Chapter 4: Magical Elements

 The thin man then quickly took the knife in his pocket, and was about to grab Mayari.

But before he could get closer, a big vine suddenly came out of the ground, gripping and surrounding his entire body, immobilizing him immediately.

"A-a magic user!" The thin man let out a scream before fainting in fear.

The lad's eyes then fell to Mayari, he quickly run to her and asked. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Mayari apathetically replied.

With that last sentence she pass him by and started to walk away but the young man suddenly grabbed her wrist making her halt.

"What do you want?" Mayari glance at him.

"Are you sure you're alright?" The lad asked once more, "No bruises or wounds anywhere?"

Mayari pulled her wrist, and didn't bother to answer. She continued to walk and the blond followed her behind.

"What's your name?" He asked as they got out of the alleyway.

"I don't say my name to strangers." She replied as they turn right.

"Is your name by any chance 'Mayari Alverno'?"

Mayari immediately stop and glance at him. No one knows her in this world except for her teacher. However, how did he know her name?

"How do you know my name?" She asked.

"My guess is right," he genuinely grin, "Aunt Helen asked me to find you."

"Where is she?"

"We agreed to meet at the clinic."

Without any further conversation, they then headed to the said clinic. And fortunately, Helen is already waiting outside for them.

"Mayari!" Helen quickly run to Mayari, "Thank goodness your found."

"Thank you for your help, Evan." Helen looked over to Mayari's shoulder to meet the young man.

"Your welcome, aunt Helen." The lad smiled.

"Looks like she finally arrived." A woman in her late 20's then step out of the clinic.

Her long heels clatter at her every step in rhythm of how her wavy black hair sway at her movement, and her caramel eyes, beneath the ebony frames of her glasses, gave a welcoming gaze to her guests.

And with the pallid white lab coat covering her fair skin, it didn't take long for Mayari to foresee that she is a doctor.

"Dr. Ashley Milan, nice to meet you Mayari." She greeted.

She then turned her stare from Mayari to Evan "And a good morning to you, Prince Evan." She bowed in respect.

"Good morning to you too, Dr. Ashley." Evan greeted back. "How's the clinic?"

"Lively as ever." She giggled, "Is your apprentice ready, Miss Helen?"

"She is always ready." Helen replied.

"Then come inside and let us start the test." She urge.

Dr. Ashley then lead them to a spacious room. The room have yellow marbled floor and powder white wall with wide glass windows. In the very center, is a large crystal sphere resting on top of a golden selenite stand. 

"Stand here, Mayari." Dr. Ashley instructed.

Mayari followed and stand in front of the crystal ball, while Dr. Ashley stand at the other side. Helen and Evan, on the other hand, just stayed near the door.

Dr. Ashley then reach deep into her pocket, and showed Mayari seven shards of different colors, each consisting of one element.

"Touch the sphere, Mayari." She instructed once again.

And Mayari obediently obeyed, extending her right hand to feel the cold glass of the strange sphere. As soon as her skin came in contact, the crystal ball then glowed.

"Now let's start the test." Dr. Ashley announced. "Are you ready?"

Mayari nodded.

"Let's start with fire." She took the red shard and press it to the crystal sphere.

The crystal sphere absorbed the shard into bits and turned its clear hue to a beautiful scarlet red with tints of tiger orange and marigold, just like how a flame burn in blazing amber.

The fiery fire then escape from the crystal and spread into spiral motion, covering the entire room with its combusting flare.

All viewers eyes widen in surprise even for Mayari, who couldn't help but stare in awe to the bright kindled flame before her.

"How astonishing..." Dr. Ashley breath fixing her glasses.

"I have never seen anything like this." Evan stated as he continued to view the ignited scenery reflecting in his blue ocean irises, then his gaze shifted to her.

"She met my expectations already." Helen gave a light laughed.

"The element of fire allows you to control and create flames." Dr. Ashley informed, "this is one of the common elements and I am very surprise you have such power to make it burst out of the crystal."

"That crystal sphere is used to hold out the magical energy inside it but you somehow break its restrictions." Dr. Ashley is in deep thought as she hold her chin, "No one have ever done that before, are you sure you haven't done magic?"

"No, I haven't." Mayari simply replied.

"Alright, and before this fire burn everything let's test the water element." Dr. Ashley hurriedly took the blue shard and let the crystal sphere absorbed it to nothing.

The burning crystal suddenly freeze and came rushing out are sapphire blue waves washing away the flames.

