After Ed got something to eat with Shel, they got right back to training. Shel taught Ed some other basic techniques that Ed quickly got the hang of. He was by no bounds an expert but he could at least exert more of his actual strength into swings now. Shel then told him to practice those moves on his own time before ending the training for that day. He complied before waving goodbye and leaving the area.
It was late afternoon and Ed felt it was about time he learned a thing or two from Vorgarag. They never agreed on a time but if he can intrude on Ed why can't Ed do the same to him? With that thought in mind, Ed asked around about where Vorgarag now stayed. Once he had a clear direction he hurried over.
The cottage that Vorgarag moved to was more secluded than Ed had originally expected. It was still within the settlement walls but there were no other cottages nearby and the grass was intact suggesting no orcs walked around there.
"It seems this place has some sort of cultural importance" Ed mumbled to himself as he approached the door of the only cottage in the area.
He knocked on the door and waited for a bit. It took Vorgarag nearly a minute to finally open the door. Ed noted that Voragarag had traces of sweat on his face and looked physically tired, he had likely been in the middle of something important until Ed interrupted him.
"Why are you here?" Vorgarag said exhausted, his tone containing a hint of annoyance.
"You agreed to teach me magic." Ed felt bad for interrupting him but he was already there so he couldn't back out now.
"I did didn't I..." Vorgarag stopped to think for a bit before inviting Ed to come inside the cottage. It was a request that Ed naturally complied with.
The inside was cluttered, there was magical equipment littered around everywhere. It became clear to Ed that Vorgarag actually spent most of his time in here. It now made sense to him that he found nothing inside of Vorgarag's cottage.
"Do you know the first thing about magic?" Vorgarag gazed at Ed inquisitively.
"I do" Ed said while nodding in acknowledgment.
Vorgarag seemed to find Ed's answer to be very interesting as he thought on in silence.
"Whatever, then do you know how to find one's elemental affinity?" This was a question that Ed couldn't easily answer. The books he read previously only provided superficial knowledge on affinities meaning he could only form his own conjectures.
"Is it by taking in the elements into your body?" Ed asked unsurely.
"What?!? No! are you crazy!" Vorgarag was now wondering if Ed really did know a single thing about magic.
'Yeah I didn't think so either...' Ed could only scratch the side of his face awkwardly.
"The only way for that to be a viable option is if your body is capable of housing in all elements, otherwise that would be suicidal."
Mana of different elements tend to oppose each other, the opposing elements would rip apart a person's body if they don't have the corresponding affinity. This was something that Ed knew but he simply couldn't think of any other option. Plus, poison in small doses can't be too deadly right? Yeah, maybe he shouldn't have asked that...
"Anyways... The safest way to do it would be by using a magic formation." Vorgarag said matter of factly.
This was the first time Ed had heard of magic formations, he couldn't help but feel intrigued. Vorgarag noted his curiosity and continued to explain the process.
"The formation works quite similarly to your earlier suggestion. However, it also uses the proper elements to counteract any newly inserted element. This is possible without the formation in theory but it would require an area with all of the elements immediately available. That environment can only be created artificially through a formation. Not to mention that without the help from an array it would require extremely fine control from the aspiring magician which is unrealistic." Vorgarag gave Ed a quick rundown on how the magic formation works without missing a single detail. Ed couldn't ask any questions as they were all answered before he could ask them.
He could formulate his own understanding based on Vorgarag's already clear words. The formation would work like a machine that inserts a potentially poisonous substance but with an antidote readily at hand. The antidote may not be necessary however if you are shown to have immunity towards it.
"So... where is this formation?" The messy cottage didn't seem to have enough space for such a delicate array. He doubted Vorgarag would suggest a method that he couldn't do as well.
"Before that, we will need to get a couple of formalities out of the way." It seems that Vorgarag had a reason to bring up the formation early after all.
"Ok..." Ed wondered what conditions Vorgarag might try to apply. It probably wouldn't be something like becoming his slave. If it was anything remotely similar he might have to rely on his assimilation skill. How? Well, he could find that out later if things came to it.
"The magic formation was left behind by our tribe's first shaman, Tog. That means I can't replicate it with my current skills. Of course, I am working on it but that might take a while. I will need you to listen to all of my orders when inside that place." It would seem that the state of magic had degraded after a couple of generations given that Vorgarag gave him a sense of helplessness as he spoke.
"I promise not to touch anything." There was no reason for Ed to deny. Who knows, he might also have the chance to study that formation in the future.
"Good, that means I am officially taking you in as a disciple." Vorgarag nodded and motioned with his head for Ed to follow him.
'Disciple? Well, whatever' Ed didn't place much emphasis on the master-disciple relationship. Maybe it was because he was used to living in the modern era where teachers are easily found and sometimes learning from them is even mandatory.
The cottage wasn't very large but it was quite messy. Vorgarag moved aside some of the tables and furniture revealing...! The floor. Or so it would seem. Vorgarag chanted a small incantation which revealed a hatch on that portion of the floor.
"Follow me" Vorgarag opened the hatch and jumped in. Ed naturally jumped in after him.
The hatch led into a small hallway, the walls were made out of rough stone and torches were hanging on them. The torches were however much brighter than those of the crypt and seemed to be properly burning out. That meant that someone must be replacing these torches otherwise the path wouldn't be so well lit. The culprit was obviously Vorgarag.
The small corridor led towards a sturdy wooden door. It was much better than the flimsy one the cottage had. It seemed to be well made all things considered.
"My teacher brought me here for the first time a couple of years ago when I started to learn magic under him. Apart from not damaging anything I hope you understand the importance of this place." Ed nodded in response. He could now understand why this side of the settlement was tucked away. It was because it held a secret! And the secret was only passed down from shaman to shaman!
Vorgarag opened the well maintained wooden door revealing a dazzling light. Ed couldn't help but squint as he peered through the door. Various crystals of different colors were surrounding a magical formation written on the rocky ground. Each crystal had a circular formation linking it to the large formation in the middle of the room.
Ed was a bit speechless as he entered the crystal lit room. they could only be one thing! Mana crystals! Ed now knew how the formation manages to artificially create a room with an equilibrium of elements, it was the crystals!
Vorgarag then let out a soft chuckle as he seemed to be enjoying Ed's expression, "Pretty cool right?"
"Yeah..." Ed absentmindedly replied. He couldn't remember seeing anything remotely as brilliant as these crystals even from his previous life. Granted, his memories were still recovering...
"Enough of that, stand in the middle of the formation." Vorgarag pointed at a clear spot amongst the runic writing, It was clearly where he needed to stand.
Ed walked over while admiring the atmosphere. He could see why Vorgarag would stick around this hut all the time. Apart from the formation testing one's affinity, it also provided for a perfect place to meditate! The first shaman Tog must have been a brilliant magician.
"Good, now send your mana into the array through your feet." Although Ed never explicitly stated he could do this Vorgarag had been observing him for a while now and knew that this should be within Ed's ability.
Ed did just as he was told by Vorgarag, he sent his element-less mana into the ground where the array stood. The runic writings and the circular formations started to faintly glow. To Ed's surprise, the writing on the ground started to revolve within the circular formation and even pop out of the ground, it all looked quite magical. The red crystal in the room brightened as the array took in some of its mana. The dazzling bright light temporarily blinded him and then....!