Morris Grey stood at the edge of a shimmering portal, his heart pounding as Aether guided him and his companions through the hidden path within the ruin. The air crackled with energy as Morris took his final step into a strange, ethereal landscape. All around him, the atmosphere was alive with vibrant hues, swirling like a storm of pure elemental power.
He could feel the immense pressure of the environment pushing against him, testing his very existence.
’For Kaelen and for my family’ Morris thought as he instantly looked grim and serious.
Suddenly, without warning, the ground beneath him disappeared, and he found himself free-falling into the eye of an enormous tornado—only this wasn’t a normal storm. It was a chaotic, whirling vortex composed of all the elements: fire, water, wind, earth, lightning, and ice.
The roar of the elemental forces around him was deafening, and Morris could feel the raw, untamed energy slashing through the air, as though it sought to tear him apart.
His instincts kicked in as he twisted mid-air, summoning his scepter, and attempted to stabilize his descent. But the pull of the tornado was fierce. His multicolored mana, which he had practiced tirelessly, began to flicker and spark as it came into contact with the elemental maelstrom.
A voice echoed through the whirlwind, ancient and commanding. "Control the storm, or be consumed by it."
Morris gritted his teeth. He understood now. This wasn’t just a storm—this was a trial. A test of his mastery over the elements, of his ability to control and unify the forces he had learned to command.
The tornado’s flames lashed out, the water threatened to drown him, the wind howled with the fury of a tempest, and the earth beneath crumbled as lightning surged around him. He had to control all of it—at once.
"Focus," he whispered to himself, forcing his breathing to steady. His mind raced back to his training, the countless hours spent mastering the multicolored mana that represented the five elements. He could feel the pull of each element around him, the way they clashed and vied for dominance, each one craving control.
He closed his eyes, his grip on the scepter tightening. The swirling mass of elements rushed toward him, and for a moment, it seemed as though he would be overwhelmed. But Morris reached deep within himself, summoning his vast multicolored mana. The colors of fire, water, earth, wind, and lightning flared to life around him.
He stretched out his arms, his mana pouring out of him and extending into the tornado. Slowly, but surely, he began to weave his energy through the storm, syncing with its rhythm, bringing order to the chaos. He felt the fire bend to his will, the wind calming, the water swirling in unison with his movements.
The earth solidified beneath him, and the lightning, once erratic, became a part of his control.
The storm roared in resistance, but Morris’s power, his will, grew stronger. He was no longer just standing against the storm—he was becoming one with it.
"Obey me!!"
With a final surge of power, Morris thrust his scepter into the heart of the tornado, sending out a pulse of mana. The elements responded, bending, twisting, and then suddenly, as though commanded by a higher force, the tornado of all elements began to slow. The winds died down, the flames dimmed, and the lightning flickered out. The chaotic storm was now under his control.
Breathing heavily, Morris floated in the calm center of what was once an elemental storm. His multicolored mana swirled around him, fully synchronized with the forces of nature. He had passed the test.
The voice echoed again, this time softer, more approving. "You have proven your mastery. The elements now acknowledge you as their guide."
"Yes, I did it"
Morris smiled faintly, his confidence soaring. He had survived the trial, but more importantly, he had grown stronger. The storm had tested his control—and he had come out victorious.
But just as Morris let out a sigh of relief from mastering the elemental tornado, the ground beneath him began to tremble again. His moment of peace shattered instantly as the surroundings darkened. The air shifted, growing heavier, charged with an ominous power. Morris tensed, his scepter still crackling with residual energy from the previous trial.
’Huh? What is going on?’ Morris thought with a creased brows on his face as he looked around him.
Without warning, a blinding light erupted before him. A silhouette, glowing with the same multicolored aura as his mana, materialized out of thin air. The figure hovered effortlessly, radiating pure elemental energy. Its form was indistinct, a swirling mass of fire, water, wind, earth, and lightning, all woven together into a living being of chaotic power.
The silhouette’s presence was overwhelming—like facing the raw force of nature itself.
"What in the wor–"
Before Morris could react, the silhouette raised its hand. A barrage of elemental attacks shot toward him at lightning speed—fireballs, water streams, jagged rocks, bolts of lightning, and slicing wind blades. They came all at once, from every direction, without pause. Morris barely had time to raise his scepter, summoning a shield of mana to protect himself from the onslaught.
His shield flickered under the strain, struggling to hold back the relentless barrage.
Then, a voice echoed in his mind, deep and commanding. "Make the elements an extension of your being… or be self-destructed."
"What!!?"
Morris’s heart pounded in his chest as the words sank in. He gritted his teeth, trying to focus. He had passed the first trial by controlling the elements, but this—this was something entirely different. The silhouette wasn’t testing his ability to control the elements; it was forcing him to become the elements. To make them a part of himself.
Another wave of elemental attacks surged toward him. Morris tried to counter with his multicolored mana, but every time he did, his energy clashed violently with the elemental barrage. Fire met water, wind scattered earth, and lightning collided with his defenses, sending shockwaves through his body.
He couldn’t get ahead of the onslaught—no matter what he tried, the elements refused to sync with him.
Desperation began to creep in. His mana reserves were draining rapidly, and the constant barrage left him with little time to think, let alone strategize. The voice echoed again, louder this time, "The elements are not your tools. They are you. Become one with them, or you will be consumed."
Morris felt the pressure rising, his frustration growing. He was trying—he was summoning his mana, blending it with the elements, but nothing seemed to work. The attacks kept coming, faster and stronger. His shield wavered, cracking under the weight of the elemental force.
’Don’t tell me this is where my journey ends?’
"I… can’t…" he muttered, struggling to hold on. He could feel his energy slipping, the overwhelming power of the trial pushing him to his limits. Every time he thought he had a handle on one element, the others would crash against him, breaking his concentration.
Minutes turned into what felt like hours, and Morris found himself on the defensive, barely holding on. The trial wasn’t just a test of power—it was a battle of endurance, and the longer it went on, the more it chipped away at his strength and confidence.
’No! I refuse to let it end like this. Not when Kaelen’s life and my family is at stake!’ Morris suddenly thought right when he was on the brink of despair as a glint suddenly flashed past his eyes while he kept a resolute look on his face.
And right there, In a brief moment of clarity between attacks, Morris realized something: he wasn’t supposed to fight the elements. He had been trying to command them as if they were separate from him, but that wasn’t what the trial demanded. He needed to stop resisting—to let the elements flow through him, to let them become an extension of his being.
’Is that what this trial is about?’ Morris thought as he quickly thought of changing his approach towards the trial.
But before he could attempt to shift his approach, another barrage of attacks crashed down on him, sending him stumbling backward. His scepter glowed faintly, but Morris’s energy was nearly depleted.
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He gasped for breath, his body aching from the strain. No matter what he did, the trial seemed insurmountable. The elements wouldn’t bend to his will, and the silhouette showed no sign of stopping.
’Seems like this wouldn’t be as easy as a walk in a park’
It became clear to him—he was going to be here for a while. This trial wasn’t one he could pass quickly. It would take time, patience, and a deeper understanding of the elements than he had ever known. But Morris wasn’t ready to give up. Not yet.
With a determined gaze, he steadied himself, taking in a deep breath. He knew the path ahead was long, but he would find a way. He had to.
’Let’s do this!’