In the world there exist five distinct elements from which others are derived. They are the foundational few that build and make up the others through their combination and association. The first four are the usual four elements. Fire Air Water and Earth. Structured in any principle this four hold their position. The final and most crucial element is the Balance element.
The balance element holds no physical manifestation but rather representation. Through out history an equilibrium of good and evil, light and dark, yin and yang, has been needed and thought to be necessary. And that equilibrium does exists in every single being and object. Harmatia or Normal. Its existence in the self is a must.
Well, that's the case in this world at least.
***
Sand flowed into and out of the Affinity Pan like water. In through the holes and out through the troughs. It filled the Pan in its white color and soft and fine texture completely obscuring Lozo's feet.
"What now?" Lozo asked wondering what was coming next.
Kisharu didn't answer. He only waited eyes narrowed and looking keenly to the sand around Lozo.
Some minutes passed and Kisharu broke the silence. 'That's odd'
"Looks like you don't an affinity to any of the elements. Fire Air Water or Earth. Disappointing." He said rubbing his hair. Before this he had hoped to find out what Lozo's affinity was and introduce him to gen arts or even have him learn a Scroll Gen Arts while they were at it. But indeed… it was quite disappointing.
"I would have imagined you having at least one or two… but this is—. What to do?" he emphasized his disappointment.
Noticing the let down look on his face Lozo asked. "Why? Are affinities that important?"
Kisharu nodded. "Yes. And especially for the task I was to give you three… four. Without one it'd be useless to teach you on Gen Arts."
Hmm. Lozo thought for a while. His feet had grown accustomed to the cold white sand underneath to a point it was soothing. It swirled like a gentle massage as the sand played in between his toes.
"Why not?" he asked. "If I'm going to face people or domains who use it wouldn't understanding its mechanics or how it works help?"
"I was considering grounding you from the mission but that sounds better. "He turned to Cilia who was nervously trying to escape the glares from Karin.
"Cilia, Mind giving me a hand."
With zero hesitation Cilia rose from her sit. "You can come out if the Affinity Pan, Lozo. Let Cilia have a go."
Lozo did as instructed and wrestled his feet out of the white sand. Cilia entered and just like Lozo her feet were fully gone.
"First the five affinities. You already know them. Fire…"
As he called out their name, spherical balls of sand raised around Cilia. They would take flight and hover next to her leaving a sandy trail as they took full form. Then spontaneously one after another they each changed.
The first ball of sand ignited and scotched into a fire ball. The next ball of sand gushed and rippled into a sphere of water. Next hardened and grew rigid and granularized in a solid ball of stone. Lastly….
"The last affinity, wind." Kisharu said as the ball of sand split into small and finer particles that swirled and rushed like a raging tempest held in a sphere against its will.
"This was what was supposed to happen when you stepped into the affinity pan. Either one or two or all would manifest from the white sand. Cilia here is special and has all the four physical affinities."
At the middle of the open space Cilia smiled cockily as Kisharu praised her. "He, he." She laughed. "Everyone in my family has all four." She boasted.
Lozo moved closer to Cilia who was twirling in joy as the four elements turned with her. He crouched looking closer at the four balls circling the Cilia.
"I remember something…" he said as a flash of a giant crystalline tree formed in his head. 'I used to have one. I think it was water and… earth.'
"Now that you know the affinities, we'll move to the next part…"
Gen Arts.
***
The four balls still circled Cilia as she twirled. Lozo stood next to her watching the balls follow her around, mainly focusing on the two he thought he felt a connection with.
Earth and Water.
"Okay now listen carefully. For Harmatia the method and use of these affinities is based on generation and linking."
First is Generation. In every being or thing in the world there exist an energy formally known as Natural Energy. This is the energy the being breaths into it and stores it in its body. For Harmatia this is the energy manipulated and control to perform different abilities. The act of summoning this Natural energy stored in our bodies is called Generation.
