“I at least have some experience in this area,” said James now that he had Ian’s attention. “Although you haven’t seen it yet throughout this trip I expect I will have to use each of my three minor affinities. The first two, lightning and water, came easy for me. Wind did not. We need to find a way to energize and activate your ice affinity. Preferably without using rare materials but it is not like we have any with us.”
“But how do you know I should have an ice affinity? I have been trying to work on it for over two years.”
“I know of your father,” he answered. The statement while true was not the real answer of course though he could not easily explain the time loop. “He wields ice and fire does he not?”
“Yes, he does.”
“First let’s go over what you have tried and done so far, and the methods used. There isn’t a perfect fit for everyone especially those who try and activate more than one elemental affinity within themselves.”
“First was my fire affinity. After learning the basics of magic from my father and teachers he took me out to the lava fields where he activated his own fire affinity. It came very naturally. As soon as we started to hike I sweated, and my body started to burn up. My father did not care for the heat and kept pushing me on. Eventually, I got to the point where I just sat down and meditated. I don’t remember it all after that, but I felt the fire and it no longer burned. After that, we went home, and I practiced the spells I instinctively knew.”
“That would be the inundation method and is most common for the first affinity. When we get to the 21st floor we can try and wait out the cold while you focus on the cold and ice.”
“No. I don’t want you to have you wait for me there. You have reminded me of the power I can have. I want to grab it now. Not in a few hours. And once I can use it will help us traverse the 21st floor.”
“Then we will have to go over a few things,” said James, “and have you go over to the swamp waters. It will be harder because you don’t have any magical items assisting you as a catalyst. It will just be you and you alone. Do you have any suggestions for how you will achieve this?”
“I have worked on this for a while. Just going to the mountains during the winter and meditating didn’t do it. Though I think it was in part mentality and the fact that I was freezing so I used my fire mana to avoid the cold not embrace it. My main idea now is to use my fire magic as an assisting force instead of an opposing force. With the water from this floor acting as a catalyst for ice I just need to cool it down. If a fire is a heat source its inverse is cold. If I can draw heat from something I can cool it down.”
“That will be difficult. How successful this depends on your ability to use fire. Instead of pulling heat from your mana to create fire, you need to grab heat from the environment and then create cold and ice from your mana. I can spend some more time on this floor working with the others if you want to try this. Is there anything else you need me to do before you try this?”
“No. Just hold on to this for me,” Ian passed his staff over to James and he took it. “Hopefully this should soon be ineffective. It helps with my fire control a little bit but with ice, it is just a detriment.”
Ian stood up and left James and the others. He followed the paths now that they were clear of spider monsters and found the spot he was looking for.
James set the staff next to his bag and found Naomi. He had had her prepare a few different types of arrows in the ratios needed for their upcoming fights. She was now practicing firing them off at a few targets she had set up.
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“Ian is busy working on his magic. In the meantime, should we go over your own access to magic?” asked James. “I would like you to learn the mana arrow spell. You have wind mana right?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Your control of it has been great so far. I am certain that you will be able to learn it quickly. I learned the knowledge of the spell from this dungeon, or at least in this dungeon. Now you will do the same.”
James brought out one of his arrows and slotted it in his bow.
“To start you must focus on your mana going into every piece of the arrow. Starting from the tip and moving back you will flood your mana as you draw the string back and aim. As you draw it back the arrow will feel heavier though that is an illusion. Once you have infused even the feathers with mana it is time to release the string. While you can overflow the arrow with mana it is not recommended. Especially at this stage while you are learning. If you go overboard with your mana the object you are infusing may become unstable and the arrow will break shattering its bonds with the mana causing a blowback on yourself. Start simple then expand from there.”
“How do I know if there is too much mana? Or too little?” asked Naomi.
“If there is too little mana the arrow will not glow properly and will be less effective. The key is to balance the spread of mana within the arrow so that it is even. Why don’t you start, and I will give my suggestions from there?”
James spent the next few minutes going over the mana arrows with Naomi. She only tried firing one of her creations. The rest of them returned to her body as unused mana. As the practice was wrapping up he left her to practice and improve on her own while checking on Derek and Wes. When he found them the pair were practicing sparring and trading blows with the spear and sword. Because Wes was not as comfortable with the spear it was easier for Derek to get up close and clash with Wes’s new shield.
Ian stood near the murky waters of the swamp. He thought over the words spoken by James. Ever since he had activated his fire magic for the first time he knew that ice would come next, but it hadn’t arrived. Not as easily as fire magic. He was reminded of his older brother’s sneers and his father’s disappointment that he had not gained access to their family’s legacy before starting to train with the adventurers.
For several years, he had honed his few spells and started to master the art of fire magic. Using it to bend the elements to his will. But now, he sought to push his abilities even further, to unlock the power of ice magic and harness its full potential. Without the other half his power was not complete.
Ian focused his mind, reaching deep within to find the spark of magic that lay dormant within his soul and body. Slowly, he began to draw it forth, calling forth the elements of fire and water to aid them. Bringing out the energy in something to make it cold was the opposite of fire’s job after all. The swamp around him seemed to come to life, the misty tendrils of magic swirling and dancing in response to Ian’s call.
With a deep breath, Ian began to beckon the elemental forces of ice and snow to lend him strength. The air around them grew colder, the mists turning to frost and the water in the swamp started to freeze over. Branches snapped as the trees around him grew too cold too quickly.
And then, it happened. Ian’s body was suddenly infused with a surge of energy, a rush of power that was unlike anything he had ever experienced. The magic coursed through his veins, and with a mighty cry, Ian unleashed the full force of his ice magic. Hot and cold coexisted within himself to form his magic.
The swamp for thirty feet around him was transformed in an instant, the once-dark and dreary landscape becoming a winter wonderland. The trees were encased in sparkling ice, their branches weighed down by the frozen crystals. The water was solid, a gleaming sheet of ice stretching out in all directions. And at the center of it all stood Ian, his eyes alight with the power of the magic he controlled.
With the influx of power, he knew what spells he wished to try. Ian reveled in his newfound power, feeling the strength of the ice magic coursing through his body. He raised his hands, and with a gesture, a wall of ice rose from the frozen swamp. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a barrage of ice spikes at the wall, and they shattered upon impact.
He heard the sound of cracking ice and spun around. James was walking toward him and nodded.
“It seems that you were able to get through that mental block. You will find that with two types of abilities instead of one, your spells will be much more versatile. We should start heading back and you can test out those powers against the spider queen and demon. You spent a bit more time than I expected.”