A man tapped his fingers impatiently on the podium, standing in front of an empty classroom, no one took his subject so it was expected. But it still hurt him on many levels, especially his mental health.
Just as he was about to give up and walk out like usual, Luciferis and William walked through the doors, both tired and exhausted.
"Is this the class for Elemental Theory? Sir... Eric, right?" Luciferis asked, a small smile on his face.
"Holy shi-"
Eric, the teacher, almost shouted at the top of his lungs; he wasn't expecting students, especially Leonidas, the legendary Frost element student, to come into his class.
"Ah, yes! No one usually attends this because this is too in-depth on a subject that isn't useful for nobles! But, yes! Welcome! Can I get you anything?"
"Nope... Just please, make it a bit short."
Eric was beaming as he ran back to the podium, watching Luciferis and William both take a seat at the front as the chalk in his hand floated up, towards the blackboard, as it began writing on its own.
"Of course! Don't worry! It's just gonna be the basics for today!"
Eric chugged down a cup of water, his throat having dried up from the adrenaline. Was he really going to pass down his immense knowledge? Finally, his life's purpose had been achieved.
"So, we usually divide Elements into four groups, but that's wrong in the eyes of the Imperial Mages! In actuality, there are six! Maybe even eight!
Luciferis eyes widened in just a little bit of surprise. He had never actually gotten a proper education in Vitin; he had just explored it on his own. Using instinct and nothing else.
"Really? Then why does it get simplified to just four?"
"Questions later, William!" Eric grinned from ear to ear, the chalk dropping back into his hands as the symbol of the rest of the Elements got drawn onto the blackboard.
First of three, the symbol of a gust of wind inside a diamond.
"Wind! Yep! Air, Wind, all of these different Elements we usually call 'Formless' are wayyyy to underpowered to be even near the Formless group! So, Imperial Mages subbed them down into a whole new group!"
Then Eric pointed at an empty circle. Was that a symbol?
"Now, here's the thing, some Elements are actually formless, like cloning, mind reading, but aren't really strong enough to be Formless Elements in the traditional sense. So, they're called Pseudo-Formless Elements!"
He then looked at the final symbol, a drop made of red chalk.
"Bloodline Elements, specific to one race or bloodline. Like the Vines of an Elven Person, or the Blood Magic of Vampires! Hopefully that cleared a few things up for you both!"
Luciferis looked at Eric with wide eyes. How did one person know all of this and could explain it this carefully and precisely?
'In my previous life, no one even mentioned anything close to Bloodline Elements; this guy is a genius...'
Eric adjusted his tie, talking to William while Luciferis zoned out in deep thought.
"Wait, sir. Do you know about Frost?"
Luciferis asked, his head whipped towards his teacher, who seemed like he was just waiting to be asked that question this whole time.
"Yep! Yes, I do! I'm actually a scholar in Dead Elements! And boy is Frost hard to learn about!"
Luciferis jumped over his desk, closing the distance between him and Eric almost instantly. He had to hear this with total concentration. It could lead to a boost in power
"So, Frost is the Element needed to become a True Chosen Hero of Winter-"
William stared at Eric with a deadpanned smile on his face as he almost tackled Luciferis onto the ground.
"STOP GETTING STRONGER! GOD DAMN IT YOU'RE LEAVING ME BEHIND!"
"NOT MY FAULT, I'M JUST BETTER!" Luciferis stuck his tongue out.
Eric chuckled nervously, pulling both the boys apart from each other as he looked over at William.
"Hey, no need to frown, William! You have the Sound Element anyway! Yours is equally powerful!"
"The what element? And even if I do have that, it's not more powerful than a mythical Element!" William retorted; he truly didn't know much about the Sound Element.
"The Sound Element is also strong! Don't you worry! You just haven't gotten an understanding of it!"
Luciferis sighed. Why didn't he think of that? Eric seemed and talked like an encyclopedia of Elements; he could help William grow vastly stronger.
"Uhh, Sir, can you please help William grow stronger? Since he can't seem to awaken any of his Elemental Vitin."
Eric's eyes filled with happiness. Finally! He could use all of his knowledge! All of his techniques! To optimize someone's training regimen, like he always wanted for himself.
"Of course! We'll start tomorrow! Sir William, you're gonna be unrecognizable! Thought it's gonna take a while!"
Eric turned to Luciferis. He didn't know why, but he felt indebted to the young boy. He had to fulfill something for the kid as well.
"Third floor of the 7th Year Building, it's got a library specifically about Arcane Elements, just like yours. Find a book about Frost. You might learn a spell. Maybe you'll be able to surpass my student!"
Luciferis smiled, putting forward his hand for Eric to shake. He liked this man. Where was he during the Holy War? Who knows. Luciferis had just found an extremely smart and useful ally.
"Of course. Your student's super shitty anyway."
William grabbed Luciferis' hair, tugging on it before Eric once again pulled him off the boy.
"Alright, alright. Don't fight. The tournament. You can fight in the tournament."
Eric's hand neared Luciferis shoulder, a gesture of friendship.
'There's a blockage in his 17th Vitin Pathway, I'll clear that up.'
He poured just a bit of his Vitin into Luciferis, an attempt to help the boy out. But in return, he got hit with a nightmare.
Eric appeared in front of an empty throne room, filled with the stench of rotting corpses and bodies, the walls coated with blood and the fresh shouts of victims still echoing.
And in front of him was a man, tall and lanky, with wild white hair like lightning, and blazing red eyes, his nails like claws. He wore armor, bearing the insignia of the Orchels.
"Oh? Who are you?"
Eric recognized him instantly. The Guardian Spirit of the Orchels.
"Ah... You're bonded with Leonidas, makes sense?"
"Hm? Figured that out instantly, huh? Pretty impressive for a human like yourself."
It had a booming voice, one that sent shivers down Eric's spine, not out of fear, but out of awe. Guardian Spirits were just a step below Demigods and True Chosen Heroes in authority after all.
"Yeah... I think I'm pretty smart."
The Guardian Spirit stood up, his height terrifying; he towered over Eric. He had a body that demanded respect.
"See, I usually turn into a werewolf to kill people. But I'll let you go, since you're a man of knowledge. Scholar."
Eric grinned nervously as The Guardian Spirit raised his hand, teleporting Eric back into the real world.
"God... That brat is getting into more and more trouble. First a Vampire, then a scholar."