More water came streaming and it glided in the air, like a precious sky gems, dancing around Mayari whom they sense as their queen. Then they freeze into cold solid ice.

"Another surprise." Dr. Ashley smiled as she adored the unexpected beauty of the glimmering frost of water all around Mayari.

"With the element of water, you can manipulate any body of liquid substances and with a certain water magic session you might be able to learn the magic of healing." She informed before placing in another shard.

The ball of water morph into a ball of hurricane, along with the wind in the entire room whirling in a soft gentle motion, stroking every strand of Mayari's hair delicately like petals in a warm spring breeze.

"You also have the element of air that allows you to command the wind and with advance training you will surely fly to the blue high sky."

Dr. Ashley place the fourth shard. The ball of hurricane changed into an orb of lightning. Electricity then travelled to the floor zapping anyone who is near except for it's holder.

Dr. Ashley even shielded herself with a layer of ice to keep her from being electrocuted. While Helen and Even are safe because they are too far away to reach.

"This is dangerous," Dr. Ashley stated the obvious, "but putting that aside, you have the element of thunder, you can summon any lightning bolt you want and even used your body to make it flow to you." 

"Ancient studies even recorded that a thunder magic user can turn themselves into lightning and move as fast." Helen told.

"Is that really true?" Evan asked.

"No one knows." She replied with a smile.

"This is very impressive, Mayari." Dr. Ashley praise, "Not only you have a powerful magical energy towards your elements but you also have four of them!"

"This is a lifetime scene to watch." Evan commented, "Good thing I tag along."

"Indeed." Helen let out a chuckle.

"Their are not so many magic users that have four elements." Dr. Ashley apprise, "They are very few them that everyone could even say their full name, one by one, that includes Ms. Helen and maybe you."

"What do you mean by 'maybe'?" Mayari asked.

"Witnessing how you pull these dazzling event effortlessly, I am guessing you have more than four elements." Dr. Ashley replied with all seriousness.

"If so, you could be the very first to have five or more elements." Evan told.

"Then let us continue!" Dr. Ashley exclaimed in excitement, "These shards won't test themselves."

She immediately place the fifth shard. Within a blink of an eye, the electric orb suddenly turned into soil, and emerging from that rich earth is a sapling that quickly grew into an evergreen tree.

The branches spread to the entire ceiling and produce a beautiful cherry red apple. Evan pick one that blossomed near him and observed how this fruit was perfectly shaped and coated with a shiny red hue.

"I can't believe it..." Dr. Ashley was dumbfounded, along with Helen and Evan.

Helen knew Mayari have a powerful magical energy surging into her but she never guess that she would have more than four elements.

Throughout her knowledge, no person could carry more than four elements due to their body that cannot hold such immense power. But this assassin she have brought, defies the knowledge that every sorcerers knew.

"Dr. Ashley." After a minute of silence, Mayari's voice finally cut through, snapping Ashley and the others from their trance.

"Umm, w-what is it?" Dr. Ashley stutter.

"Place the next element, I want to know if I have both darkness and light."

"Oh, yes." Ashley nodded, "I just need to inform you that light and darkness are two strong opposite elements, and these elements are not like fire and water that collide in one vessel."

"Your physique can only choose one of the two because light and darkness cannot pair in one body, no one have ever done that." Ashley explained further. "But since you keep surprising us and defying the law of our knowledge, if you will be able to tame these two elements in you, then you must be the most powerful sorceress currently living in this world."

"I wish you luck." She added before placing together the two last shards of white and black.

The atmosphere is heavy with anticipation, all eyes are on Mayari, and Mayari have her eyes to the majestic tree, waiting for it to disappear and show the next magic she will obtain.

It doesn't matter to her if it is the light, the darkness or both, she just wants to see how everything in this world keep surprising her in every seconds that pass.

Mayari have never felt such adrenaline strongly coursing through her body. She never thought that the feeling of excitement that she had forgotten to feel for so so long will come back to her like a rushing river.

And as everyone was standing by for the big reveal, their surrounding dimmed as the bright light of the room strangely faded and was replaced by the dark shades of grey.

The tree suddenly died in front of Mayari and withered away from existence. Right that very moment, Mayari's feeling of excitement have vanished, bringing back her cold emotionless state of self.

Something is wrong...

The loop of rich soil suddenly turned into a black glass and the crystal ball abruptly cracked upon its appearance. Murky slime started to ooze out from the fracture and before Mayari could react, it suddenly immobilize her hand, spreading further onto her arm.