He'd like to read about elemental magic in general.

Okay! The book explains that magic in general is about attuning the pyreflies to your emotions and calling on them the right way. Elemental magic is common for historical and cultural reasons, and given humans' attachment to the idea fiends are often elemental, too, which creates a cycle.

… Is that it?

Nope, this is the introduction! The book goes on at length about the historic uses of elements and the various trials of alternatives, and also explains the influence of Sin on research (basically made it stop). It gives examples of elemental magic and elemental fiends and situations where elemental magic's called for and when it isn't, mentions enchantments and items that have elemental attunements...

It would be really nice if Sin could just go die in a corner.

Theo does not think it wise to spend magic into lightning protection, probably, because brief burns and a mostly-unexpected shocking pain is ultimately not going to cause him long-term harm.

What sorts of (other) enchantments are there?

Magic is not in fact a very scarce resource!

Other enchantments include the space folding he's seen, enchantments against tearing and damage, things that make weapons sharper, various magical effects to them and protections against same, enhancements to the wearer's various attributes...

He looks into the space folding some more, since that could be useful to him long-term. Same for the enhancement of attributes and other magical effects.

This book doesn't have info on that, unfortunately, it doesn't count as elemental magic, or most of the other effects.

Darn.

Sharpness of weapons? He doesn't suppose that counts as, like, 'metal' element…?

Nope, metal is not an element.

Okay, well, might as well research fire if that's here anywhere…? Then why not lightning.

It is! Here's the mental state you need to occupy to cast a simple fire spell, but you still need the sphere for it.

He will have to look for more spheres sometime then.

Other applications of fire and other spheres there might be for it?

Magic fire doesn't exactly consume fuel, it just burns, so it can be used for heating and such. It can also just emit light. There is basically only one type of sphere to learn magic.

'Basically'?

Well, there are a few very rare ones that allow you to learn magic even if your soul isn't ready for it.

Oh right.

Do they come with horrifying side effects?

Nope.

Huh. That's nice of them. Is there much more information about them? (They might or might not be the ones Kaede told him about before, but either way this information is probably useful.)

Some! They are very rare and artificial and hard to make and you need very specific types of fiend to make them.

Interesting. Also a shame, but interesting.

And lightning?

Pretty much same.

Any history about Spira as a whole, or is it pretty much only local things?

Pretty much only local things.

Local things might be interesting anyway…?