As for the skills or abilities branched of this action they are called Gen Arts.
"You got that?"
Lozo nodded with a slight mumble repeating what he had just said. 'Natural Energy stored in the body and once summoned or Generated forms Gen Arts.'
"Remember Gen Arts involve two processes. Generation and…Linking."
Second is Linking. As earlier stated, every being or thing in the world has Natural Energy. Linking here involves connecting Natural energy to another being's or thing's Natural Energy. This enables the two entities, for a period of time, to have shared Natural Energy flow. This is the concept that powers the Gen arts in essence and application.
But there is a major caveat with this method. Linking one's own Natural energy to that of another directly would lead to contamination of both of their Energies. Hence instead of linking Directly to your Natural energy reserves you…
"You link it to the summoned… generated natural energy from your body." Lozo concluded.
"Correct. By using the energy summoned from your main pool of Natural energy and not linking it directly to the external one you prevent contamination and still achieve a Gen art. Then with the combination of these two methods, Generation and Linking, one's able to achieve a form of casting called Conduit Casting."
Conduit casting is the first Limitation of Harmatia or rather any Harmatia not at the Saint level or Earth Circle of the Natural Ways. This type of casting necessitates the caster to be in contact with the said element.
…
Lozo was still trying to cram all of that when he felt a sudden gush of wind flow by. His eyes raised as his hand departed his chin.
A few steps away from him Kisharu stood with a fist in hand. The fist had misty glow to it, just like when Karin cast her Tazugata.
"My affinity is wind." He said blowing into the fist on one side. On the other floated out an eerie sky bluish ball.
"With the cumulation of the techniques I just told you achieve the first step in your growth as a Harmatia. Gen arts."
The ball Kisharu had formed floated and swayed in the breeze. It moved forward and closer to Lozo. And just as he was about catch it, it dissipated back into the wind that formed it.
"But all that's useless to you if you don't have an affinity."
"So that means…" Lozo turned to Cilia who was still twirling in the sand. So carefree. He thought.
"She can use all four of them."
Kisharu's eyes closed as he shook his head in denial. "No, Cilia is special…"
"Special meaning that she's too dumb to pick up even the simplest of Scrolled Gen Arts. I don't even know why she's here." Karin interrupted. "Are we done here?"
"That's all for today. But remember about the Brown Skies Festivals. You'll be summoned once it begins." Kisharu answered.
"Hmpf! Well then, let's go Kento." Karin ordered already making her way to the main corridor.
Kento hung back a little. The entire time he was still flabbergasted by Cilia's sudden appearance. His heart had already accepted her departure but here she was. Alive and threatening to vomit.
Kento wanted to stay for a while. But Karin wouldn't have any of that. They needed to prove a point to Cilia or her habit would continue.
"Let's go Kento!" her command came again.
This time he obeyed. He followed the dark-haired girl out the building but not before glaring at Lozo. For some reason he perceived him as a threat. A threat to what exactly? Kento didn't have a clue.
…
Kisharu sighed. It had been a long morning and more was to come. First the issue with Cilia's sudden recovery and the imminent festival, which felt more of a trap than a festivity.
"Are they going to be okay?" he heard a voice ask. "They don't seem to be in good terms at all."
It was Lozo.
"Haven't seen one this big. But they'll bounce back."
Behind them Cilia supported herself to one of the pillars that held up the building. All that spinning from before had finally caught up and with it came a churning stomach.
'Don't throw up on the sand.' Kisharu thought as he watched Cilia threaten to hurl out every rice cake she had eaten in that morning.
He turned back to Lozo, rethinking his earlier response. "But it seems this time they'll need someone to pull them back together." He said before leaving Lozo in the open space and heading to aid Cilia.
'Someone to pull them back.' Lozo thought, shifting his eyes to his hands.
At the dead center of his palms, sparks waved in a candle like dance. The glitter met his eyes and in that instance his future became a seed.