In the ancient weave of nature, four primal forces—Earth, Water, Air, and Fire—shape the world. A fifth joins them, marking their presence with a booming call: Thunder.
**Earth** is the backbone, the silent strength, grounding everything with stability and patience. It’s the steady heart of nature, the soil beneath our feet, the mountains that weather ti. Earth endures, lending its unshakable strength to everything that grows or stands.
**Water** flows and changes, alive with emotion and intuition. It’s the lifeblood, moving in waves of feeling, reflection, and renewal. Where Earth holds steady, Water adapts, healing and reshaping everything it touches in cycles as deep and mysterious as the ocean.
**Air** is freedom and thought. It moves invisibly, quickly, and lightly, carrying dreams, ideas, and the breath of life itself. Air connects, whispering ssages, inspiring creativity, and lifting us higher, like wings cutting through the sky.
**Fire** is pure energy, fierce and uncontainable, igniting passions, ambitions, and transformation. Where Earth, Water, and Air support, nourish, and connect, Fire drives—sotis burning, sotis warming, but always pushing toward sothing new. It’s the spark that both destroys and creates.
And then, there is **Thunder**, the voice of power and warning, weaving through all. Thunder grounds like Earth, rattling the ground beneath; it flows like Water, carrying storms in its wake. It moves like Air, unseen but heard, reaching far, and it flashes with Fire’s fierce light, born of lightning. Thunder is nature’s exclamation, a pulse of raw energy that reminds us of the forces at play. It is the clash, the connection, and the voice of the elents—binding them in a mont of unity, commanding respect for the raw power of the world.
Thunder is unique compared to the four main elents, as it combines aspects of each one. It grounds us like Earth, flows like Water, moves swiftly like Air, and can be destructive like Fire. Thunder symbolizes the harmony and tension between these forces, highlighting nature’s power, unpredictability, and potential for change.
Even in the realm of thunder, the elent divides its attributes and takes on a color that reveals its true nature and purpose, a reflection of both strength and limitation:
- **Crimson Thunder** – the color of destruction itself. It surges with raw, unbridled power, a force that tears through obstacles without hesitation. It has no finesse or subtlety, but none can deny its devastating might.
- **Azure Lightning** – crafted for speed. It races with unmatched agility, slicing through the air in a blur too swift for the eye to follow. Yet, its power lies solely in its montum; it lacks the sheer force of its crimson counterpart.
- **Violet Thunder** – a blend of speed and destruction, but the master of neither. It balances force and agility, striking with purpose yet unable to reach the heights of the crimson or azure. Its strength is versatility, though, in the heat of battle, it often falls short of true mastery.
- **Obsidian Lightning** – the embodint of chaos. Dark and unpredictable, it shifts and twists, a storm without pattern or restraint. Where it strikes, order dissolves, and havoc reigns. This thunder is wild, powerful, and beyond control (solely been found with magical beasts so far).
- **Golden Lightning** – the ultimate form, wielding the full spectrum of thunder’s potential. It possesses the force of crimson, the speed of azure, the violet’s adaptability, and the obsidian’s chaos. This rare, radiant thunder commands all aspects, embodying both harmony and mastery.
....
Logan and Morgan stood over Alex’s fallen form, breaths heavy, their gazes fixed on him with a mix of respect and exhaustion. The ground around them was still marked by the deep cracks and scorch marks left in the wake of their clash.
Logan rolled his shoulder, wincing slightly. "If it had just been out there," he muttered, "I’d be the one on the floor right now."
Morgan glanced at him, nodding as she steadied her greatsword. "Sa here. Facing him alone would’ve been... ahh, I didn’t notice because we never fought one-on-one with our rank restricted, well let’s just say I wouldn’t have enjoyed the outco." Her gaze shifted back to Alex, a faint smile of admiration and annoyance breaking through her serious expression.
"I’m sure you noticed, he sohow managed to create a weak lightning barrier in those split seconds that weakened my attack; that kid is a monster," comnted Morgan to Logan, who nodded in agreent.
They exchanged a silent understanding, the weight of the realization settling over them. Despite the two-on-one advantage, they’d both felt the full force of Alex’s skill. Alone, they wouldn’t have stood a chance. Even as they’d fought to keep up, they knew he’d been a step ahead, his movents precise, and calculated.
Logan let out a low, almost rueful chuckle. "Makes you wonder how much further he can push himself if he tries for real. And how much further we’ll need to push ourselves to keep up."
Morgan nodded, determination lighting her gaze. "Next ti," she said, "we’ll be stronger. But right now... I’m just glad it wasn’t one-on-one."
They both looked down at Alex again, feeling a strange mix of relief and fear. The spar had proven what they’d already known deep down—Alex was in a league of his own, and they could only hope to match him. But it also sparked a fierce desire in both of them: to train harder, grow stronger, and soday, be able to beat him one-on-one in the sa ranks.
....
"I am always impressed when I see Alex’s battle art," Lucian said, turning to face Dean. "The thunder elent isn’t usually compatible with the katana. The katana demands precision, speed, agility, a proper drawing technique, and excellent control."
"While thunder can be destructive, it cannot be easily controlled. It is wild and untamable, resisting any attempt at mastery. The only similarity between thunder and the katana is speed; however, concerning raw destructive power, the katana is not typically considered one of the most devastating blades," Lucian continued, his gaze returning to the match.
"The spear can also be said to be the sa as the katana, but unlike the katana, the spear acts like a conductor to control the thunder elent."
During the sparring session, Lucian closely observed Logan and Morgan’s impressions. Their eyes were noticeable, intense, quiet, yet unmistakably determined. They exchanged glances with Alex; so were respectful, others challenging, but all conveyed an underlying sense of urgency.
