Chapter 169 - Explanations 2 – Innate Abilities, Souls and Elementals (Patreon)

“I am a light user,” Rave explained and created a small flash of blue light in demonstration, “I also punch stuff. Guess you could call me a melee mage.” The princess hummed in understanding before asking: “Is your ability innate or acquired?” “Innate,” Rave answered. “You possess a light type soul?” Lydia probed further. “Yup, already made a contract as well,” the techno lover raised the arm from which the copper wristband hung that was Copernicus sealed form.

“Ehem,” John audibly cleared his throat, “might I ask what this ‘light type soul’ thing is about? This is the first I hear about it.” Lydia sighed, “whoever was responsible for explaining things in the Abyss to you did not do a very thorough job.” “Well, there was nobody in particular, things just kind of pop-up from time to time,” John explained. “Ey, I did tell ya some stuff!” Rave interjected. “Some stuff, yup,” John agreed, “Jane, I love you, but you are not a born teacher.” “Wha-? Now that’s just mean!” 

Lydia sipped her third cup, watching the minor lover’s feud took place. “Thank you again, Aclysia,” she said as Rave and John threw minor insults at each other. 

“And remember when I had to listen to that boring podcast with ya? See what sacrifices I make for you!” “First off: If the Emperor had a Podcast is not boring, but a modern masterpiece. Second off: That was the agreement, once a week I can bother you with, and I quote, ‘boring 40k stuff’. Third off: I think that is pretty fair, after all I give up the blanket pretty much every night.” “That is an overstatement!” “Is it? I woke up in a full-nelson today!” “THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BLANKET!” “But it has everything to do with your sleeping habits being pretty weird.” 

Lydia checked her watch and knocked on the table to get their attention back. “This is something you can resolve another time,” she said. “”Resolve what?”” the couple asked in unison. Lydia raised an eyebrow, “your quarrel just now.” The two of them exchanged a glance, “That is, sorta, just how we hang out?” Rave said. Lydia’s eyebrow stayed raised, “I am no one to suggest what sort of relationship you should have,” she finally admitted, then added in her usual iron tone, “I however am in the position to demand that you do not waste my time needlessly, I have several provinces to govern.” 

John raised his hands in apology, “Sorry. Back to that soul type thing then.” The princess nodded and started her explanation, “Soul types are how people get their innate abilities. Everyone who has a soul different from a normal one has some innate power. There are hundreds of different kinds of souls but they are broadly categorizable in 8 categories. Fire, water, earth, wind, these are the basic types and the most common ones, inside the circle of innate ability users. I myself am an earth type. Then there are the four rare ones. Life souls have extremely potent biological abilities, such as blood or plant magic.” 

“Those seem pretty far apart to be honest,” John chimed in. Lydia nodded, “as stated, these are very broad categories, you will however find that people with innate power over blood will actually have an easier time learning about bug control than water magic.” “A quick question regarding that: my elemental could actually change to a nature elemental. The choice at the time told me it was a mixture of earth and water, but you are now telling me that plants are in another category entirely, how does that work?” He asked. 

“The four advanced categories often represent mixtures of the basic ones, this is nothing out of the ordinary. Plant is a mixture of earth and water -as you pointed out-, bacteria would be just water while healing magic is an ability based mostly on water but depending on the kind can also have all other elements mixed into it.” John nodded after all of that and gestured for Lydia to continue.

“The next category we have are light types. These are mostly based on mixing air with fire, like electricity, light or other such powers. You say your ability is light but can you explain what kind exactly?” “The heat type, the strongest bursts I can create are sunlight,” Rave answered the princesses request. “Rare and powerful,” Lydia nodded, “if trained correctly, we will have to see about that at a later point.” She took a sip of tea to oil her voice before continuing.

“Opposite to light types we have dark types that are mostly earth and water based. The name sounds sinister but it is a simple categorization and the innate abilities inside it are just as little evil as the ones in the light type category are good. Dark types can be blessed with shadow magic or gravity control for example. The latter being what king Maximillian has control over,” Lydia saw John raise his hand, “Is the question about dark types?” “No, it is about the fact that you are the ‘princess of steel’ and he is the ‘gravity king’, I wondered why,” John explained. “I see there is still a lot I need to tell you,” she mumbled and rubbed the bridge of her nose, “we will get to that soon enough, first however let’s talk about the last type of soul.” For some unknown reason Lydia smiled a bit.

“The rarest of all soul types is the empty soul. That is not to say they don’t have a soul at all, they do, it is just like an empty framework. People with this kind of soul usually die in young years, most of them during childbirth already. Worldwide there are maybe four people who have this type of soul and are stable enough to use the power it gives them.” “Ya sure that even exists?” Rave asked, “I never heard of that.” “Absolutely certain,” Lydia stated and shifted in her seat as she folded her legs, sitting in a staunch way. 

“Now, aside from the empty soul’s powers, all innate abilities can also be acquired through effort. Most acquired users will never reach the power of innate ones. In many fields innate users also have the advantage of contracting an elemental on their terms. Which method did you use to make yours?” The princess’ question was once again aimed at Rave. However, the one that answered her was Copernicus who suddenly took his cat form and jumped on the table. 

