The sight of the small, sleeping figure in the shimmering cocoon commanded immediate reverence from the Obsidian Phalanx.
Sylva, recovering from her initial shock, began to explain the significance of their discovery, recalling the ancient tales and forbidden myths of the continent. The Four Great Elemental Spirits were not mere monsters but beings of pure, focused mana, the original fountainhead of all elemental magic on this continent. Their presence was historically tied to periods of immense continental power.
The Wind Spirit: Sylphid, which lay before them, represented immense speed, purity, and absolute control over all atmospheric phenomena. It secured the Elven Kingdom's royal family's position as the highest authority in their territory; it was said that one Elven ancestor, bound to the Sylphid, stopped an entire rebel army single-handedly, granting the kingdom mastery over the skies.
The Fire Spirit: Salamander embodied kinetic energy, heat, and raw, destructive power. It once had an owner who later became the Second Mage Emperor. He used the Salamander's terrifying power to control the whole Neutral Empire by force, proving unstoppable until his sudden and mysterious death. After his death, the Salamander vanished, and its location remains unknown.
The Earth Spirit: Gnome represented mass, stability, and control over terrain and gravity. Its unique power was historically sought by the Dwarven State to enhance their fortress building and metalworking. The present Dwarven State's massive, unyielding underground cities are the direct product of the Gnome's influence. However, after its owner died, the Gnome also went missing. The Dwarven State still searches for its whereabouts, though to most of the world, the elemental spirit is just a myth.
Finally, the Water Spirit: undine embodied life, flow, and the manipulation of liquid and thermal states. This Spirit was once bound to a powerful Demi-human family in the Northwest Territory. The spirit's magic transformed their area, flooding it with water mana, making the region incredibly rich in resources and turning it into a treasure trove of alchemical products, elevating the Demi-human family to high status.
"In the present day," Sylva said, her voice filled with awe, "these spirits are just relics of the past, mere myths used to explain the origins of high-rank magic."
"So this is a Sylphid, one of the Four Great Elemental Spirits," Zathis breathed, looking at the cocoon. "Is it dangerous to be near this entity?"
"An Elemental Spirit needs someone to contain its powerful mana," Sylva explained, pointing to the dense plant life and chaotic atmosphere. "If the elemental spirit is not bound to any human, demi-human, or monster, it will continuously leak pure mana. What we see in this top canyon—the immense saturation of Wind mana—is the result of the Sylphid's mana leakage. It is safe to assume it has no owner. Since it has no owner, there's no command issued to the Sylphid, so it may be non-hostile or hostile, depending entirely on our actions."
"It seems it isn't waking up," Vara noted.
"So how do we tame it?" Zane asked.
"You don't tame it; it chooses," Sylva corrected. "You simply cast a little Wind magic toward it, and the Spirit will decide if it resonates with your core."
"In our party, only four of us can cast Wind magic: Kaelus, myself, Vara, and you, Zane," Sylva observed.
"So the four of us have a chance to tame this little entity," Vara exclaimed.
Zane shook his head, a rare look of deference on his face. "I am not interested in this little entity. Don't get me wrong, but I think there's only one here who is worthy to wield this kind of power."
"Exactly, Leader," Vara agreed immediately.
"So it seems the majority vote is casted," Sylva said, looking at Kaelus. "Kaelus, activate your Wind mana."
"Wait? Me? How are you guys so casually deciding this important power?" Kaelus asked, utterly bewildered by their immediate consensus.
"Your judgment saved us all, Kaelus. You stopped the attack," Sylva countered firmly. "As you said earlier, the mana signature we detected is higher than SSS-rank. Kaelus, you were correct. This entity is likely Exalted Rank or EX-Rank. Furthermore, you cannot kill it because this entity is a pure concentration of Wind itself. Using a Wind elemental skill like Ryujin no Kaze on a Sylphid is suicide; it would only scatter your elemental skill, potentially killing us all in the process."
"So my judgment saving us all doesn't mean that this entity will automatically belong to me," Kaelus argued. "How about this: we will all activate our Wind Element, and whoever the Sylphid chooses will be its owner."
"Okay, fine," Sylva conceded. "Zane, Vara, let's go."
The sight of the small, sleeping Sylphid commanded the attention of the Obsidian Phalanx. They decided on a test of elemental resonance, believing the Spirit would choose its new master.
Kaelan, Grund, Zathis, and Jian retreated to a safe distance. Vara, Zane, Sylva, and Kaelus stood before the cocoon. Each of them channeled their Wind mana, releasing a pure stream of green energy toward the shimmering silk.
Vara's Wind flowed with turbulent fluidity; Zane's, mixed with Earth, moved with stable, purposeful weight; Sylva's, combined with Fire, pulsed with sharp, kinetic energy. Kaelus's Wind, now immense and dense from the converted SS+ core, flowed as a singular, overwhelming river of elemental force, far denser than the others.
The Sylphid's cocoon shimmered in the combined light, visibly absorbing the energies. In the clear vision of the Obsidian Phalanx members, the small entity inside showed no signs of waking up. However, none of them noticed the slight, almost imperceptible flinch the cocoon made upon absorbing their pure wind mana.
"It seemed none of us were worthy of its attention," Sylva sighed, disappointed.
"Even Kaelus, who had the highest chance out of the four of us?" Vara asked, surprised.
"There's no use in lingering on it," Zane stated pragmatically. "Let's continue to travel."
Kaelus simply nodded, channeling his energy. The Wind Carriage reformed around the team, and he lifted them upward, resuming their journey over the canyon.
But as the Obsidian Phalanx ascended, they failed to notice that the shimmering cocoon they left hanging from the giant leaf was now completely empty.