Chapter 4
"What do you mean? And will you just stop keeping me in suspense? It's killing me!" Grey said, frustration evident in his voice.
The mage sighed and leaned back in his chair. "You see, we mages have different affinities, each graded by color—something you're already aware of."
"With red being the lowest and gold being the highest," Grey interjected.
"Exactly. Take me, for example. I'm a fire mage. If I had a red-colored talent—though unlikely, since fire users usually have high affinities—I wouldn't even be able to produce a fireball. At best, I'd be limited to controlling existing flames. Red-colored talents are severely restricted in their abilities."
"While those with a higher grade, like blue-colored talents, can create fire from thin air due to their stronger affinity," Grey added.
"Correct," the mage nodded. "So, both affinity and grade matter. And I assume you know what fuels a mage's power?"
"Mana," Grey answered without hesitation.
"Right. Mana is the energy source we draw from the world to replenish our cores and continue casting spells."
"Okay, I get that. But what does this have to do with me?"
"That brings us to affinity types."
"Affinity types?" Grey asked, confused.
The mage raised a brow. "You mean to tell me you've never heard of them?"
Grey shook his head. The mage sighed before explaining. "There are different affinity types. Some mages are single elementalists, meaning they can only wield one element. Then, we have dual elementalists, those who can command two elements. These mages are highly versatile, though rare."
"What?! Those kinds of people exist?" Grey's eyes widened in shock.
"Yes. But just because someone has two elements doesn't automatically make them strong. If both affinities are weak, they're not much of a threat. However, if you ever encounter a dual elementalist with high grades in both elements, my advice is simple—run. They are incredibly dangerous."
Grey nodded, committing that piece of advice to memory.
"Then there are multi-elementalists—extremely rare mages who can control three or more elements. These individuals are fearsome, and that's why I was once considered the strongest mage—I could wield four elements."
"Wait… you? You're a multi-elementalist?" Grey stammered, barely able to process the revelation.
The mage smirked. "Indeed. And remember what I said about weak dual elementalists? Well, if you ever encounter a multi-elementalist, my advice remains the same—run. They typically possess high grades in all their elements."
He then leaned forward, eyes sharp. "Finally, we have special affinities—unique elements beyond the traditional ones. There are only three: Space, Chaos, and Time. Those who wield them are akin to gods."
Grey's breath caught in his throat as the mage smiled. "And that, my friend, is why I called myself a god. I wield Space Affinity, which is where we are right now—inside my domain."
Grey trembled, fully realizing just how powerful this man was.
"Now," the mage continued, "the reason I gave you this long explanation is because of what I saw in the orb when I tested you."
Grey swallowed hard. "Which is?"
The mage grinned. "Grey Dawn, congratulations. You're a multi-elementalist—and not just any multi-elementalist. I would wager you're the strongest of them all. You possess five elemental affinities, and one of them is a special affinity."
"F-Five?!" Grey's voice cracked. "Five freaking elemental affinities?! How the hell is that even possible?!"
The mage chuckled. "And to think you were about to throw your life away before discovering this. What a waste of talent and power that would have been."
Grey's mind spun. "This... this doesn't make sense. How can this be real?"
The mage shrugged. "Beats me. Maybe the gods chose you? You're ridiculously overpowered."
Grey took a deep breath, then smirked. "Aren't you jealous?"
The mage arched a brow. "Jealous? Why would I be?"
"I have so many affinities. In time, I might even surpass you. Doesn't it bother you that I could take your title as the strongest mage?"
For a moment, the mage's face darkened, and the space around them trembled. Grey felt the air grow heavy, his instincts screaming at him to flee.
Then, just as suddenly, the mage's expression softened into a playful grin. "That's what I would say if I actually cared."
Grey exhaled sharply, realizing how close he'd been to disaster.
The mage chuckled. "Look, my time on Earth is ending. I won't interfere in its affairs, even though the world is on the brink of collapse. But since I won't be around, why not groom the next strongest mage? And for the record, I'm not the jealous type."
His expression then shifted, eyes flicking to something behind Grey. "Alright, it's time for you to go."
"What?! No! I still have so many questions! What exactly are my affinities? How do I control them? How can I—"
"When the time is right, you'll unlock them naturally. But since I'm feeling generous, I'll allow you one question before you leave."
Grey's mind raced. He needed to ask something important. Then it hit him.
"How can I contact you? How can we meet again?"
The mage smiled. "Whenever you need to talk to me, just look into your heart, and you'll find me here again. Now... bye!"
"Wait! What do you mean—?!"
Before Grey could finish, the space around him shattered, and he was pulled into an infinite void.