He had made it. Jack had gotten a new rank of C. Out of the first years his rank was 325. With that score, he was able to take a pick from the available elemental cores.

He had discussed what they would choose and what he should pick extensively with his friends.

“Well, you don’t have anything defensive. It’s generally recommended that you absorb a defensive element first. Maybe you should choose ice or earth?” Salem was very smart and always used logic.

“Defense is boring, you should choose more offense and really become scary on the battlefield.” Chad was always single-minded. He only cared about one thing. He had a firm belief that the best defense was a good offense. Sable didn’t really have an opinion. He still didn’t know what he wanted to pick and was no help at all. Ariel was an interesting conversation. Her tribe believed that the most important thing to consider when choosing an elemental core was the spiritual connection the wielder has with their chosen element. Each element has its own unique power, and it is important to find one that resonates with the wielder on a deeper level than just a surface understanding.

Ariel's tribe held the power of air in reverence. "It can cleanse both body and soul," they would say. "We respect its strength and must use it wisely. The same could be said for all elements. They each had their own unique attributes that must be respected by those wishing to master them.”

Jack had seriously considered absorbing another electricity element. They are always one of the last available and his electricity power would become even stronger. But he was worried. He still was having trouble controlling the vast amount of electricity at his fingertips. Absorbing another electricity could be too much.

That is when Jack shifted his focus to fire. He thought about controlling fire and the impressive potential. He could make a combo attack by combining fire with his electricity, he could even melt his opponents or burn them to ashes. Jack's face lit up at the thought of that, but he gave up on the idea. As much as he loved the idea of moving fire, it didn’t really make sense.

There was another element he was considering. It was odd, but it could help him a lot in the future. It was the element of water. Jack looked at the water element on the available list. He was intrigued. His gaze became more serious, as he contemplated the possibilities of this element.

Next was the sand element. It was an uncommon element, with interesting potential. Suddenly, Jack’s mind was filled with visions of himself controlling the sand to his will: reforming gigantic walls to block out opponents and creating massive blades and weapons from the sand. He thought about what else he could do with this new element. He imagined using it for defensive purposes such as creating quicksand traps or sand storms that would confuse and disorientate enemies on the battlefield. He also thought about using it for offensive capabilities like summoning giant creatures made entirely out of sand or forming a powerful shield around himself that would protect him from any attack.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

The possibilities seemed endless and exciting. But then his eyes settled on the wood element. It was a strange choice, but he thought it would be a very powerful element to possess. He could create wooden walls and barriers to protect himself and his allies from danger. He could use it to speed up plant growth or even make giant trees that would provide shade and shelter in any situation. He could also control the strength of his attacks by manipulating the size and shape of his wooden weapons.

But then, he had an even crazier thought. He asked himself what would happen if he absorbed the lava element? Controlling electricity and lava was a crazy idea. It seemed like a daunting task, but with enough focus and dedication, maybe he could make it possible.

In the end, he made up his mind. The choice was obvious with his long-term plan. Out of all the elements, one would help his design plans more than any other. He needed an element that offered him defensive options while still being useful on offense and utility. He chose water.

Due to the ease of the ritual. The person absorbing the core doesn’t need to wait exactly a year before absorbing the next element. The academy encourages students to absorb their core while at the academy due to its enhanced facilities. This also allows the person to become accustomed to their new power before the school year.

The ritual was unbelievably easy. The ritualist was a tall thin man with long black hair that fell to his shoulders. He wore a long white robe with a black sash around his waist adorned with white gold medallions.

Jack spent a moment examining the elemental core. The cube looked like it contained an entire ocean. The ocean broiled around with choppy seas and almost seemed to splash outside of the cube. Jack stared at the cube intently. The water was not a blue or green, but some otherworldly color that Jack didn’t have a word for. Jack stepped forward and gently touched the cube. The cube was cool to the touch, like the feeling you get when you stick your hand into cool water that’s sitting in the sink. The cube was quiet, but the water inside sounded like a crashing wave. The cube was musty, but not from age. It was like the scent of the ocean on a hot summer day.

Compared to absorbing it naturally he didn’t even notice when he absorbed his second element. Closing his eyes he felt the water element settle into place like a bubble of water that had sat in his chest waiting to be here and now.

Opening his eyes he looked around slightly confused. The individual who had performed the ritual looked at him expectantly. Jack examined his hands for a moment to see if anything had changed. Nothing. But he could feel it. The second element. It felt so much different than electricity. He attempted to call the water like he would electricity. With all his concentration he attempted to create a simple ball of water. He failed spectacularly, but he was able to create water. It just kinda sprayed out of his hand for a moment like a hose in mist mode. The ritualist just had a small smile on his face as he started to clean up. “don’t make too much of a mess.” He said with a slight smirk.

Jack felt a little light-headed as he left the ritual chamber. His friends were all right outside waiting for him. He opened the door and saw their excited and happy faces.