Rowen's eyes snapped open, his breath catching. His body felt alive in a way it never had before, with the feeling of roots and soil beneath him, air in his lungs, fire in his veins, and now water cooling his very blood. The elements weren't fighting anymore. They were orbiting each other, fragile but complete.
The five-element ring shone inside him, brighter and clearer than ever.
A grin tugged at his lips, sweat rolling down his temples. "It's real…" he whispered, voice shaking. "The theory is real…"
But as soon as the words left him, the strain of holding five elements at once clawed at his body.
His vision blurred.
Rowen slumped to the floor, the glow of the five-element ring flickering faintly inside him. He was still conscious, but his body felt unbearably heavy, every muscle drained.
Fern appeared before him, his green aura dim but steady, eyes filled with concern as he looked at Rowen's exhausted state.
