Sword God in a World of Magic

The Lightning Emperor listened to Shang's description and his troubles.

"And you're sure this mystical Concept of yours exists?" the Lightning Emperor asked. "I've never heard of a Concept like this, and I am also unsure what that could even be."

"It exists," Shang said. "The God confirmed it over 3,000 years ago."

Silence.

"The God confirmed it?" the Lightning Emperor asked.

"Yes," Shang said. "Back then, I was searching for a way to combine my four styles into one, and I wanted to know if it was possible to combine Fire, Ice, Light, and Darkness. That was when the God said that the Concept existed and that it needed the Concepts of Temperature, Twilight, Addition, and Subtraction."

"And all four of them lead into one Concept?" the Lightning Emperor asked.

"Yes," Shang answered.

"A Concept that needs four other Concepts on a similar level to be comprehended. These kinds of Concepts exist, but they are very rare. Additionally, these kinds of Concepts are usually just very advanced fusions of two Affinities."

"I've never heard of a Concept that needs four Concepts from four Affinities."

Silence.

"However, I can also see why I've never heard of something like this," the Lightning Emperor said. ""Comprehending something like that requires you to learn several Concepts that are not even that useful to you, and you would need to blindly try without any assurance for success."

"I'm pretty sure that there are many, many more Concepts out there that still remain hidden since trying to comprehend them essentially requires you to bet your life on comprehending them."

"Fire, Ice, Light, and Darkness," the Lightning Emperor mused. "Lucius knew a lot about these Affinities."

"Shang, I might not know about this Concept, but Lucius might," the Lightning Emperor said.

"Lucius is dead," Shang said.

The Lightning Emperor sighed. "I know, but part of him still exists, but in a very different form."

you elaborate?" Shang

of Want," the Lightning Emperor

Want?" Shang asked.

said. "Lucius gave all of us something before he left. The thing he left me was the Trial of Want, which was surprisingly quite different from what he had given

own powers, but I was the only one that got something

might save the world one day. He was

you might think. Yes, it helps everyone grow stronger by guiding them on the right path, but a Mage's path to power is long and arduous. They might get the right direction once, but there will be tens of crossroads before and after the one

"Fire, Ice, Light, Darkness..."

Concept that combines

trial for

might save

had a

have a sixfold

to Lucius, Shang," the Lightning Emperor said. "Is there

Silence.

quite conflicted about this

learned that there was something that could potentially

was actually left behind by Lucius for his eventual successor. After all, Lucius had also left

seemed

prepared so

know that

what of the

Lightning Emperor proved again and again that he was very different from

very close friends with Lucius, to the degree that he

Child

Emperor being fine with killing the Emperors and some Mage Kings,

Child of Calamity meant supporting the end

the mere title of Child of Calamity

the world, Shang destroyed the

he was

Abomination, and Abominations destroyed

were the manifestation of