The solar cats fur stood on end, eyes flat as he hissed, “the right one, not the perversion you forced upon your partner.” Lydia was unfazed by the cat’s aggression. “Traditional then, I understand,” she turned to John who was already about to ask what that was about. “You know how elemental contracts work from the one earth elemental you have, correct?” she asked him instead.

“One?” John asked, before all four of the elemental girls started appearing around him. Lydia’s eyes went wide for a moment but she kept her composure. “Hey, it is, like, such an honour. I always wanted to meet a princess. Your hair is pretty! Also, nice figure! Also, nice face! But your eyes stare at me disapprovingly, I am not sure if I like that. I am Sylph, Johnnies concubine, also tempest elemental, I guess,” Sylph palavered the second she was corporeal, buzzing in front of Lydia’s face. That was until Salamander dropkicked her and took her place. 

“Sorry, she talks…always,” the blaze elemental apologized, “I am Salamander.” “Undine,” came the musical voice from the slime girl. “I am G-gnome,” the stone elemental bowed, deeply, “sorry if I am not dressed for occasion, but I only have this one.” “Noooooot trueeee,” Sylph giggled and a sudden gust of wind rattled the plates on the table. The main target was Gnome however, or more specifically her skirt which flipped upwards.

Everyone in the room got a good view of Gnome’s hips, her long legs and the lack of underwear in between them. With an embarrassed cry Gnome grabbed the edge of her skirt and quickly pushed it downwards, but the damage was already done, everybody had seen her smooth crotch. Including the princess. “Wha-wha-wha,” Gnome stuttered. Sylph grinned wildly and made a peace sign, “You also have your birthday suit!” “You know, that one was actually good,” Salamander cackled and presented her fist to her sister. Sylph took it with both hands and engaged in a wild shaking of hands, “thank you, thank you!” “…you were supposed to bump it…” the blaze elemental grumbled. “Do what now?” “Just forget it,” 

“Wha-wha-whaaaaat are you doing!” Gnome finally finished her sentence and ran over to Mono. Who readily embraced her. “Perverts, all of you!” she condemned the actions of the group while calming the oldest of the elementals down with motivational whispers.

“You are a lively bunch,” Lydia stated in a neutral tone, it was like she was telling somebody that the sky was blue. “Yes…also yes I am familiar with the traditional contraction process,” John said. “No, you are not,” Lydia corrected him, “you are familiar with the modern contraction process. 

There are three kinds of contracts. The traditional one that Rave uses where somebody with a fitting soul makes a contract with an elemental that comes to them. This is how elementalism was discovered in the first place and the dominant kind of it for thousands of years until people figured out how to contact elementals through summoning rituals. That is what we call modern elementalism, the one that allows none innate users to make contracts with weaker elementals.”

“And then there is disgusting thing your people came up with,” Copernicus growled. Lydia sighed, “You not liking it doesn’t mean that it is disgusting by nature. Most elementals willingly sign the contract.” “Most, exactly,” the sun cat kept at it, “your method forces elementals into a state that is unnatural.” “As does corruption at the hands of inexperienced summoners in the other two methods,” Lydia calmly said. “What is this about?” Rave asked, she was just as confused as John, “I never heard of a third type of elementalism.” 

“That surprises me,” Lydia said, “German elementalism isn’t widely practiced outside of the noble houses of Europe, but it still is practiced.” Neither John nor Rave had anything to say, instead they waited for Lydia to explain. “Well then, where traditional and modern contracts both bind two beings, summoner and elemental, together, German elementalism is a practice that fuses the two beings together into one instead.” 

Lydia’s eyes turned from their greyish blue into a true grey shade as all the metal on the table suddenly flew into her hand and melted together into a perfect sphere. “This makes the human immensely more powerful while the elemental becomes part of them, the result is a person bigger than either were before.” “And it also kills the elemental.” “Just as it kills the human,” Lydia waved it off, “the resulting person is reborn from both of them.” 

Rave picked Copernicus up and pressed him against her chest. “I don’t like the sound of that at all,” she openly said. Lydia shrugged, “what you like is none of my concern, it is a traditional and effective practice and I never regretted having gone through with it.  To finally answer your question about the titles of me and my opponent, John, it is how the Abyssal nobility inside Germany operates. Unlike our real counterparts, who kept their blood ‘pure’ to claim their ancestral lands, the noble bloodlines in the Abyss are out to breed innate ability users. The titles we hold is our rank of nobility in addition to our type of innate power.” 

“That works?” John wanted to know, “You can just breed innate abilities?” “It maximises the chances,” Lydia answered, “Where normally there is a single innate ability user within a thousand Abyss Walkers there is one in then inside the nobility. It doesn’t guarantee anything, but it helps. Romulus himself created this class, which is why all of his lands can rely on noble armies of innate users. Sadly, many of the nobles in all countries just rest on their innate abilities without honing them to perfection. The system is in a fickle balance,” she let out an annoyed breath, “Just like the whole Europe…

How much do you know about that?”