Frost 80 122
Garr walked through the doors of the intermediate classroom, eagerly looking around at his new surroundings. The room was a bit smaller than the one he had been in for his novice classes, but it was still impressive. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings of the elements: water, fire, air, and earth. Garr had always been in awe of these elements and their immense power. As he took a seat, he felt a sense of excitement and curiosity.
The professor of the class, a tall man with gray hair and a stern face, entered the room and began to speak. "Welcome to intermediate Elementalism. In this series of courses, we will be focusing on finding your Arche element. This is an important step in your journey as an Elementalist, as it will be your closest element for the rest of your life." The professor went on to explain that finding one's Arche element was a personal journey that every Elementalist had to undertake on their own. It could not be forced, and it often revealed itself in unexpected ways.
Garr listened attentively, feeling a sense of determination rising within him. He had always been drawn to the element of earth. There was something about its solidity, its unyielding strength that called to him. He had a feeling that this might be his Arche element, but he didn't want to get his hopes up too high just yet.
The professor announced that for their first lesson they would be taking a field trip to a nearby quarry. The purpose of the trip was to give the students an opportunity to observe earth in its natural state and to try to connect with it on a deeper level. Garr was thrilled at the prospect of working with earth in a real-world setting.
As they made their way to the quarry, Garr noticed Lily approaching him, a warm smile on her lips. She looked as beautiful as ever, with her long brown hair cascading down her back and her bright eyes sparkling in the dim light.
"Hey, Garr!" she greeted him with a bright smile. "How's your day been?"
"It's been good," Garr replied, happy to see her. "We've been working hard, but it's worth it. How about you?"
"It's been okay," Lily replied with a shrug. "I'm just looking forward to the weekend. I'm thinking about checking out the new restaurant that just opened up. Have you tried the new one by the Academia?"
"No, I haven't," Garr said, shaking his head. "I've never considered it, to be honest."
Lily laughed. "That's okay. More for me then," she said, playfully nudging him with her elbow. "What about you? Any plans for the weekend?"
"Not really," Garr admitted. "I might just spend some time working on my own personal project. I have this idea for a business I've been wanting to try out."
Lily's eyes widened in interest. "Really? That sounds cool. What's the idea?"
Garr began describing his idea in detail, and Lily listened intently, nodding along and asking questions. They talked for a while about his project, and Garr found himself enjoying her company more and more with each passing minute.
As the group arrived at the quarry, Garr took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He focused on his breathing, feeling the earth beneath his feet. He slowly opened his eyes and took in the sight before him. The quarry was massive, with towering rocks and earth rising up on all sides. The air was filled with the sound of picks and shovels, as workers dug deep into the earth. Garr walked towards the edge of the quarry and looked out over the vast expanse of rock and earth. He closed his eyes again, taking a deep breath, and focused all his attention on the element of earth. He could feel the energy of the element coursing through him, and he let out a contented sigh. It was as if he and the element were one.
Garr stood in the center of the quarry, surrounded by massive boulders and rocks of all shapes and sizes. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. As he exhaled, he lifted his arms and the stones began to swirl around him, some small and light, others heavy and jagged. Garr could feel their weight and texture, the roughness of the granite against his skin and the smoothness of the rocks as they slipped through his fingers. He felt a deep sense of power and control as he commanded the stones to move, their movements responding to his every thought and desire. The earth seemed to vibrate with energy, as though the very ground beneath him was alive and pulsing with life. Garr knew that this was where an elementalist belonged, in the midst of the rocks and dirt, connected to the primal forces of nature.
“Alright you lot, time for a break,” called the professor.
Sweat dripped down their faces as they sat on the rocks, catching their breath. Garr watched as his professor, a seasoned earth Arche mage, walked over to a large slab of stone and began to chisel away with his magic. He couldn't help but admire the man's skill and precision as he worked, turning the rough stone into a beautiful sculpture. As the professor worked, Garr noticed a small crowd of laborers had gathered around, watching in awe. The man was creating a funny caricature of one of their classmates, capturing every detail perfectly.
Garr smiled as he watched the professor work, feeling grateful for the chance to learn from such a talented artist. He knew that this was the kind of experience that he would never forget, and that he was fortunate to be a part of it. As the sculpture began to take shape, Garr felt a sense of excitement and anticipation, eager to see the finished product. When the professor finally finished, the crowd erupted in applause and Garr couldn't help but join in. The sculpture was truly a work of art, and he felt proud to have witnessed it firsthand.
For the next few hours, the students worked with the workers, learning how to manipulate and control the element of earth in more complex ways than usual. Garr found himself completely immersed in the experience, and he could feel himself growing more and more connected to the element with each passing moment. He could feel the pulse of the planet, the raw power beneath his feet. Garr felt a sense of belonging that he had never felt before, as if he had discovered a part of himself that he had been missing all along. Still, he couldn’t quite say for certain that earth was his Arche element.
Garr's eyes couldn't help but drift over to Lily as he manipulated the rocks in the quarry. He felt a sense of awe and distraction, as her beauty was simply captivating. He found himself losing focus on his task, his mind wandering towards her. He tried to push the thoughts out of his head and concentrate, but it was difficult with her standing so close to him. Suddenly, he felt a nudge on his arm and he turned to see Lily grinning at him.
"You're not concentrating on your task, Garr. What's got you so distracted?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
Garr shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "Just... thinking about things. Sorry," he replied, his voice trailing off.
Lily giggled, her eyes sparkling. "You know, you can tell me about it if you want. Sometimes it helps to talk about things," she said, placing a comforting hand on his arm.
Garr shrugged her off, too embarrass to admit his feelings.
As the day drew to a close, the professor called the group back together. "I hope you all had a valuable experience today," he said. "Remember, finding your Arche element is a deeply personal journey. You may not have found it today, but keep searching. You will know when you've found it."
Garr eventually wound up back at home where he heard an argument going on.
"What do you mean you lost the contract? This was supposed to be your big break!" his father bellowed at his brother.
"I'm sorry, father. I did everything I could, but they just weren't interested," his brother replied, his voice tinged with defeat.
Garr's father turned his attention to him. "What about you? Any progress in your studies?"
Garr hesitated for a moment, unsure if his father would even care about his achievements. "Yes, actually. Today in class, we talked about finding our Arche element."
"Arche element?" his father repeated, eyebrows raised.
"Yes, it's the element that's closest to us and will become a central part of our magic for the rest of our lives," Garr explained, hoping that his father would show some interest.
His father waved a hand dismissively. "I don't have time for all that mystical nonsense. Your brother here lost us a business contract that would have been worth a fortune. That's what I care about."
Garr felt the regular bout of disappointment. It seemed like no matter how much he achieved in his studies, it would never be enough to impress his father. But he refused to let his father's lack of support dampen his spirits. He sat down for dinner and heard they keep arguing about how his brother should refrain from pointless arguments with customers. He also heard something about needing to compliment customers when they make their decision. Garr wasn’t sure whether or not he would ever need to know those tidbits but he kept them in the back of his mind. He usually tuned these conversations out, but he knew that they might be useful for his own ventures.
