Back in the caves just after Su had read her quest completion she felt a change in her body. It was like something blocked had been opened for her. The earth elemental mana that was lingering around them due to the shield and elemental spirits skills, was now hugging to her. "I can feel it. The earth mana. I can feel it all around me now." That was well beyond what Walker had expected.
He had thought that Su wouldn't notice much of a change and wouldn't be able to sense the earth elemental mana at all. However, she was describing the movement of the mana which was attracted to her due to the earth affinity she gained from the quest.
"Zenith, that wall over there by those stairs seem to be strange. Have you sketched them yet?" Walker purposefully distracted Zenith so that he could have a secret word with Su.
"Ah, no. I need to sketch faster so I can explain the dimensions properly!" Zenith rushed to get a closer look fully invested in the intricately carved walls.
"I am wondering. Since you already have a dark elemental affinity and gained an earth affinity, do you think you could get all affinities? Midnight has the ability to eat every mana crystal and you are a draconic guardian. Your system is based on the dragon you are close to right?" Walker had this theory developing and was almost certain that is why Su had the earth elemental affinity as a reward.
"I feel like I should have had this affinity all along. It is like discovering I can move my finger more than I thought I could." Su agreed completely with Walker's idea. She could feel the earth elemental mana around her and even the earth elemental spirit rushing around her.
"I understand a little more what it is like for you to always sense the elements now. It is wonderful." Su was letting herself relax much more than usual. It was an enlightening moment for her as she had a whole new feeling and affinity.
"Like me! You are like me!" The two earth elemental spirits said this in chorus while moving around Su's feet. The darkness elemental spirit popped its' head out of Su's shadow to nod at her showing its understanding before it pulled back in to the shadows to hide again.
"You will make me a home with those bones?" The fire elemental spirit finally stopped flitting here and there to absorb the fire elemental mana. Having finally ceased its' movement, it was looking intently at Walker who it had already stored away the embering skeleton bones.
"I can make you a dwelling item or weapon but you will need to help. It will be made to fit you. You could also join me on my adventures if you'd like?". Walker wanted the fire elemental spirit to choose him over other things so that he would have the quest requirement fulfilled but he wouldn't force it.
"I want a home! No higher spirits!" The fire elemental spirit instantly against the idea that it wouldn't be able to reside in the home that was made just for it. It had seen how the dwelling earth shield worked and was jealous. That was all it took for it to be convinced that it needed a dwelling of its own. There was no way it would want to join Walker in his quest to make a staff.
"Then that's what we will do. I will speak to the elder and see if he can make a dwelling item for you. We can chat about what kind later." Walker just smiled a little sad he didn't get the fire spirit he needed for the quest but knew that was just how it was.
"Hey! You might need to take the lead here!" Zenith had bypassed the offerings and chests next to the stone coffin since she knew they could be examined for their contents after. Instead, she was right by the stairs that seemed to lead up further.
"If that was the start and not the actual flame mage skeleton we might need to get the others." Walker could still feel that there was more fire elemental mana around and that there might be more mage skeletons ahead.
"There are traps in the walls of the stairs. Do you see the elemental mana crystals and the runes carved in to the walls? I have seen them before. They will make fire come out of the mana crystals when someone walks by them. The only way to disable them is to alter the runes which could make them explode or to remove the mana and break the crystals." Zenith lacked the ability to remove the mana and was not risking an explosion in a cave. Especially an old cave.
"I should be able to do something about that. Hey, do you want the mana from the crystals too?" Walker could make the crystals bleed their mana using his manipulation skill but he wasn't sure if the fire elemental spirit would want it since it had taken the other fire elemental mana that the ember skeleton dispersed.
"I will take it!" The spirit was even more excited to get more mana and replenish what it had lost over the many years of being stuck in the cage within the treasury.
"Then here I go." Walker saw the first of six fire elemental crystals in the wall and tried to sense the mana. He could feel a small amount left that had not naturally bled away over the many years. "Oh, this is going to be easy. I'm not sure it could even make fire anymore since it is so weak." He pulled on the mana and the crystal cracked to release the fire elemental mana all at once. The crystal was too old.
The spirit greedily took control of the fire elemental mana and Walker cleared the path of traps. Midnight looked at the broken crystals wantingly. However, Su patted her on the head and kept her company while they waited for Walker to finish. "And that's that. Think there is more above us?" The path was clear of traps.