyes.
"You must be Elias," the instructor said, his voice sharp but not unkind. "You're late."
"I'm sorry, sir," Elias said, bowing his head. "I got lost."
The instructor regarded him for a moment before gesturing toward an empty chair near the middle of the room. "Take a seat. You've already missed the introduction, but I won't hold it against you this time."
Elias nodded gratefully and slid into the chair, avoiding the curious glances from his classmates. The room was dimly lit, with glowing sigils etched into the walls, casting a soft, pulsing light.
It felt almost otherworldly, the perfect setting for a lesson on magic.
"As I was saying," the instructor continued, resuming his lecture, "magic is not just a tool — it is a fundamental force that governs our reality. What you see in your skill panels, what you label as fire, water, earth, or air, are merely the tamest expressions of a far greater power."
Elias shifted in his seat, pretending to take notes while scanning the room. His classmates were a mix of eager and bored expressions, some scribbling furiously, others staring blankly.
For him, this class wasn't about learning — it was about blending in.
The instructor moved to a glowing diagram projected onto the wall, showing a stylized image of a System interface. "Each of you awakened at least one elemental affinity when your System activated. This affinity is determined by the nature of your soul and your inherent connection to the forces of the world."
A murmur ran through the room, and the instructor smiled faintly. "Yes, I see the curiosity. I'll explain. Fire affinity does not mean you're 'hot-headed,' just as water affinity does not make you 'calm.' These are misconceptions. Your affinity is less about personality and more about resonance. Fire, for example, resonates with destruction and rebirth. Water resonates with adaptability and flow."
Elias felt a knot of discomfort in his chest. He glanced at his own System panel in his mind's eye. All natural elements. Fire, water, earth, air, lightning, ice. It was absurd.
Even the most gifted Hunters in history typically had two affinities, three if they were extraordinary. What did it mean for him to have them all?
He shook the thought away. It wasn't the time to dwell on it.
The instructor's voice deepened as he shifted topics. "Now, let us discuss the origins of magic. Many of you have heard the tales of the goddesses — mystical beings who are said to govern the elements. Whether you believe these stories or not, their influence is undeniable."
Elias perked up at this. He hadn't expected mythology to come into the lesson.
"There are six primary goddesses," the instructor continued, pacing the room. "Each representing an elemental domain. Pyra, the goddess of fire, is said to embody passion and destruction. Aqua, the goddess of water, represents purity and change. Terra governs earth, symbolizing stability and endurance, while Zephyr, the goddess of air, embodies freedom and unpredictability. Voltis, the goddess of lightning, represents energy and innovation, and finally, Glacis, the goddess of ice, embodies preservation and clarity."
As the instructor spoke, glowing symbols representing each goddess appeared in the air, spinning slowly like constellations. The class murmured in awe.
"These goddesses," he said, gesturing to the symbols, "are not just mythical figures. They are the embodiment of the elemental forces we channel through our Systems. Some scholars believe that when you awaken your magic, it is these goddesses who grant you their favor."
"Do they really exist?" a voice piped up from the back of the room — a girl with a sharp tone that carried easily.
The instructor turned to her with a wry smile. "That depends on who you ask. The Priests of the Flame would swear on Pyra's existence, while the Scholars of the Storm would call it superstition. As for me? I care less about belief and more about results. Whether you think of them as goddesses or simply as forces of nature, the magic is real. And that's what matters."
Elias leaned back in his chair, letting the information wash over him. He had never given much thought to the origins of magic.
Growing up in the settlement, magic had always been a tool — something used to light fires, purify water, or fend off beasts. But hearing it framed this way, as something divine or sacred, gave it a weight he hadn't considered.
"And this is where your System comes in," the instructor said, pulling up a new diagram. "Your skill panel categorizes your magical abilities into levels and affinities, allowing you to see where your strengths lie. This was not always the case. Before the Apocalypse, magic was raw, untamed. The System has refined it, given it structure. Without it, you'd all be flailing in the dark."
Elias bit his lip. The System, for all its structure, had made him an anomaly.
How could he explain that his Fire Manipulation, Water Manipulation, Earth Manipulation, and the rest were already maxed out? That he had access to abilities people only dreamed of mastering after years of effort? He couldn't. Not yet.
The lesson moved on to practical applications, with the instructor demonstrating simple spells and their theoretical underpinnings.
Students were called up to the front to attempt them, with varying degrees of success. A boy with earth affinity created a small tremor, while a girl with water affinity produced a ripple of liquid from thin air.
Each attempt was met with feedback from the instructor, who corrected their techniques and praised their efforts.
Elias remained silent, avoiding eye contact. He knew he could replicate any of their spells effortlessly, but doing so would only draw attention.
As the class wound down, the instructor addressed them one last time. "Magic is not just about power. It's about understanding. If you master the theory, the practical will follow. But if you rely solely on instinct, you will reach a ceiling. And in this world, ceilings are death."