As clarity returned, Lumberling steadied his breath, his hand still pressed against the faint warmth near his heart.
'So this is how it works…'
He had devoured not just the mage's essence, but his element. Fire.
It settled inside him like a second pulse, flickering low in his chest. Just like skills, he could claim an element by consuming its source. But unlike a skill or a memory, an element wasn't something one could simply train. You were born with it. Awakened it. Or in rare cases, given to you through extraordinary means.
He looked down at his palm and curled his fingers.
Fire Element...
But he couldn't wield it, not yet. Without entering the Concordant State, any attempt to channel elemental magic could rupture his channels and burn him from the inside out. That's why the Concordia Cycle is essential, he reminded himself. No shortcuts, no recklessness.
