Tommy studied the fundamentals of magic at the Athenaeum, he wasn't sure how long he had been there as time seemed to have no meaning in this place.

He learned of the five major elements that were in everything, fire, water, earth, air and lightning. He also learned of the two higher elements known as light and dark, and then there were the two pinnacle elements of time and space.

Fire, water, earth and air where usable by any who could wield magic in this universe, lightning on the other hand was unique among the five basic elements because very few individuals were able to use it, normally this would have put lightning in its own category if it wasn't for the fact that it was always present with the other four major elements.

Light and darkness were rarer than even lightning in the number of people who could use them. Generally it was only individuals who in some way severed the gods that could use these two elements and even then only gods connected to life could use light magic as it was more focused on healing, while those connected to gods of death could use dark magic since it focused mainly on the dead and resurrecting them as servants.

These two elements balanced each other out, as someone once said back on earth, wherever there is light there is darkness and wherever there is darkness there is light.

As for the final two elements, time and space, well these were so rare and powerful that even most gods could not use them, with the exception of the primordial gods since they already existed when time and space came into existence.

Time as the name suggested focused mainly on the slowing and halting of time, it was also possible to use time magic to rewind time by a few moments or even travel back to the past, however the future was deemed impossible according to the books Tommy read.

Apparently no one had ever been able to travel to the future so the speculation was that it didn't exist because it hadn't happened yet.

Anyone who was found to be able to use time magic was always warned that traveling to the past could have dire consequences on the future. Changing one small thing there could completely change something in the present.

For example if the person who traveled to the past killed someone vital in the creation of an empire, then that empire may cease to exist and no one but the person who traveled to the past would be the wiser.

While this may sound useful in many ways, there was ultimately know way of knowing how your action in the past would affect the present until you already did that action.

It was then impossible to return back to the past and stop yourself from doing that action because that past no longer existed, you would instead be returning to the past of the present you now occupied.

Space on the other hand was both a lot easier and more complex to understand, it was easier because one of its main functions was teleportation magic. While teleportation magic without a medium was only possible for those who could use the space element, it was still possible for those without the element to use teleportation if they had a teleportation stone.

These stones were created by space element users at exorbitant prices that only the filthy rich could afford, the idea was that you had to visualize the place you wanted to travel to before injecting your magic power into the stone.

This of course meant that you could only teleport to a place you had been to previously as only a memory of that place had enough detail for the magic to work, a picture simply did not give enough information for example.

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Also teleport stones only had a limited number of uses before they disintegrated so people tended to use them sparingly.

There were also teleportation circles, however these only tended to exist in major cities or the homes of the filthy rich and powerful. Teleportation circles were limited to only being able to send you to another teleportation circle, it was not capable of sending you anywhere you wanted, and the further you traveled the more magic was required to activate the circle.

Magic bags were also an item produced by those who could use space magic and the larger the storage capacity, the more expensive they were to produce and buy.

In essence space magic was very lucrative for those who could use it.

Tommy's item box was also a type of space magic though he was unsure why he was capable of using it and he took note to ask Chao next time he saw him.

As Tommy studied he occasionally saw individuals of other races he had only heard about in stories back on earth.

These other individuals who used the Athenaeum tended to keep to themselves and research what they needed before leaving.

Tommy was unsure how they were capable of coming and going at will, but he suspected it had something to do with the fact that they had earned the right to use the Athenaeum properly while he had come in through a back door so to speak.

One day Tommy was reading a book on the dangers of combining multiple elements when he saw a surprising figure out of the corner of his eye which caused him to look at her.

He was shocked to see that Fayeth was in the Athenaeum and just happened to be passing the section he was in so he called out to her.

"Fayeth."

As he did so she stopped and looked at Tommy before raising an eyebrow in curiosity as she said, "I'm afraid you have me confused with my daughter young human, though I am surprised to know you're familiar with her."

"My apologies," Tommy replied apologetically, "You must be Queen Ameria Elvaris, I had heard you and your daughter Fayeth looked alike but I did not realize it was so similar you could be considered twins."

"My you are the charmer for a young human." Ameria said. "You must know that we elves stop aging once our bodies reach maturity and we then stay the same for the rest of our lives, unless we wish to change our appearance using magic."

"I had heard something like that, however Fayeth being the only elf I have ever met makes it hard to have a comparison, until now of course." Tommy replied, causing Ameria to frown slightly.

"How can you have only ever met my daughter when she has not left the regions around Orelnore?"

"Orelnore, that's the capital city of the elves, correct?" Tommy asked, making Ameria frown even more, "I plan to one assist Fayeth in returning there."

"Returning there?" What do you mean human? My daughter has never left Orelnore." Ameria asked.

"How can that be when I saw her in the Oakforest City of the Etria empire only recently, and even saved her from slavers?" Tommy asked, confused.

"WHAT!" Ameria asked loudly in shock.

As Tommy was about to reply Lyria suddenly appeared near the two of them and admonished Ameria by saying, "Queen Ameria you know the rules of my Athenaeum, raising your voice is strictly prohibited."

"My apologies goddess Lyria." Ameria replied with a bow, however this young man just informed me of something shocking and I couldn't help myself."

"I am aware of this which is why I am only admonishing you and nothing more, but please compose yourself, you are still a queen after all." Lyria replied before turning to Tommy and asking. "Tommy please explain what you mean by you saved princess Fayeth in Oakforest city from slavers.

Tommy nodded before going on to explain to them both how he saved Fayeth from the slavers in Oakforest City and how he helped awaken her with the Black Widow anti-venom, after which they talked about how she came to be there and how her party members betrayed her in allowing the monster black widow's attack to hit her before they left her in the woods."

"If I might ask," Tommy said after he finished explaining, "But how are you not aware that your daughter is missing, I mean it must have been weeks or months since it happened."

Ameria who was deep in thought did not reply so Lyria said, "allow me to explain. If one practices multitasking stringent enough, then you can essentially split your focus in two, I'm sure you have heard of this."

"I have." Tommy replied since he was capable of doing that himself to a certain degree.

"A similar concept applies with magic but on a grander scale." Lyria continued. "Instead of splitting your focus, you are instead splitting your spirit, or soul in two."

"You soul?" Tommy replied in surprise, "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Extremely," Lyria replied. "While it's possible for someone to survive if their body is destroyed but their soul stays intact, the same can't be said in reverse, your soul carries your essence and should it cease to exist then your entire being ceases to exist."