"…Magic has many different attributes. However, the most commonly seen ones are Water, Fire, Wind, and Earth.
Can anyone name a few of the rarer attributes?" - The old teacher asked as he pointed at a child sitting below the podium.
The child he pointed to stood up confidently and replied,
"Teacher, some examples would be Ice, Lightning, Wood, Light, and Darkness."
"Correct. Besides the four common attributes, many other magical attributes have been discovered throughout history. The ones you mentioned are only a few among them.
Some attributes are closely related variants of the four main ones. For example, Ice is closely related to Water. Wood and Metal are related to Earth. But some attributes exist independently of the four elements, such as Space.
You may have already encountered an application of this attribute in a very convenient magical item — the spatial bag," the old teacher continued explaining.
Hearing this, the children below began whispering excitedly.
"I really wish I had one."
"They're really expensive."
"I asked my father. He said he'll give me one when I turn seventeen." - One child bragged happily.
"Tris already has one, even though he's only seven," - Another voice said.
"I wish I could win the Puppet Dance competition too." - Another child muttered jealously while glancing toward the corner of the classroom.
In that corner sat a small boy quietly immersed in a book.
He had short black hair and bright, watchful eyes.
His face was delicate — almost somewhat feminine.
What stood out the most, however, was the calmness on his face, completely at odds with his young age.
There was even a strange hint of indifference in his expression.
Despite sitting in the corner, the boy somehow gave the impression that he was the center of the entire room.
The classroom contained more than thirty children of different ages, ranging from eleven to sixteen.
The fact that Tris, who had just turned eight this year, was sitting among a group of much older students created a rather unusual sight.
Yet strangely, no one in the classroom seemed to question it.
"Quiet," the teacher said with a light cough before continuing the lesson.
"Unlike Warriors, who use spiritual energy to strengthen their bodies in combat, Mages like us can manipulate spiritual energy far more flexibly.
By controlling spiritual energy and interacting with the surrounding environment, a Mage can cast countless forms of magics — from something as simple as creating a spark of flame to something as complex as summoning an entire storm."
"So does that mean Mages are superior to Warriors who cannot use magic?" one child asked while raising his hand.
Hearing this, the old teacher explained carefully.
"If properly guided, almost anyone can learn to use the spiritual energy within their body and fight like a Warrior to some extent.
However, the number of people capable of becoming a Mage is far smaller.
Take our village, for instance. Setting aside the very young and those still learning the basics, about two hundred children are ready to study advanced subjects.
Among them, only thirty-four possess magical talent and are sitting in this classroom.
That puts the ratio at roughly fifteen percent—already quite high compared to other places.
For this reason, along with the versatility of magic, society generally views Mages as a more prestigious profession than ordinary Warriors."
"However," the old teacher's tone grew serious,
"Believing that Mages are superior to Warriors in battle would be a deadly mistake.
In a one-on-one fight between a Mage and a Warrior of the same level, it is far from certain that the Warrior will lose.
Magic is versatile and convenient, but a Mage is still limited by talent and time. What magics a Mage can learn, and which direction they choose to study, means they are not always proficient in combat — especially close combat, which is a weakness for many Mages.
Warriors, on the other hand, focus purely on combat. A Warrior who spends years training their body and combat techniques can be a terrifying threat to a Mage — especially once they close the distance.
Furthermore, their combat techniques are tied to physical movements and can often be executed far faster than magic, which usually requires more complex procedures and intense concentration."
The old teacher poured out a long lecture, worried that the children might become arrogant and lose their lives foolishly by underestimating those who were not Mages.
"So wouldn't the best solution be to learn magic while also training the body and combat techniques?" one child asked.
The old teacher immediately scolded him.
"Foolish. Were you not listening?
Every Mage is limited by talent and time.
Even if you had the talent to learn both… do you really think someone who splits their time between magic and combat techniques could match a Mage who dedicates all their time to studying magic?
Or compete with a Warrior who devotes every moment to honing their body and combat techniques?
Of course, I do not deny that some Mages follow both and still succeed.
Take Mage Silas of our village as an example. He is capable of using many combat techniques.
But there is no single 'best' path. Focus on one or try to balance both—each path carries its own strengths and weaknesses.
The only thing you need to do is choose the path most suitable for yourself."
Sitting quietly in the corner, Tris nodded in agreement.
'Mages are like scholars. Being knowledgeable is valuable, but if a thug — a Warrior — gets close enough to smash you in the face with a stick, you'll still go down.' - He thought to himself.
'Of course, there are exceptions like Mage Silas… but generally speaking, that rule still holds.'
'And even Silas himself probably wouldn't enjoy being chased down by a full-time Warrior.'
After that thought, he lowered his head again and continued reading his book.
The book described lands, races, and religions.
From it, he learned that the village he lived in was located in the western part of the Kingdom of Eldoria, fairly close to the neighboring kingdom of Braxen.
While the main religion of Eldoria worshiped the God of Light, Solvaris, the people of Braxen followed the God of War, Dravok.
This world was also home to many different races.
Among them, the most numerous were the various species of magical beasts.
What distinguished magical beasts from ordinary animals was their higher intelligence and greater strength.
Within their bodies lay what was known as a magic crystal — something normal animals did not possess.
Magic crystals were valuable materials often used as energy sources or storage cores for magical items and magic formations.
They could also help mages recover their spiritual energy more quickly.
Aside from magical beasts with low intelligence, humanity still made up the majority of intelligent races.
The book also mentioned that large numbers of dwarves lived in the mountain ranges of Braxen, while the southern forests of Eldoria served as the main homeland of the elves.
Having never traveled far from home, the book truly broadened his understanding of the world.
"Tris, can you explain the steps required to use a magic?" - The teacher suddenly asked.
Looking up from his book, he calmly answered:
"There are three main steps.
First, control the source of spiritual energy — either from one's own body or from an external source.
Second, channel the spiritual energy. This is usually done through incantations, but it can also be achieved through inscriptions, runes, magical tools, and so on.
The final step is shaping the magic and activating it."
"Correct." - The old teacher nodded in satisfaction.
"Mastering the first step allows you to control the power of the magic and conserve spiritual energy.
The second step greatly affects the speed of magic formation as well as its efficiency.
And the final step determines the magic's precision — such as when and where it activates.
You must remember these fundamentals for every magic you cast.
With a strong foundation, even a simple fireball can become incredibly powerful.
But without a solid foundation, even the most complex magic will be difficult to apply effectively.
That will be all for today's lesson. Make sure to continue reviewing on your own."
As soon as the class ended, the children excitedly bowed to the teacher and quickly rushed out.
Tris closed the book he had been reading and stood up to leave.
The teacher was right.
He really did need to go back and continue studying.
For him, the long day was only just beginning.