Dean, sensing that Lucian had more to say, turned toward him. "Your children fought well today, Lucian," the elder said. "But I sense there’s sothing more on your mind."
Lucian nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, after the match, I paid close attention to them. I saw the way they looked at Alex. Even though he didn’t win, he made them dig deeper. The shift in their expressions told everything. They didn’t take this lightly. I think they’re starting to feel the pressure to train harder, to catch up to him... not to be left behind."
Dean smiled knowingly. "A healthy rivalry, then."
"More than that," Lucian replied. "Alex is pushing them to surpass their limits. They see him as soone to match, even if it ans challenging themselves like never before. This is a good thing for them, and I have him to thank for it."
Dean nodded with approval. "A powerful legacy for a father to witness."
Lucian, hearing that, couldn’t help but frown a little before returning to his usual aloof face.
....
"Damn, my body aches all over," Alex said as he stood up, noticing a bandage wrapped around his stomach. "That girl is a demon. I pity the guy who ends up with her. I would have been in serious trouble if I hadn’t put up a barrier at the last minute." Alex shivered at the thought of what could have happened if he hadn’t been able to create that barrier on ti.
"I think it would be better not to say that in front of the young lady when you see her if you want to make it to today’s party in one piece, sir," comnted Lora, who stood professionally beside the bed in his room.
"Oh, you’re here, Lora. She won’t hear this, so she won’t know... unless you tell her, right?"
"No, sir. It’s just that the young lady and young master are already on their way here now that you’ve woken up."
"Eh? How? It’s barely been a minute since I woke up."
"I was the one who inford them, sir. I was told to let them know as soon as you were awake."
"Lora, who do you serve? or my siblings?"
"You, sir."
"Then why did you do that without my approval?"
"I’m sorry, sir. It’s just that the young lady gave that look when I tried to refuse," Lora said, shuddering as she tried to banish the mory.
"The demon eyes?" Alex sighed. "Ah, I see. There was no way to avoid that. I try my best not to get caught in that gaze myself."
"Exactly, sir. It was either you or them. So... I chose the lesser evil."
Alex snorted. "I don’t know whether to be relieved that Morgan is scarier than I am, or insulted that you think I’m the easier one to deal with."
He got out of bed and wore a white robe to cover the bandages wrapped around his torso. "What ti is it?"
"A few minutes to 7 PM, sir. You’ve been unconscious for three hours. The spar started at 1 PM and ended two hours later."
Alex ran a hand through his hair, frowning as he tightened the belt of his robe. "Damn. If I had woken up any later, I could have missed tonight’s outing with Lauren. Do you know how hard it is to convince her to attend a party? I don’t know if I’ll get another chance like this, especially with my reputation."
Lora bit her lip nervously, glancing at the door. "I-I’m sure it’ll work out, sir. The young lady—"
"Oh, please, Lora," Alex interrupted with a groan, "Morgan could’ve at least gone easy on with that last attack. But noooo, she’s got to be an absolute demon about it."
The door slamd open before Alex could process his mistake.
"Care to repeat that?" Morgan’s voice, cool and sharp as ice, sent shivers through the room.
Alex froze. His eyes darted toward the door, where Morgan stood with her arms crossed and a raised brow. Behind her, Logan leaned casually against the fra, grinning like a cat watching a mouse trapped in a corner. Lora, anwhile, shrank back behind Alex, clutching her hands nervously.
"Morgan!" Alex said, forcing a nervous laugh. "Didn’t hear you co in!"
"I bet you didn’t." Morgan stepped inside, her deliberate movents exuding the nace only a sibling could master. "So... am I a demon now?"
"Well... you see," Alex began, fumbling for words as he stepped back. "It’s, uh... it’s a term of endearnt?"
"Really." Morgan’s tone dripped with mock curiosity. "Endearnt. Enlighten —how exactly is ’demon’ endearing?"
"It’s, uh..." Alex glanced at Lora, silently begging for backup. She averted her eyes, her lips trembling as if to say, You’re on your own, sir.
Logan chuckled from the doorway. "This is gold. Please, Alex, keep going."
Alex shot him a glare before turning back to Morgan. "I ant it as... you know, like... a force of nature? Powerful, unstoppable, fierce?" He attempted a disarming grin.
Morgan raised an eyebrow. "Fierce, huh? And what was that about not going easy on you?"
Alex groaned, running a hand down his face. "Look, Morgan, I didn’t an it like that. It’s just... I was unconscious for three hours because of that last attack. Three hours! I could’ve missed my chance to talk to Lauren tonight. You don’t know how rare those chances are!"
"Oh, poor Alex," Morgan said, feigning pity. "I didn’t realize your little crush was worth pulling punches."
"It’s not a ’little crush’!" Alex protested. "It’s—ugh, never mind! The point is, you didn’t have to hit like you were trying to take out for good!"
Morgan’s lips twitched, and for a mont, it looked like she might smile. "You’re saying you’d prefer I treated you like a weakling?"
"No, that’s not what I—" Alex stopped mid-sentence, realizing he was cornered. "Ugh, forget it. You win."
Morgan smirked. "I usually do." She turned on her heel but paused at the door, glancing back over her shoulder. "By the way, Alex... you’d better not do anything to Lauren tonight, that girl is an angel, if I hear anything, I might think you need tougher sparring sessions."
With that, she left the room, her footsteps echoing down the hall.
Logan, still leaning against the fra, let out a low whistle. "Man, she let you off easy. Must be Lauren’s lucky night."
"Shut up, Logan," Alex muttered, flopping into a chair.
Lora peeked out from behind Alex, her voice barely above a whisper. "Sir, I think you handled that... well. Considering."
"Yeah, well, I don’t feel like it," Alex grumbled. "I’m starting to think that sparring with Morgan is the lesser evil besides talking to her."
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