Several bright hues formed around Louis, and he understood. So this was what Cain had been talking about. Was this an element?
He had once asked what they were. Cain had replied that he would say they were created by the goddess, and that they were the foundation of this world.
Then monsters could use magic from birth, so why did people need to awaken?
He replied that monsters have magic crystals inside their bodies, and those crystals contain the various elemental powers. Monsters are therefore naturally oriented toward the elements, and can only use magic through their crystals. Among people, a ritual of awakening is performed to recognise one of the elements. To use magic, one must control the elements in one's surroundings. During the awakening ritual the elements with good compatibility are drawn to a person. And once the element has been recognised, does one still have to train the body and the mind?
Louis gazed at the crystals and asked whether these were the elements themselves.
"No," Cain replied. "Everything in this world is made of elements."
Louis thought about it, and assumed that the element of water suited him when he saw a blue sphere in front of him. He touched it with his hand and saw a goddess with sea creatures following after her, and he was dumbfounded.
He felt a piercing pain and cried out in horror. He grabbed his head, and there was an explosion, and he heard a voice saying that the essence of this world is manifested by the will of the goddess. His eyes widened and he realised that this was bad.
He began to scream, and Aronian called out, "Goddess's barrier. Seal."
When he cast the spell it spread out through all the colours, and Louis tried to calm down, though he still winced with the pain.
The students began to wonder what that had been. It was a stunning wave of magical power. Why had the director sealed it? It was rather hard to see from here.
Aronian shouted at Louis to calm down and not to be influenced by what was around him. He was so furious that even his hair had changed colour. A magical light appeared in his eyes — and then he suddenly stopped, and clutching his head he said that it had been close, and that he had almost lost his mind.
If you looked closely at the elements, they looked like elementary particles. And if they were the same as elementary particles, then by controlling their frequency he could do something special.
When all the colours had gathered into a single ball, they began to move at incredible speed and created a powerful surge. Several different shapes appeared in his hands: earth, water, fire and wind.
All of this began to spread through the room, and Aronian thought: goddess.
A strong wind rose inside the hall, and the students shouted that they had never seen anything like it. What had this commoner done? His aura was far more terrifying than Neil's.
Aronian said that what he had expected had happened. Everything he had expected had happened.
Louis said that the essence of magic was the same as that of elementary particles — which meant that if one thought about it scientifically, human beings could use magic just as easily as monsters did. He held out his hand, and magical power poured from it, and he said that the elements, like elementary particles, were constantly in motion. And if their movement was synchronised with the flow of energy and with breathing, the circulation of the elements became smoother. In this way he could create a magic crystal inside his own body and use magic the way they did.
He closed his eyes, then opened them sharply and created several glaciers around himself. This destroyed part of the room, and Aronian was stunned when he saw it.
The whole hall shone with brilliant light again, and a strong wind rose, lifting Louis upward. Aronian looked at him with a smile, watching as Louis went past the limits of his own power.
The students cried out for help, because they were very frightened. And then suddenly they all froze. He had stopped every living thing in this room with his own power.
Aronian shouted that things were bad. But first he needed to answer this power.
Their goddess, who dwelt in the heavens, must hear their prayer and grant the academy the power of fire. He created a barrier of flame and struck at the glaciers. The students whose ice had melted began to fall to the ground, and the fiery energy pushed against Louis's own.
He went on using it, and meanwhile strange sounds were heard in the professors' offices. Just as outside the temple, no one understood what was happening. The professor on the training ground was also frightened, and turned around.
Louis, who had fallen to the floor, stood facing Aronian, who asked him what this ice-like element was.
Louis stayed silent with his eyes closed, and then suddenly came to his senses and said that the elements were moving at high speed and seemed to be merging. That meant that, depending on the combination, a chemical reaction could occur and a new element could emerge. Wasn't that right? Moreover, the fused wind and water elements had completely filled his meridians and his energy channels. What was he supposed to do about that? He needed to talk to someone about it.
And at that moment he saw the director standing in front of him. He was very surprised, and looking around he did not understand what had happened.
Aronian showed him his own power and held out his palm. Did he understand now?
Louis looked around and saw many students lying on the floor, and said that it seemed he really had done something wrong. The man had saved him.
Headmaster Aronian said that he was returning to his office, and apologised, leaving the clearing-up to others. He was going now. Louis had questions of his own as well. Wasn't he right about that?
Louis followed him out of the room.
When they were in the headmaster's office, Aronian said that first of all he congratulated him on his awakening. If his senses were correct, then he had awakened all four elements. Was that so?
Louis replied that he was right. Let him look at this.
He held out his hand and showed an element of each colour.
Aronian replied that he was already manipulating the elements so easily that he could not believe he was a newly awakened student. His talent was truly something. He should study from this book. It ought to help him learn magic, so he should use it as a guide. Aronian himself could only use earth and wind magic, so he had better ask Fay or Milana.
Louis thanked him for it, and Aronian reminded him that they were both from great families.
He called for Kylie and said that she could come in. She entered the office and bowed, and Aronian introduced her, saying that she was his trusted assistant, and that from now on she would protect him.