Aetherios System [Slow Build OP MC, Isekai LitRPG/Cultivation] Chapter 19: Chapter 15: Magic

Read chapter 19 of Aetherios System [Slow Build OP MC, Isekai LitRPG/Cultivation] by TTReynolds on NovelPedia.

Chapter 15: Magic Chapter 15: Magic Alex sat cross-legged on the floor next to Garret who was in a similar position. They were both in the middle of a circular glyph that Celeste had drawn for them on the shop's wooden floor. Despite them both doing the same thing, they each completely ignored each other. Their eyes clamped closed and no words passed between them. The sigils that sat under each of them glowed and thrummed softly, like a heartbeat of waxing and waning energy. The lines of the glyphs emitted an arcane light that followed the pattern of this heart. Alex and Garret had been sitting like this for the past fifteen minutes. Utterly silent, in a meditative pose, and just breathing deeply in a rhythm of their own. Feel the pull, follow it wherever it wants, and don't resist. Alex repeated Celeste's earlier statement inside his head over and over again, the only thought he allowed to break the mental tranquility inside himself. Was that it? He felt a twinge of something in his body, or maybe it was just a muscle twitch, he didn't know. That's got to be it. I'll follow that, and hope for the best. Alex was getting restless, even after such a short time. Normally he was capable and self-disciplined enough to stay focused and still for a few hours. He had done meditation before when he was younger and still in martial arts. This was harder though, since this exercise was supposed to determine his magical element -according to Celeste anyway- and thus the start of his journey to learning magic. Garret and Alex had gotten to this point after Celeste began her explanation of magic and magical cores. It was a road of information that both Garret and he were desperate to travel, and they had ganged up on the poor old lady with their relentless questions. "Magic Cores? Is that what lets us cast spells?" Alex had said once the word "magic" left the woman's mouth. "What spells can you teach us? Can I shoot boulders at people?" Garret chimed in, once again doing a horrible mimicry of what Alex assumed was a Chinese martial art of some sort. "No they themselves don't cast spells. And no- well yes if you have the right spell actually." Celeste said in response. Not knowing the can of worms she was opening between them. "How are spells cast then?" Alex asked. "What's the biggest boulder you can launch?" Garret added. "What are the elements you mentioned? Can you only have one element?" "Which element is strongest? Is it like a strengths and weaknesses system?" "Do the other stats enhance your magic somehow?" "Can I not be bug type? Bug types are always the weakest." "Enough!" Celeste shouted over them, stopping their barrage of questions. She set her teacup down and shook her head. Alex heard the woman suck in a breath between her teeth while she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Magic is more complicated than you kids seem to understand. So stop asking stupid questions for a few minutes and I will try to explain," She looked up at each of them in turn, her glare showed Alex that they might have pushed a little too far this time. "Sorry, please go on," Alex said. He hung his head in shame. Celeste then looked at Garret, her eyes boring holes through his head and straight to his soul. "S-sorry..." Garret stammered. Silence hung over the three of them for several long moments, like a thread between them that was pulled too tight. Eventually, the silence was broken by Celeste's sigh. "Alright then," She said. "Magic is broken down into six elemental affinities. Air, Water, Fire, Earth, Light and Dark. None of them are the strongest." She glared at Garret whose mouth was beginning to open again, promptly forcing him to close it with a snap of teeth on teeth. "Some elements oppose one another in various ways. Water and fire, air and earth, light and dark. But this is not always true, depending on the effect and intent of a magical spell, the outcome may surprise you." Celeste spoke while stirring her tea with a small spoon. As she did so, s